The clocks have fallen back an hour, and the days grow shorter and cooler. It’s easy to slip into “I’m never leaving the cozy comfort of this couch” mode. While taking time to rest is absolutely necessary, it can also be easy for your other healthy habits to take a backseat at this time of year.

The shift from crisp summer salads to creamy casseroles and refreshing iced drinks to warm lattes and ciders can leave your body and digestion feeling a bit sluggish. With busy holiday schedules, festive meals, and disrupted routines right around the corner, we’re here to offer a few practical tips to help you (and your gut) feel your best as the seasons change!

Explore Foods that Comfort Your Gut and Your Tastebuds

As temperatures drop, it’s natural to crave warm, comforting, and hearty foods. Try to think of ways to add IN more nutrition to your favorite comfort meals. For example…

• Experiment with slow-cooker meals that use beans and lentils. Think: lentil soup, veggie chili, lentil and chickpea curries, etc. These budget-friendly legumes offer plant-based protein and prebiotic fiber to help keep you regular and fuel all of the good bacteria in your gut.
• Roast a tray of root vegetables to add as a side dish to your favorite cozy meal. Veggies like carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, onions, and turnips also feed beneficial gut bacteria and add a natural sweetness to meals. You can even puree roasted root veggies with broth or a splash of cream for a simple soup to pair with grilled cheese!
• Add fermented foods to meals for beneficial probiotics. Sprinkle some sauerkraut into your favorite panini, use kimchi as a topping for ramen, or build a yogurt bowl topped with diced apples and cinnamon. And don’t forget about our favorite fermented beverage…Health-Ade Kombucha! Some of our most popular fall flavors like Pink Lady Apple and new Ginger Spice & Everything Nice are the perfect bubbly meal pairings that your gut will love.

Stay Warm with Hydrating Beverages

It’s easy to get dehydrated in the cooler months because lower temperatures and reduced sweating can dull your body’s thirst cues. Nevertheless, hydration is still important all year round to ensure smooth digestion, help your skin glow, and support your energy levels, muscle function, and immune system.

If you’re not drawn to cold water this time of year, start your day with a cup of warm or hot water. It’s equally as hydrating and can help you warm up on cold mornings! Warm herbal teas like ginger or peppermint can also be hydrating and soothing for both your throat and digestive system. Other beverages like coffee and milk can also count towards your daily fluid intake but try to focus on plain water as your most consumed beverage.

With all of your upcoming holiday social events, it can also be fun to think about swapping some of your cocktails for mocktails. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect on your body and it can be a big disruptor for your gut and overall health, so trying to moderate your intake is always a good idea. Try a kombucha-based mocktail for a festive, gut-friendly twist that will keep you feeling good throughout the season!

Enjoy Your Holiday Meals to The Fullest

The holidays are all about spending quality time with loved ones and food is a big part of that! So, when it’s time to enjoy those big meals, don’t stress about what’s on your plate. Instead, focus on eating foods that you enjoy and checking in with your body during the meal. Slow down to notice the delicious flavors and textures in your meal, as well as to give yourself time to feel fullness signals.

When you start feeling full, remind yourself that you can always pause and save leftovers for a snack or later meal. Missed your pleasant fullness cues and now feel uncomfortable? Know that it’s okay and that discomfort will pass with time.

Find Balance Between Festivities

It’s not the occasional holiday meal that throws off your balance of feel-good habits…it’s what happens in between those big meals that can leave you feeling “bleh.” Do your best to focus on the following between social gatherings and celebratory meals:

1. Build nutrient-dense meals that include the “core four” components: protein, carbohydrates, dietary fat, and fiber/color. This simple formula will help you assemble meals with variety and staying power that your gut will love!
2. Keep your snacks simple and try to include at least two of the four components listed above (e.g. yogurt and berries, whole wheat toast with nut butter, crackers with avocado spread, etc.).
3. Get moving! Staying active through the fall and winter months is one of the best ways to support digestion and boost your mood. Consider taking a brief walk after meals or find a form of indoor movement that you enjoy. Focus on what feels good and sustainable, not just on what burns the most calories.

The change in season doesn’t mean you have to change all of your feel-good habits. Sure, the days are shorter and some of your go-to meals may look different but you can still prioritize nourishing foods, hydration, mindful eating, and energizing movement to keep yourself feeling balanced all season long. These habits are a form of self-care that your mind, body, and gut will thank you for. Cheers to a cozy holiday season ahead!  

This blog post was written by Claire Chewning, RDN & Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor

Claire is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who's not on board with restrictive diets. She’s the owner and founder of Yours Chewly Nutrition, a virtual private practice where she helps individuals heal from chronic dieting and disordered eating so that they can discover peace and trust in their relationships with food + body. She’s also Health-Ade’s Registered Dietitian Advisor and loves educating employees and consumers about all things gut health from a non-diet perspective! She even writes a few blogs from time to time. Cheers!