Every year around the holidays, my immediate family travels to the home of my oldest sister (since she’s a mom of two and an ER doctor, she often works on or close to Thanksgiving and Christmas) to break bread, count our blessings and celebrate the season. For the past three years and counting, every time this happens, my stomach gets out of sorts. After 12 hours or so, I begin to feel a bit queasy. And within 24 hours, I can tell that something’s off.
I always thought it was just me, until I mentioned it to my mom and she admitted similar symptoms. This is far from rare, confirmsWill Bulsiewicz, M.D., a Charleston, South Carolina-based gastroenterologist and theNew York Timesbestselling author ofFiber Fueled. Whether we’re staying a few hours away with family or are across the globe on vacation, our gut doesn’t always have as good of a time away from home as the rest of us does.
Getty Images; EatingWell collage
“We’re entering into the holiday season here. Chances are you’ll be traveling at some point,” Bulsiewicz wrote this week on his Instagram account @theguthealthmd. “Is it just me, or do your bowels get messed up and you can’t take a healthy dump while on vacation? Never fear, your friendly neighborhood poop doctor is here to break it down.”
So why might our digestion feel “off” when we’re away from home? Bulsiewicz dishes in his timely and tip-filled reel.
10 Sneaky Signs You Could Be Constipated, According to a Gut Health Doctor
5 Reasons Why You Can’t Poop When Traveling, According to a Gastroenterologist
Once you know why you’re feeling stopped up or out of sorts, you can start adjusting your lifestyle to reduce the risk of any gastrointestinal discomfort or constipation—and actually enjoy your time away.
1. You’re out of rhythm.
2. Your diet has changed.
Be it a holiday spread, airplane food or a multicourse tasting menu, you’re likely not consuming a meal plan that looks similar to what your digestive tract is used to back home. We’re not suggesting that you pack your meals or skip any special dishes, but take a cue from whatBulsiewicz tells us he eats in a gut-friendly dayand try to includemore fiber, a wide variety of plants and aprobiotic foodor two per day, if possible.
What Happens in Your Body When You’re Constipated
3. You’re drinking more alcohol (and not enough water).
Bulsiewicz told us that H2O is a huge priority in his day, to aid in digestion and to help him ward off constipation. Feel free to enjoy a glass ofThanksgiving wineor a tropical cocktail on your beach vacation, if you like. Just be sure todrink alcohol in moderationand try to carry around areusable water bottlethat you can refill throughout the day to help meet your daily hydration goals.
4. You’re not moving as much.
5. You’re experiencing more stress.
Family dynamics, potential travel delays, getting familiar with new territory—a lot of aspects of even the most “fun” travel can present higher levels of stress. We know that there are several science-backed waysstress messes with your digestion, so before you depart, study up onways to reduce stress—all of them work wherever your pin is on the map.
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