10 Powerful Ways to Naturally Prevent Digestive Distress for the New Year

Will your digestive tract survive the festivities through the New Year? Every get together is focused around eating unhealthy party snacks or huge meals. The last thing you need is digestive mayhem while visiting with family and friends, so be sure to take a couple steps to strengthen your gastrointestinal tract, which in turn boosts your immune strength. What a great added bonus!

1) Take a probiotic daily
Probiotics provide friendly bacteria for a healthy digestive tract, help prevent heartburn, bloating, gas, and constipation. These good guys get killed off when you drink alcohol, eat processed foods, or foods your sensitive to. So be sure you replenish them before and after eating problematic foods. Try HLC Intensive by Pharmax (take 1 capsule once or twice daily after meals, snacks, or alcoholic beverages).

2) Avoid gluten containing foods

Most party snacks are made with white or wheat flour which contains gluten. This ingredient is notorious for causing GI distress, heartburn, and inflammation. Seek out the gluten free foods made with rice, oatmeal, organic corn, or quinoa, or just stick to the veggies, hummus, or cheese and you'll be better off. If you have autoimmune disease, chronic pain, inflammation, IBS, or chronic digestive issues, you should completely avoid gluten. If you suspect gluten intolerance, take HLC Mindlinx daily which is a special probiotic made to help you break down gluten and casein.

3) Take an Omega-3 daily

Try Ultimate Cod Liver Oil Capsules by Pharmax which contains Omega-3, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D. Omega 3s are a natural anti-inflammatory for the intestines and will help prevent constipation and IBS.

4) Take a digestive enzyme before meals

Take 1-2 Digestzymes caps by DFH just before your meals. The bigger the meal, the more capsules you'll need. You'll be amazed at how significantly it will help prevent bloating, gas, constipation, and heartburn because it helps you digest your food.

5) Limit beverages while eating

Most overeating occurs because of dehydration - so hydrate before and after you eat - 1/2 hour before and 1 to 2 hours after eating. Limit beverage intake while eating. Too much liquid dilutes hydrochloric acid (HCL) production in the stomach and can diminish the digestive tract's ability to properly digest food you eat.

6) Take Hydrochloric Acid to Prevent Heartburn which contains Omega-3, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D. Omega 3s are a natural anti-inflammatory for the intestines and will help prevent constipation and IBS.

If you tend to get heartburn, it means you're not producing enough HCL acid during meals. Try taking 1-3 Betaine HCL hydrochloric acid tablets INSTEAD of your antacid with your meals. You'll be amazed at how well it works to prevent heartburn by helping you digest your food better. Antacids prevent you from absorbing vitamins from your food, so they lead to nutrient deficiencies and even worse GI issues in the long run.

7) Avoid processed, packaged, and prepared foods

Sugar and processed foods weaken the digestive tract, feed yeast, and lowers immune system function. Eat fresh food which will nourish instead of damage your intestines.

8) Consume healthy fats

Good fats help protect and heal the GI lining. Have a spoon or two of coconut oil daily either mixed into a smoothie or used to cook your food (medium high heat). Coconut oil is amazing for healing the digestive tract. It coats it and soothes, and has antibacterial and antiviral properties.

9) Eat raw Kefir and butter from grassfed cows

Kefir made from grassfed raw milk contains natural enzymes and probiotics that are very healing to the GI tract. Butter from grassfed cows contains healthy fats, vitamin A, D, and K2 which all support digestion and immune system function.

10) Consume fermented foods

Kombucha, cultured vegetables and sauerkraut are fermented foods which naturally contain probiotics important for digestion and strengthening your immune system. Learn how to make your own at home from the book Nourishing Traditions.

Bonus Benefit: Improving GI Health Boosts Immune Health

85 percent of your immune system resides in the digestive tract, so it's critical to keep it running smoothly. When your GI becomes weakened, your immune system breaks down and you are much more likely to get a cold or flu. So keep that digestive tract strong using our top 10 tips!