Gastritis during the holidays
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Everyone’s cozied up by the fire, snacking on some cookies, enjoying a cup of hot cocoa, and you are… not.
I was diagnosed with gastritis in November of 2023, right before the season of eating and celebrating (and also my birthday). Not only did I not want to do anything because I felt so awful, but I couldn’t even enjoy a slice of cake with my partner because my symptoms were so bad.
A year later, I have done some healing, my symptoms are more manageable and I know my limits. Some doctors expect you to maintain a gastritis-friendly diet year-round (most of them prescribe a PPI and send you on your way), but that’s not how I want to live my life.
Here are my tips for enjoying the holiday season even when healing from gastritis:
Tip #1: don’t underestimate the substitutes
Nowadays, there are so many food “alternatives,” making it easy for people like us to maintain a relatively normal diet when we’re healing. My favorite substitute is carob, a caffeine-free alternative to chocolate.
In addition to chocolate’s high sugar and fat content which can be hard on the stomach, it also contains caffeine. I can have chocolate now in small quantities, but sipping on a cup of hot cocoa is out of the question. I buy carob powder and make my hot cocoa that way. I sweeten it with maple syrup, date syrup, or just plain old sugar (a little is fine for me). Bonus points if you learn how to make your own marshmallows with Marshmallow Root (a key natural ingredient for soothing the digestive system). Also, gelatin is a gut healing ingredient.
I personally love to bake during the holidays, and making your own food is a big part of the gastritis healing journey. Get creative in the kitchen with gastritis-friendly substitutes. It’s a good distraction and you might find a new recipe you prefer to the original.
Tip #2: know thyself
If you’re new to the gastritis world, all of the information coming at you is probably very overwhelming. That’s okay. Take a deep breath. It could be a long road ahead but know that that road gets easier. In the beginning, you don’t know what your body can handle yet. You don’t know how sensitive you are to certain foods, how your body will respond to medications, and what remedies will make you feel better. Part of the process is taking the time to monitor your daily symptoms and diet, even conducting a long-term elimination diet, to ascertain what’s giving you problems and what isn’t. The first 3 months of this journey are key to that discovery.
Once you have gained the knowledge, you’re more equipped to handle scenarios like a holiday party, where there will be many unknown foods and drinks. Always have your go-to medications on hand, especially in these scenarios.
I carry around a small toiletries bag full of all the medications that have helped me in the past year. I would say I have different levels of medication.
The “just a little bit of heartburn, no big deal” medication. I use DGL, Gaviscon, or ginger chewable tablets.
The “okay, this might ruin my whole night if I don’t do something about it now” medication. For me, this is pepto bismol chewables. I don’t reach for these often as they’re not recommended for frequent use, but they do really save me when I’m struggling.
The “I’ll never use these but it makes me feel better that I have them” medication. I was prescribed pantoprazole, a PPI, when I was first diagnosed and they work like a charm. But I’m not a fan of the uncertain long-term side effects, so I stopped taking them. I carry these around really as a mental security blanket.
At this point in my journey, I know a glass of wine might give me some trouble, two glasses definitely will, so I will take an extra Pepcid beforehand or a Gaviscon after.
Tip #3: don’t suffer in silence
The holidays are a time for family and friends. If you’re lucky enough to have a good group of people around you this time of year, tell them about what you’re going through. This will hopefully help them understand why things are different for you this year. My sister is a pastry chef and when I told her I wouldn’t be able to eat the treats she was preparing for Thanksgiving, she told me to write a list of the things I couldn’t eat and made a gastritis-friendly pie.
We don’t all have pastry chefs for sisters, but sharing what you’re going through could make this season just a little bit easier. I know it’s helping me.