Thanksgiving Day is one holiday when overeating runs rampant. Let’s face it: most gatherings involve food in one way or another, but the Thanksgiving feast is the main event when it comes to pigging out. (Or should I say… turkeying out?)
But before you eat your weight in turkey and then collapse onto the couch to watch football in a stupor, try these quick remedies to ease that overstuffed belly.
Encourage gas… from either end. A loud belch or toot might not be polite for company, but it can ease the pressure in your over-full belly. Sip a fizzy drink (try using a straw so you suck up more air) to encourage belching. Try this move to break wind: lay on your back and pull one knee up to your chest for a count of twenty, then switch. Finally, do both knees at the same time.
Have a cuppa after dinner. Ginger and peppermint teas are well known as stomach soothers. Don’t want the tea? Try a peppermint or ginger candy, or nibble on a few fresh mint leaves.
Keep your head up to help prevent heartburn. Even though that massive meal can make you want to curl up and nap, do it sitting up. Let the power of gravity keep your stomach acids where they belong — in your stomach!
Use your nose. Head for the kitchen and stick your nose into the spice rack. The scent of herbs and spices can stimulate the production of stomach acids, helping to break down the Thanksgiving dinner.
Take a walk before you slump into that easy chair for the rest of the day. You don’t have to race, you don’t have to rush… but moving around a bit may help tame your troubled tummy. I find that if I can walk around a little after a massive meal, it helps me feel better.
And a bonus sixth fix for a holiday overindulgence? Build a time machine. Go back in time and tell yourself not to overeat!