If you’re anything like me, the holidays mean later nights, extra treats, a bit more wine… and routines quietly going out the window. Fun? Absolutely. Kind to your gut? Not always.
At No.2, we’re big on consistency over perfection - especially during summer. So I asked Monica Jaques, New Zealand Registered Dietitian, to help explain why digestion can feel off over the holidays, and what actually helps. Together we unpack simple, realistic habits (hello fibre and psyllium husk) that support your gut without missing out on the good stuff.
Why do the holidays so often disrupt digestion and gut health?
The holiday period often brings a perfect storm for digestion: changes in routine, irregular meal timing, travel, higher intake of richer foods and alcohol, less sleep, and more stress on the body. Our gut thrives on rhythm and predictability, so when eating patterns, hydration, movement, and sleep are disrupted, it’s very common to notice bloating, constipation, sluggish digestion, or discomfort. None of this means something is “wrong”, it’s simply the gut responding to the changes in our routine.
Why is consistency more important than perfection when it comes to your diet?
Our gut thrives off consistency and routine. Small, repeated actions such as eating regularly, staying hydrated, and including fibre most days have a far greater impact on digestion than short bursts of “perfect” eating followed by periods of restriction or chaos.
How do small daily habits influence gut health even when routines are looser?
Small habits (like drinking enough water, having a breakfast high in protein and fibre, or taking a daily fibre supplement) act as “anchors” for the gut. Even when everything else changes, these habits can help maintain regularity, stool consistency, and overall gut comfort.
Routines that flex
How can people build “anchor habits” that travel with them during summer?
Anchor habits are simple, portable, and low effort.
Examples include:
- Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning
- Eating a fibre-containing breakfast
- A daily fibre supplement like psyllium husk
These habits are easy to maintain regardless of location or food availability, and mean that we can still be on track without feeling deprived.
Alcohol, hydration and movement
How do alcohol and hydration impact digestion and bowel regularity?
Alcohol can be dehydrating and irritating to the gut, and can often lead to looser stools or “booze poos”. Drinking plenty of fluids from water, sparkling water, herbal/fruit teas can mitigate the dehydrating effects of alcohol.
What types of movement are most supportive for digestion?
Gentle, consistent movement such as walking, swimming, stretching, yoga, or light cycling is ideal. Even a short walk after meals can support digestion by allowing gravity to help food move through the intestines and promoting blood flow around the body (including the digestive system).
Mindset and stress
How does stress and “all-or-nothing” thinking affect gut health?
Stress directly affects the gut-brain axis, often worsening bloating, pain, and irregular bowel movements. All-or-nothing thinking can lead to cycles of restriction and overindulgence, which further disrupt digestion.
Why can being overly restrictive or rigid actually make digestion worse?
Over-restriction can reduce fibre intake, increase stress hormones, and heighten gut sensitivity. A rigid approach often backfires, leading to more digestive symptoms rather than fewer.
How can people take a more compassionate, long-term approach to gut health over summer?
A compassionate approach focuses on support rather than control: aiming to nourish the body, maintain key habits like fibre and hydration, and accept that flexibility is part of a healthy relationship with food.
Looking ahead
How can the holiday period be used to establish habits that carry into the new year?
The holidays are a great time to practise “flexible consistency”, i.e. finding habits that work even when life isn’t structured. These are often the habits that stick long term and it means that you don’t need to wait until the new year to build healthy sustainable habits.
What would you like people to focus on as they head into the new year from a gut health perspective?
Rather than focusing on restriction or “resetting,” I’d encourage people to focus on supporting their gut by looking at what they can eat MORE OF and ADD to their diet, such as eating more fruits/veges that are in season, or adding in a different nut or seed to their breakfast or salad. A diverse diet that is rich in high-fibre plant foods results in a diverse gut microbiome, which brings a host of benefits for our metabolism, brain, heart, and liver (just to mention a few).
Final reflection
What reassurance would you give someone who feels worried about “getting it right” over the holidays?
Your gut doesn’t need you to get it perfect - it needs you to be kind, consistent, and flexible. A few supportive habits, like staying hydrated and maintaining fibre intake (with the help of foods or a psyllium husk supplement), can go a long way. What you do most of the time matters far more than what happens over the holiday period.
Written by
Monica Jaques
Monica is a Wellington-based Registered Dietitian who’s all about helping people build sustainable, healthy eating habits. She specialises in gut health, including issues like IBS and coeliac disease, as well as chronic conditions like Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease - and loves supporting people to reach their “happy weight”.
Find Monica at @thehungrydietitian_ or monicajaques.com.
