The Perfect Food to End the Post-Vacation Bloat

Post-Vacation Bloat

We took a short vacation this spring and with travel comes lots of eating out. It is a pleasure - not having to cook or clean it up, finding restaurant gems in an unfamiliar city. In many ways it is simpler than at home – meal planning, shopping and cooking. I do enjoy those things when I am not feeling time pressured, but it does get tiresome – 3 meals/day, 7 days/week. Vacation is a time to relax, and being more relaxed about eating naturally happens too.

What happens when you get home? How do you feel? The descriptions I hear from my clients and I experience myself – coming home feeling bloated, digestion not working the way it is when eating at home, perhaps a couple pounds up on the scale. Can it be avoided? Perhaps. Seeking out restaurants preparing real whole foods is helpful, but that can be a challenge. Meals tend to be larger, dessert more common. Seeking out the best choices, skipping dessert and alcohol at least some of the time – it will all help. What can you do to quickly get back on track to feel great again?

Real Food = Feel Well

The #1 choice you can always make is get back to eating real food. Get to the store and start cooking. Even better, have a couple meals pre-made in the freezer so you don’t have to immediately jump into meal planning again. If you have the option, order groceries on line and have them delivered as soon as you return so your kitchen is immediately stocked with a plan for the week ahead. Simple, real foods.

Is there a perfect food to end the bloat?

Is there one choice you can make to quickly get your system back on track? Generally speaking, whole foods are the answer. But more specifically fill your diet with lots of vegetables. You know vegetables are good for you, but why will they get you quickly feeling great again?

• Filled with fiber – Vegetables are rich in fiber and help move food through your digestive tract. When foods sit for too long in your gut, toxins that are meant to be cleaned out of your system can be reabsorbed making you not feel well. Slow transit time can also lead to bacterial overgrowth causing gas and bloating.

• A powerhouse of nutrients. Many of the foods you find when eating out may create an imbalance in the diet leading to inflammation and stress on the system. Vegetables are filled with antioxidant nutrients that reduce that stress and protect your body. Foods rich in folate, carotenoids, vitami
C, and sulfur rich foods can help your body do its job of removing waste products to keep you feeling great. Add several of these foods to your meals each day and you will feel the benefits.

-Leafy greens – spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, arugula

-Cauliflower

-Broccoli

-Onions and Garlic

-Asparagus

-Beets

-Brussels sprouts

-Bell peppers

-Cabbage

Don’t forget to exercise

Of course another way back to feeling well is to get moving. Take time each day to move your body for at least 30 minutes. Whether it is walking, jogging or yoga – get moving and quickly your system will be back on track.

The benefits you will see

The extra pounds will quickly come off, your digestion will resume to normal, you will end the post-vacation bloat. Try the following recipe to add some delicious greens to your day.

Warm Cabbage and Kale Salad

Remove stems and chop 4 cups kale into bite sized pieces. Shred 2 cups red cabbage. Set aside. Combine in a small bowl 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons tamari, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger. Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat (do not heat on high) in a large skillet. Add kale and a pinch of salt to the pan and saute for 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and another pinch of salt and saute for 2 minutes longer. Add the dressing mixture and cook until tender, about 2 more minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy.