The holidays can be the best of times (or the worst of times) when struggling with chronic issues like endo.

BUT this holiday season might just be one of the best ones yet!

Here are some of the things I do, or keep on hand, to support my body through the extra taxation the holidays bring.

These strategies will also work if unfortunately things have gone too far and you’ve already found yourself smack in the middle of a flare.

No need to panic this too shall pass.

Tip #1: Activated Charcoal.

With all of the abundance of dense (and not so healthy) foods at parties, restaurants or relative’s houses it’s easy to end up with a case of endo belly.

I’ve found one of the best things to take with me wherever I go is a few capsules of activated charcoal. It’s a binder and if you take it at the first sign of immune reaction/abdominal discomfort it’s sure to stop issues before they escalate.

• Something to keep in mind with this strategy though is that is can be constipating so take with lots of water to keep things moving.
• It’s also great to take after a few drinks (as it helps detox the liver) and has been shown to help prevent hang over symptoms the next day.

THIS is the brand I use.

Tip #2: Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes 

Still on the gut front, because let’s be honest most of the threats to your holiday calm are stress and food induced…

• Make sure you stay on top of taking your probiotics or eating probiotics rich foods. This will keep your gut diversity in tact and keep unwanted inflammation and immune issues as bay.
• Digestive enzymes are a god send this time of year as they help break down harder to digest foods like dairy and you won’t find my travel bag without a bottle.

After healing my gut I can tolerate high quality dairy but the enzymes make it much easier on my system.

THIS is my fave from Seeking Health.

Tip #3: Cycle Syncing & Histamine 

After years of tracking my cycle and playing with my diet, I’ve noticed my immune system shifts depending on where I am in my menstrual cycle.

How this translates is I’ve found I can tolerate certain foods durning certain phases of my cycle (but not durning others). This a longer post for another day but for now start to be aware of what phase of your cycle you’re in and then be careful not to overdo high histamine foods in Follicular phase up to Ovulation (OR right before your period).

Durning ovulation and right before your period, histamine levels are high and if you have genes (like I do) that make breaking down histamine difficult you might find yourself in a flare simply thanks to poor timing combined with too much of that cheese board and wine, if you know what I mean.

So, my solution to this problem over the years has been to avoid high histamine foods near ovulation AND keeping a bottle of Histamine block on hand.

Histamine block is very helpful if you find yourself in a high histamine situation due to stress, your cycle, food, drink or the lovely combo of all four.

The science behind why this has been working for me is fascinating but in the meantime I wanted to share what I’ve learned to help you through this holiday break.

No need for unnecessary suffering.

HERE is my new fave histamine block supplement.

Tip #4: Boundaries, Rest and Magnesium 

Last but not least. Your body, mind and spirit are all interconnected. Which means I would be remiss if I didn’t share other important strategies that have a big impact on your overall system durning the holidays.

Without going too deep here, we all have relational trauma from childhood and beyond which means the holidays have an odd way of triggering these old wounds as we meet with family and friends. Be aware this season of any unhealthy and/or toxic situations you may find yourself in.

Be prepare ahead of time mentally to excuse yourself for some fresh air if you start to feel you need it.

Set those boundaries and KEEP them.

You body with thank you, trust me on this one.

As far as rest and magnesium make sure you get lots of both. You need quality sleep durning these winter months to recover from all of the activity. Magnesium is used in so many biochemical reactions in your body it’s easy to become depleted so take it regularly, it also has a lovely calming effect which is nice when expectations are running high.

HERE is my fave magnesium supplement.

Rest and boundaries are FREE, but they do take sacrifice in their own way. From experiences those sacrifices are completely worth the result!

Tip #5: Enjoy your holiday, and Merry Christmas! 

I love you all and wish you a merry flare free holiday season.

Our community is the best and I love interacting with you over in the Beyond Endo Support Group.

If you need extra support this season feel free to post there.

See you in the New Year!