A holiday of feasting, toasting and traveling may mean spending the beginning of the new year feeling green around the gills.
Tech's Student Health Services medical director, Dr. Kelly Bennett, said both traveling and overeating can cause stomach problems and digestive disruptions.
Traveling oftentimes takes people away from normal eating habits, Bennett said, which causes indigestion, fluid retention and fatigue.
"Most people cannot find healthy foods while traveling," she said, "so people tend to get a very high carbohydrate and high fat diet."
Besides diet changes while traveling, Bennett said people tend to drink more alcohol and eat richer foods during the holiday months, which comes with consequences.
"If you eat more than normal, the stomach must expand," she said, "and that causes pain. Also, if you drink too much alcohol, your pancreas puts out too many chemicals, causing more pain."
Common stomach problems from overindulging range from heartburn and indigestion to gastritis, a condition Bennett said can be caused by excessive consumption of alcohol.
Although few people suffer from gastritis during the holidays, the Web MD Web site considers alcohol to be one of the top ten consumed items that causes heartburn.
Caffeine, peppermint, chocolate, onion and garlic also made the list of heartburn sources, all of which are popular holiday foods.
The average American gains seven pounds during the holiday season, Bennett said, which boils down to consuming an extra 21,000 calories in the five weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas. However, she said there is hope for people who have gained weight as a result of holiday eating habits.
"New Year's resolutions following the six weeks of holiday eating is convenient," she said. "Make New Year's resolutions to cut back on fat and carbs and go to the gym."
Debra Reed, a nutrition professor at Tech, offered a suggestion other than heading to the gym to offset digestion disruptions from holiday eating.
Reed said after a season of neglecting nutrition, fruits and vegetables are a good place to start.
"Don't deprive yourself of nutrition," she said.
Reed said 77 percent of people do not consume enough fruits and vegetables, which are low in calories and full of fiber, and will help counteract the holiday gorging.
It is important to eat a well-balanced diet and stay active simultaneously, she said.
"Have oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread and lots of water," Reed said, "and physical activity makes all the difference in the world."
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