The holidays can really wreak havoc on our digestive tracts.

Travel, stress, and eating things we don’t normally eat can set off a chain of events in our bodies that lead to some not-so-fun digestive symptoms that can stop us in our tracks.

It’s no fun to worry that your holiday outfit won’t fit because your belly is so bloated. And none of us need to worry that we can’t attend an office party, or our kid’s play because of tummy upset and gas.

So, what do you do if you’re dealing with constipation, gas, and/or bloating?

A lot of women will reflexively reach for an over the counter medication to find relief. But using over the counter meds can create other issues in your gut, leaving them with long-standing gut challenges, above and beyond their fleeting tummy upset.

Resolving your digestive distress in more natural, and even preventative ways, will help you feel better in the moment, and be better for your gut health in the long run, too.

Because we don’t just want to deal with an uncomfortable symptom in the moment, and then forget about our bodies. We want to give our bodies the attention and care they deserve, every day of the year.

That’s why I’m sharing my simple gut health tips with you below. They will not only help you overcome temporary issues like constipation, gas, and/or bloating, but when these tips become habits for you, they can help you create incredible health all year long.

If you’re dealing with constipation, gas, and/or bloating, try my 4 tips below:

1. Make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. Dehydration is one of the leading causes of constipation. When constipation is present it means the transit time of the fecal matter in the gut has slowed down. This can lead to fermentation, gas, and bloating. Drinking enough water will help speed up the transit time to help things move out and through your system in a timely manner.

And did you know staying hydrated can reduce pain in the body, too? Try drinking half your body weight in ounces every day. Drink more if caffeine and/or alcohol are a part of your day, or if you exercise and sweat a lot.

2. Try eating prunes, kiwi, berries, pears, chia seeds, leafy greens, or drink a green smoothie. Next to dehydration, one of the primary causes of constipation is lack of fiber in the diet. Foods that are high in fiber really help move things along the digestive tract. How do you know if what you’re eating has fiber in it? If it came in a package or is a food not found in nature, it most likely is very low in fiber, too.

Processed foods do not contain enough fiber to meet your body’s daily needs. Try eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, any of the foods listed in bold and underlined above, leafy greens in particular. You can also grab my go-to recipe to get things moving in my free Green Smoothie guide here. Green smoothies are a delicious and easy way to ensure you’re getting enough fiber into your diet every day.

3. Go for a walk, stretch or do Pilates or yoga poses with twists – When we move our bodies, our organs, especially our digestive tract, get a little workout of their own, too. Moving the body by walking or even stretching helps to move food along the digestive tract. It can also help with gas and bloating, too.

Walking for as little as 10 minutes a day can help your digestive tract eliminate gas and fecal matter more efficiently. For a more robust walk, swing your arms, front to back, at your sides. Stretching, Pilates, and/or yoga can also work wonders. Anything that twists your torso can really help moves things along the digestive tract and out of your body.

4. Take a magnesium supplement daily – Magnesium is a mineral that everyone needs for every single cellular function and muscle contraction in the body. And yet, it’s also one of the minerals everyone is deficient in – sometimes very deficient. Why? Because we don’t like to eat our greens! Even if you were to start drinking a green smoothie daily, you might not be able to easily make up for the deficit in your body.

There are many different forms of magnesium out there. For daily supplementation, Magnesium Malate or Magnesium Glycinate are excellent choices. The body absorbs them well. Magnesium Citrate is not so great for daily magnesium storage, but it will move the bowels! So, if you’re in desperate need of constipation relief, try taking some Magnesium Citrate. I like the brand “CALM”. It comes in a powdered form that you can add to water. It’s a much better choice than an over the counter medication.

If you are someone who eats a high-fiber diet and you are struggling with constipation, gas and/or bloating, chances are there is something else going on in your gut that needs to be addressed.

My recommendation for you is to actually reduce the number of fruits and vegetables that you’re consuming or blend them up or juice them before you consume them to give your gut a break. Reach out to me here if you’d like more support around what to do next to bring your gut back into balance.