Resetting Your Health Before the Holidays

The holiday season can be a whirlwind of indulgence, but with a little preparation, you can enjoy it guilt-free while feeling your best. Some simple tips to manage the holiday season, focusing on gut health and stress management. If our body is out of balance then these suggestions will benefit you but may not provide relief of all your symptoms. In these instances we have recommended a couple of tests that relate to gut health and stress management to help you resolve these for good.

The holiday season can be a whirlwind of indulgence, but with a little preparation, you can enjoy it guilt-free while feeling your best. Find some simple tips to manage the holiday season that focus on gut health and stress management. If your body is out of balance then these suggestions will benefit you but may not provide relief to all your symptoms. In these instances we have recommended a couple of tests that relate to gut health and stress management to help you resolve these for good. 

1. Boost Gut Health

A healthy gut can help you manage the rich foods and sweets of the holidays with ease. Try adding is some of the below suggestions at Christmas time to balance out the excesses:

  • Probiotic-Rich Foods: Add yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, or kefir to your meals to balance your gut microbiome.
  • Prebiotic Power: Snack on fibre-rich foods like bananas, onions, garlic, and asparagus to fuel your good bacteria.
  • Hydration is Key: Drink plenty of water to aid digestion and flush out toxins. Aim for 8–10 glasses daily.
  • Mindful Portions: Introduce smaller meals packed with diverse nutrients to prepare your gut for heavier holiday dishes.

If sugar worsens your gut health symptoms, it could indicate an imbalance or underlying condition in your digestive system, such as SIBO, candida overgrowth, or gut dysbiosis. Sugar feeds harmful bacteria and yeasts, like Candida albicans, leading to bloating, gas, and discomfort. High-sugar diets can disrupt gut microbiota balance, promoting inflammation and can trigger leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a term used to describe a condition where the lining of the intestine becomes damaged, leading to increased intestinal permeability. This allows larger molecules, such as undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria, to “leak” through the intestinal walls and enter the bloodstream. This process may trigger inflammation and a range of other health issues.

Reducing sugar can manage some of these symptoms but depending on the level of imbalance you may need to do more. A first point of call is always to find out what is happening and the GI360– Comprehensive Digestive Stool Test is great for this information. The GI 360 test provides a comprehensive analysis of your digestion and gut microbiome, uncovering imbalances, harmful pathogens, or signs of inflammation that may be contributing to issues such as IBS, bloating, or fatigue. With its detailed insights, you’ll receive actionable recommendations to help restore gut health and boost overall vitality.

Find out more here and order your test below:

2. Manage Stress Before It Manages You

Stress impacts both digestion and overall well-being, so it’s essential to stay balanced.

  • Set a Morning Routine: Start your day with 5–10 minutes of mindfulness, such as deep breathing or meditation.
  • Move Your Body: Regular exercise releases endorphins, improving your mood and resilience.
  • Sleep to Recharge: Aim for 7–9 hours per night to allow your body to repair and reset.

We discussed stress and whether it is making you ill in this recent post. Sometimes stress can reach a level where it has a negative effects on the body. Chronic stress is a prolonged state of mental, emotional, or physical strain that keeps your body in a heightened “fight or flight” response. Over time, this constant activation can lead to adrenal fatigue, a condition where the adrenal glands struggle to produce sufficient hormones like cortisol to meet the body’s demands.

Christmas can be a time of stress for some. During stress, the adrenal glands release cortisol to help manage the body’s response. Chronic stress keeps cortisol production elevated, which can lead to increased blood pressure, blood sugar imbalances and suppressd immune function. 

If the stress continues unabated, the adrenals may become “burned out,” reducing their ability to produce sufficient cortisol. This is sometimes referred to as “adrenal fatigue” (though it is not a formally recognised medical condition). Symptoms include persistent fatigue, difficulty handling stress, brain fog and cravings for sugary or salty food. Chronic stress disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the system that governs how your body responds to stress. This dysregulation can throw off other hormones like DHEA, insulin, and thyroid hormones.

Understanding what is happening with your cortisol levels throughout the day will mean you can put together a plan to help with these. The Adrenal Stress Index test will show you your cortisol levels, throughout the day, as shown below:

If you are worried about your stress levels, then you can order your test below:

3. Support Your Body’s Natural Detox

Help your system reset and prepare for indulgence.

  • Liver-Loving Ingredients: Maximise cruciferous vegetable including Brussel sprouts, broccoli and cabbage.
  • Reduce Processed Foods: Stick to whole, nutrient-dense meals in the weeks leading up to the holidays.
  • Movement Matters: Incorporate gentle workouts like yoga or walking to stimulate digestion and circulation.

Chronic Stress and Its Connection to Liver Health

The adrenal glands and liver work together to maintain balance in your body. When adrenal fatigue occurs—a state of chronic stress leading to overworked adrenal glands—it can significantly impact liver function. Chronic stress triggers the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands. Excessive cortisol can burden the liver, which is responsible for breaking down and clearing stress hormones from the body. When cortisol levels remain high, the liver may struggle to detoxify effectively, leading to a buildup of toxins that can further strain your body.

Adrenal fatigue often causes blood sugar imbalances, leading to spikes and crashes. The liver plays a key role in stabilising blood sugar by storing and releasing glucose, so it can become overburdened in this process. Stress-related inflammation can increase the liver’s workload, as it processes inflammatory byproducts and helps regulate immune responses.

This relationship and impact also works in reverse. A sluggish liver can allow toxins to circulate in the bloodstream, putting additional stress on the adrenals and the rest of the body. The liver helps metabolise hormones like oestrogen and cortisol. If liver function is impaired, hormone imbalances can worsen adrenal fatigue. The liver processes nutrients like vitamins B and C, essential for adrenal function. Poor liver health can lead to deficiencies, further weakening the adrenals.

In summary, we hope some of these changes can help make the holiday season more enjoyable. By taking small, intentional steps today, you’ll be primed to savour the holidays without stress or discomfort. For those that need to do some further investigation, then do look at the tests mentioned above to help solve your health puzzle for 2025! 

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Resetting Your Health Before the Holidays

The holiday season can be a whirlwind of indulgence, but with a little preparation, you can enjoy it guilt-free while feeling your best. Some simple tips to manage the holiday season, focusing on gut health and stress management. If our body is out of balance then these suggestions will benefit you but may not provide relief of all your symptoms. In these instances we have recommended a couple of tests that relate to gut health and stress management to help you resolve these for good.

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Please do not return samples to the laboratories that may arrive after Wednesday 27th March and up to and including Monday 2nd April.

The laboratories are closed from the 28th March – 2nd April for the Easter Holiday.