Between long lunches, BBQs, beach picnics, and a glass (or two) of bubbles, December and January can be a joyful time, but also a challenging one for your gut. It can often lead to increased reflux, bloating, indigestion, irregularity, or that general “heavy” feeling once celebrations begin.
The good news? You can still join in the festivities without paying for it later. With a few simple habits, from smarter food pairings to scheduling regular movement, you can help to keep your digestive system calm, steady and resilient all summer long.
Here’s how to stay in balance while enjoying the merriment.
Eat smarter for the season
You don’t need to avoid BBQ favourites or holiday treats. Small, smart adjustments can help your gut stay calm, especially if you’re prone to reflux or indigestion.
Load up on fibre early in the day
A high-fibre breakfast sets up your gut for the rest of the day by supporting motility and helping stabilise blood sugar (a key trigger for cravings and bloating).
Try:
- Greek yoghurt mixed with fruit, nuts and chia seeds
- Sourdough with avocado and tomatoes
- Oats soaked overnight with a plant-based milk and honey
- Pair alcohol with protein and plants
Alcohol hits the gut harder when consumed on an empty stomach. Pair drinks with lean protein (fish, prawns, chicken, tofu) and fibre-rich salads to slow absorption and reduce stomach irritation.
Choose cooling, anti-inflammatory summer foods
Heat + alcohol + rich foods = the perfect storm for reflux. Cooling, water-rich foods can help soothe the gut lining and support hydration.
Gut-friendly options include:
- Cucumber, watermelon, mint, berries
- Leafy greens with citrus dressings
- Fermented veggies (kimchi, sauerkraut)
- Ginger and lemon (helps stimulate digestion)
Use the “first bite” trick
Your first bite sets the tone for your blood-sugar response for the rest of the meal.
Start with:
- A forkful of salad
- A few bites of protein
- Avoid anything high-GI or carbohydrate-heavy
This small shift helps reduce bloating and that post-meal slump.
Pace your eating, especially when grazing all day
Festive eating often means continuous grazing rather than fixed meals, which can confuse your gut’s migrating motor complex (MMC), a series of rhythmic muscle contractions in the stomach and small intestine that clear undigested food, debris, and bacteria during fasting periods (between meals or overnight). This process can help to prevent Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and maintain digestive health.
Try the 3-hour rhythm
Where possible, give your gut at least 3 hours between eating occasions. This helps the MMC reset and supports regularity.
If you’re at an all-day event, choose small intentional “plates” rather than continuous nibbling.
Eat mindfully in the heat
Warm weather can slow down gastric emptying for some people. Eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and avoiding heavy meals right after being in the sun can help prevent reflux or nausea.
Start the season with a strong gut foundation
The festive period brings richer food, more grazing, more alcohol, and often, less routine. Giving your gut a consistent source of nourishment helps create stability even when your schedule isn’t.
Daily support with Meluka’s P3 Gut Builder
Taking P3 Gut Builder daily is one of the simplest ways to keep your gut supported through the heat, celebrations and extra indulgences. P3 delivers a powerful, yet easy to digest postbiotic tonic, expertly fermented with prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, the three essentials for a resilient microbiome. This means:
- Faster digestive comfort (postbiotics help calm inflammation signals)
- Support for a stronger gut lining
- Better tolerance to occasional overeating or an increase in alcohol consumption
- Smoother digestion
- Healthier balance in the gut microbiome
Support digestion with movement and simple physical techniques
A little movement goes a long way, especially when rich food, cheese boards and bubbles are involved.
Short walks after meals
A 10–15 minute walk after eating:
- Helps stabilise blood sugar
- Reduces bloating
- Supports smoother gastric emptying
- Can ease reflux symptoms
- Gentle abdominal massage
If you’re feeling congested or sluggish:
- Lie on your back
- Use circular motions across the abdomen, moving clockwise (the direction of digestion)
- Apply light pressure around the lower left abdomen to help ease trapped wind
Keep an upright, open posture
It sounds simple, but sitting slouched over, especially after eating, can be one of the biggest triggers for reflux. Support smoother digestion by:
- Avoid lying down for 2–3 hours after meals
- Sitting upright at gatherings (especially once the bubbles arrive)
- Staying elevated when resting
Find a festive schedule (Your gut loves routine!)
The gut thrives on rhythm. During the holidays, your routine may become unpredictable, but small anchors can be a big help for your gut.
Two daily non-negotiables: hydration + your daily gut support
Even if your meals and bedtimes shift, keep these consistent:
- 2–3 litres of water daily (more in hot weather or if drinking alcohol)
- Your daily P3 Gut Builder, ideally in the morning or before your first meal
Plan “recovery mornings”
If you’ve got back-to-back events, try to intentionally schedule:
- A lighter breakfast
- A walk
- A hydrating electrolyte drink
- A fibre-rich lunch
- Small resets prevent symptoms from snowballing.
Avoid stacking rich meals back-to-back
If you have a big dinner planned, try to keep lunch fresh and light. If you’ve had a heavy lunch, choose grilled proteins, salads and fruit in the evening.
These small adjustments keep your digestive load manageable.
Start the new year with a gut reset
January is the perfect time to re-establish balance, especially after a fun but indulgent summer.
The Complete Gut Nutrition System is an easy 30-day program designed to:
- Support gut lining health
- Re-balance the microbiome
- Reduce bloating
- Reset digestion
- Improve regularity
- Support energy and overall wellbeing
Giving your gut a reset can help your gut transition from festive eating back into a calmer, more stable routine, avoiding restrictive diets or a dramatic diet change. A scoop of all 3 powders is easy to enjoy in water or your favourite drinks and cool snacks across summer.
Keeping things smooth over the festive season
You don’t need to miss out on all the fun to keep your gut happy. With small daily habits like daily fibre, hydration, pacing, movement, smarter pairings, and consistent gut support, you can enjoy the best of summer without the digestive discomfort.
A calm, comfortable gut lets you enjoy the season fully, and that’s something worth celebrating.