Why WINTER can have a devastating impact on your emotions

With warm days out of the question for the foreseeable future, many of us are changing our own habits to cope with the cold.

Many of us unconsciously change our diet and succumb to the temptation to eat cookies instead of fruit and tea instead of water to stay comfortable.

It can also be more difficult to maintain healthy habits as motivation to go to the gym or exercise outside decreases in icy conditions.

But eating more junk food and exercising less can cause a whole range of unpleasant stomach problems, from cramps to bloating to diarrhea.

Here, MailOnline investigates why winter can cause bowel problems.

Diet change

The cold weather creates the urge to enjoy warm and comforting food.

But when they eat mince pies, chocolate and salty meals, they consume far less fiber and more calories than normal.

“The tendency is that we can eat less healthy foods when it’s colder,” says Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and lecturer at Aston University.

“We can replace salad, fruit and some vegetables with low-fiber, but also higher-calorie foods such as instant noodles, cookies or chips.”

“Some think it’s an instinct to eat more when it’s cold, but it’s more likely that it’s a belief passed down from generation to generation.” When it’s hot, we have less appetite when it’s hot When it’s cold, we have less appetite. more cravings and reach for our favorite comfort food,” he says.

Dr Mellor warns that this change in diet – less fruit and vegetables and more junk food – can cause bloating and flatulence.

Eating fewer fresh plants leads to lower fiber intake, “which is bad news for our gut bacteria and more likely to lead to constipation,” says Professor Tim Spector, an expert in epidemiology and gut health at Kings College London.

He recommends cooking with legumes, whole grains and seasonal vegetables to ensure you get enough fiber all year round.

More hot drinks

Just as we are tempted to reach for more comforting foods in response to the cold weather, we also tend to drink less water and more hot drinks in the winter.

Although tea and coffee keep you warm, they can affect your bowels and make you need to go to the toilet more often.

This is because the caffeine content can irritate the intestines, says Dr. Mellor.

The stimulant causes contractions in the digestive tract and triggers the production of stomach acid, which can help move food through the intestines. This can cause you to have to go to the bathroom suddenly, especially if you drink more than normal.

Tea “may have a small but beneficial effect on the gut” and speed up bowel movements, although this may just be because warm water “increases bowel motility”, says Dr. Mellor.

However, it is important to make sure you drink enough fluids and drink between six and eight glasses a day.

According to the NHS, your daily fluid intake includes water, skimmed milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee.

Lack of exercise

It’s not just our diet that can change as the weather gets colder. Activity levels may also drop as people stay indoors and avoid the cold.

Going outside less means less walking, running and exercise in general, which is disastrous for the gut.

“Deficient exercise during the day and more sedentary time slows down intestinal transit and is more likely to lead to constipation,” says Professor Spector.

Eating fewer fresh plants leads to lower fiber intake, but this is likely to lead to constipation

Staying physically active helps maintain a healthy gut because “it can keep our bowels regular and even reduce the risk of colon cancer,” says Dr. Mellor.

That’s because exercise can help maintain “regular waves” through the digestive system, moving food through the intestines and reducing bloating, he says.

Sitting still is also bad for our posture, another habit that can have consequences for the gut.

“When we sit, our posture is not always correct, and this, along with slower digestion, can mean that our intestines are not working as effectively as they could,” says Dr. Mellor.

More fluctuations

Experts say the winter bombardment of lurgia can also wreak havoc on your gut.

Spending more time indoors with others can make you more vulnerable to contracting pathogens, with Covid, flu and RSV among the most common respiratory viruses.

However, these insects can also cause nausea and diarrhea.

Professor Spector says viruses can disrupt our “whole system” and put more pressure on our immune system, which is closely linked to the gut.

Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting virus, occurs from November to April and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. However, it usually gets better on its own within about two days.