How to Recover from Overeating

By Rachel Zachar

If you're like most people, you probably did some overindulging yesterday. Whether you gorged yourself on the stuffing or pumpkin pie, you might not be feeling too hot today. Overeating can contribute to bloating, abdominal distention and an overall feeling of sluggishness, which you may be experiencing today. It's important to not feel too guilty about deviating off course from your regular, healthy diet; once you come to terms with the fact that you probably ate too much, there are certain steps you can take to start undoing the damage.

Drink lemon water.
While bloating is often a sign of water retention, it does not signify that you should stop hydrating your body and drinking it. When you're bloated, drinking water with lemon can help reduce salt that is retained in your body and also provide diuretic effects, according to Fitness Magazine. In addition, drinking water can help you to feel full so you don't reach for food and overeat even more.

Sip dandelion tea.
An article on Dr. Oz's website states that drinking dandelion tea can provide diuretic effects and contribute to breaking down fatty meals that may be inflating your stomach. Drinking one cup per day might be able to stimulate bile so it's able to digest foods more quickly and not leave them sitting in your stomach, causing bloating and other uncomfortable effects.

Have some yogurt.
Plain yogurt with active cultures can supply essential probiotics, which can contribute to better, more efficient digestion by increasing good bacteria in your gut. Specifically, the strains lactobacillus and acidophilus are able to aid with reducing symptoms of bloating.

Force yourself to exercise.
While exercise is probably the furthest thing from your mind when you're experiencing a blown-up belly and uncomfortable gas, it can actually help ease your symptoms and propel you on the road to recovery more quickly. Cardiovascular exercises that get your heart pumping and stimulate your sweat glands can boost your digestion and encourage your body to release excess fluids.

Try a massage.
One of the feelings that often accompanies overeating is that there is a bunch of gas and food just “sitting” in your stomach, all backed up and causing an icky feeling. Massaging your stomach area can be a good way to move the gas around and stimulate bowel activity so you can release backed-up stool and start feeling a reduction in bloating, as Dr. Oz recommends.

While the holidays are a great time to spend with family and friends, the variety of delicious foods that are available to us are sometimes too much to resist. If you've fallen a bit off course and stuffed yourself too much yesterday, trying some of these suggestions may be able to provide a bit of support and relief from undesirable symptoms. If your overeating symptoms, like gas and bloating, become severe, visit your doctor or emergency room immediately to rule out any digestive problems or food allergies.

We hope these suggestions are able to help you cut back on the bloat and gas a bit. At eVitamins, we have a variety of wellness products that can provide benefits for reducing gas and bloating and other symptoms of overeating. Check us out today, and have a great weekend!

Sources: http://www.evitamins.com/a/how-to-recover-from-overeating-1075#.VIgls8m17uc