Holiday Reflux Guide

Simple, evidence-based strategies to keep digestion calm and energy steady through the holidays—without skipping any celebrations.

Let's Talk About Something Real

It's the holidays. The time when everybody eats like they're never going to eat again.

And look, I'm not here to tell you what not to eat. I'm not the food police. Enjoy the day. Enjoy your people.

But… I also know a lot of you deal with reflux, bloating, tight chest, or that heavy, "I can't breathe" feeling after a big meal.

Here's the thing nobody tells you:

It's not the food alone — it's the pressure.

When you eat fast… pile the plate high… drink on an empty stomach… talk while eating… your stomach literally gets pushed upward. If you've got even a mild hiatal hernia, that pressure goes straight into the diaphragm.

That's why holidays hit so hard for some people.

Three Things That Can Save Your Night

Nothing extreme, nothing restrictive:

1

Before you eat — take 6 slow breaths into your ribs, not your chest

This opens the diaphragm so your stomach actually has room.

2

Eat slower than you think you need to

Half the bloat people feel is just speed.

3

After you eat — walk for 10–20 minutes

Don't lie down. Don't sit and lean back. Just walk. Let the stomach settle downward.

These three things alone can save your whole night… and your whole tomorrow.

Why Holidays Stress Your Digestive System

The holiday season combines the three biggest triggers of digestive issues:

  • Irregular eating schedules
  • High-fat, high-sugar meals
  • Emotional stress + sleep disruption

When these stack together, the gut slows down, inflammation spikes, and symptoms like bloating, reflux, constipation, and fatigue become more common.

1. Start Each Day With a "Digestion Reset Breath"

A calm nervous system improves motility and reduces bloating.

Do this before your first meal:

  • • Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds
  • • Hold for 2
  • • Exhale slow for 6
  • • Repeat 5 times

Research shows diaphragmatic breathing can reduce indigestion symptoms by lowering sympathetic (stress) activation.

2. Use the 10-Minute Walk Rule

Post-meal walking has been shown to improve blood sugar, aid gastric emptying, and reduce reflux.

During the holidays:

  • • Walk 10 minutes after your biggest meal
  • • Keep the pace light
  • • Avoid lying down for at least 30 minutes

This alone can dramatically reduce bloating.

3. Stabilize Your First Meal of the Day

Your first meal sets your digestive tone for the rest of the day.

Choose:

  • • Protein (20–30g)
  • • Easy-to-digest carbs (fruit, oatmeal, cooked veggies)
  • • Optional: ginger tea, peppermint tea, or warm lemon water

Avoid:

  • • Heavy fats
  • • Large portions
  • • Cold/raw foods first thing

Calming digestion early prevents later overeating and reactive bloating.

4. Don't "Save Your Calories" for Big Meals

Skipping breakfast or lunch to "save room" slows metabolism and increases stress hormones.

This leads to:

  • • Overeating
  • • Blood sugar crashes
  • • Heartburn or reflux
  • • Next-day fatigue

Instead: Eat lightly but consistently → stable digestion → smoother holiday meals.

5. Use "Structural Digestion Fixes" Before Dinner

Holidays often involve rich foods that stress digestion. Support your system structurally:

  • • Gentle backbend for 10–20 seconds
  • • Deep breathing into the ribs
  • • Slow standing twists
  • • Upright seated posture before and after eating

These help your diaphragm relax and your stomach stay in the proper position.

6. Alcohol Strategy That Protects Digestion

If you're drinking:

Choose:

  • • Clear spirits
  • • Red wine
  • • Dry cider

Avoid:

  • • Sweet cocktails
  • • Beer (major bloating trigger)
  • • Alcohol after dessert

And stop 2–3 hours before sleep — late alcohol worsens reflux and damages sleep quality.

7. Nighttime Reflux Prevention

If you struggle with reflux or a hiatal hernia:

  • • Don't lie down immediately after meals
  • • Elevate head of bed 4–6 inches
  • • Sleep slightly on your left side
  • • Avoid peppermint at night (can relax the LES for some people)

Studies show elevating the torso reduces nighttime reflux episodes by 50–60%.

8. The Morning-After Reset

If you overdid it (it happens):

  • • Warm water with lemon or ginger
  • • Light breakfast (fruit + protein)
  • • 10-minute walk
  • • 5 deep belly breaths
  • • Keep lunch simple (broth, cooked veggies, lean protein)

This resets inflammation and digestion so the entire week doesn't spiral.

9. Your Holiday Digestion Toolkit

These simple supports make a huge difference:

  • • Ginger tea
  • • Peppermint tea
  • • Chamomile
  • • Warm soup or broth
  • • Cooked vegetables
  • • Light daily movement
  • • Breathing exercises
  • • Sleeping elevated if needed

No supplements required—just body-friendly choices.

10. If You Have Reflux or a Hiatal Hernia

This is especially important:

Avoid during holidays:

  • • Tight waistbands
  • • Heavy bending after meals
  • • Eating while stressed or rushed
  • • Lying down right after dinner

These behaviors physically push the stomach upward.

Enjoy your meal. Enjoy your family.

You don't have to suffer through it.

Want a Personalized Holiday Plan?

Get custom digestion strategy, personalized meal plans, structural hiatal hernia exercises, peptide protocols that support recovery, and nervous system resets for stress-heavy weeks.

Schedule Free 15-Min CallView Consultation Options

For ongoing support with hiatal hernia:

View Hiatal Hernia Peptide Protocol →