With warm days out of the question for the foreseeable future, many of us are changing our own routines to deal with the cold.
Many of us unconsciously change our diet and give in to the temptation of cookies instead of fruit and tea instead of water to stay cozy.
It can also be harder to stick to healthy habits – as motivation for the gym or outdoor exercise decreases in response to icy conditions.
But eating more junk food and exercising less often can cause a whole host of unpleasant stomach complaints, from cramps to bloating and diarrhea.
Here, MailOnline investigates why winter can cause problems with your intestines.
Many of us give in to the temptation to binge eat and replace the salad with biscuits, chips and cake with cups of tea to keep us cozy during the colder months, but this can cause problems for your gut.
Change in diet
The cold weather creates the urge to feast on warming and comforting food.
But packing on the mince pies, chocolate and hearty meals can leave many consuming less fiber and more calories than they normally would.
‘The trend is that we can eat less healthy food when it is colder,’ says Dr Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston University.
‘We could swap salad, fruit and some vegetables for low-fiber foods that are also higher in calories, such as instant noodles, biscuits or chips.
‘Some think it’s an instinct to eat more when it’s cold, but it may be more likely that this is a belief passed down from generation to generation. When it is warm we have less appetite, when it cools down we have less appetite. more cravings and reaching for our favorite comfort foods,” he says.
Dr. Mellor warns that these dietary changes – fewer fruits and vegetables and more junk food – can cause bloating and gas.
Eating fewer fresh plants results in a decrease in fiber intake, “which is bad news for our gut bacteria and is more likely to lead to constipation,” says Professor Tim Spector, an expert in epidemiology and gut health at Kings College London.
He suggests cooking with legumes, whole grains and seasonal vegetables so you get enough fiber all year round.
More hot drinks
Just like our temptation to reach for more comforting foods in response to the cold weather, we also tend to drink less water and more hot drinks in winter.
Tea and coffee keep you warm, but can affect your intestines and cause you to have to go to the toilet more often.
That’s because the caffeine content can irritate the intestines, says Dr. Mellor.
The stimulant triggers contractions in the digestive tract and causes the production of stomach acid, which can help move food through the intestines. This may cause you to suddenly need to go to the toilet, especially if you drink more than normal.
Tea ‘may have a small but positive effect on the gut’ and speed up bowel movements, although this may just be down to the fact that hot water increases ‘bowel mobility’, says Dr Mellor.
But it’s important to make sure you still stay hydrated and drink between six and eight glasses a day.
Water, skimmed milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count towards your daily fluid intake, the NHS says.
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 intestines.
‘Lack of exercise during the day and more sedentary time slow down intestinal transit and are more likely to lead to constipation,’ says Professor Spector.
Eating fewer fresh plants will result in a decrease in fiber intake, but this will likely result in 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, which keeps food moving along the intestines and helps reduce bloating, he says.
Sitting still is also bad for our posture, which is another habit that can have consequences for your intestines.
‘When we’re sedentary, our posture isn’t always right, and that, along with slower-moving digestion, can mean our intestines don’t work as effectively as they could,’ says Dr Mellor.
More lurches
The winter bombardment of lurgies can also wreak havoc on your gut, experts say.
Spending more time indoors with others can make you more vulnerable to contracting bugs, 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 bug, occurs from November to April and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. However, it usually gets better on its own within about two days.