‘TIS THE SEASON TO BE... BLOATED!
With the festive season almost upon us, the temptation to eat and drink too much – particularly of the ‘wrong’ things can be difficult to avoid. SP looks at the fallout from overindulging...
T
ry as they might, most of your patients will - at one time or another – have experienced the discomfort that excess
rich food and alcohol can bring.
At some point most people will experience indigestion from rich foods, but when you factor in the larger portion sizes AND alcohol associated with the festive season, this can lead to a ‘perfect storm’ of digestive complaints such as bloating, reflux and indigestion.
Unfortunately, although digestive symptoms show up relatively quickly, they can often linger even after patients have returned to their normal eating habits.
The most common digestive issues are: Heartburn
The pain and discomfort that are associated with heartburn come from excess acid, which comes back up from the stomach into the oesophagus.
Flatulence (wind) Another symptom of overindulgence, although stress can also be a major cause. Often caused by foods containing a high amount of unobservable carbohydrates such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, pulses and cauliflower and foods containing a lot of unrefined cereal fibre such as bran.
Indigestion Indigestion is often caused by rich, spicy or fatty foods and by eating a short time before going to bed. Patients should be advised to not eat approximately three or four hours before bedtime.
Constipation Alcohol is often mentioned as a cause of constipation, mainly because, if it’s drunk in large amounts, alcohol can increase the amount of fluid lost through urine, thereby causing dehydration.
Potential causes
Overindulgence As discussed, the festive season in particular means a range of foods that are particularly high in carbohydrates – Christmas pudding, for example – and more alcohol than is usual in a daily diet.
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scottishpharmacist.com
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