If the soundtrack of your holidays is more “Jingle Burps” (yep, that rude YouTube classic) than “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” your tummy’s not alone. Maybe you saw the recent nationwide survey revealing that from Thanksgiving till New Year’s Day, heartburn makes two out of three people less than holly-jolly. Or perhaps you’ve personally logged more minutes in the powder room than under the mistletoe, dealing with indigestion, constipation, gas, bloating or irritable bowel syndrome — all made worse by holiday stress and Aunt Martha’s wieners ‘n’ cheese dip. How to get back to the merry-making? We YOU Docs have some new ways to dial down digestion woes, including a few surprising foods that cause trouble, plus a waist-management buffet trick that helps you avoid both a Santa-sized belly and that “where’s the bathroom” feeling.
» Belly-buster 1: An impossible to-do list. Juggling pre-dawn sales, cookie-baking marathons, parties, post-office lines and, oh yeah, your job, family and pets? Stress doesn’t just boost stomach acid levels. It also makes even a little acid backwash feel like the world’s worst heartburn.
