Are you one of those people who make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight/get fit/spend less/join the gym/drink less (tick whichever box applies to you) and then three weeks later (or if you are really very good – three months later) it is all but forgotten?
Perhaps we are looking at this the wrong way – for some reason New Year’s resolutions seem to mean doing something to stop us enjoying life. As a result they are always destined to fail. Maybe we make the resolutions we think are expected of us or that others make without putting a little time into thinking what really matters to us individually.
Perhaps New Year is not the time for us to do this. However, it is useful at some point during the year to take stock and do a bit of planning, without doing this you will never really get a chance to achieve your dreams or improve your life or health. To truly make a resolution personal to you involves setting aside a bit of ‘me time’, preferably before the chimes of Big Ben at midnight on 31 December!
To give you a helping hand some of Love Your Gut’s experts and supporters are here to give you their top tips for good gut health and share their New Year’s resolutions:
Melanie Flower – Nutritional Therapist
Tip: “Make a conscious effort to really chew your food. Digestion starts in the mouth, and chewing well ensures that food is properly mixed with the enzymes in saliva and is in small enough pieces for the stomach to handle comfortably. Taking the time to chew can also help you focus on what you are eating and to enjoy it more. There will always be an abundance of delicious food around at Christmas time, and chewing properly helps your stomach to do its’ job without being overloaded.”
Resolution: “I don’t like putting myself under the pressure of a New Year’s resolution, and for me, I find it healthier to set goals as they arrive throughout the year rather than overloading January with expectations!”
Dr Rob Hicks – TV & Radio Doctor, Columnist and Author 
Tip: “Make sure you get enough rest… relax and have plenty of fun! And always respond immediately to Mother Nature’s call.”
Resolution: “I’m going to try and get my work-life balance right by spending more time with my family and friends.”
Ian Marber – Nutrition Therapist, Author & Health Journalist
Tip: “Usually I’d advise taking a probiotic capsule daily over the festive period as increased intake of sugars, carbs and sometimes alcohol can disturb the balance between the beneficial and other bacteria.”
Resolution: “As for New Year resolutions, I don’t really do those….not because I don’t need to, I just find that the depths of the winter is the worst time to make promises!”
Dr Nick Read – Medical Adviser for the IBS Network 
Tip: “It’s the silly season again! We will all be tempted to eat far too much, drink ourselves daft and collapse in front of the telly. And then there are the relatives. They come bearing gifts we don’t want and stay for too long. Oh I know, it’s not like that in your house. But the fact of the matter is, this is the time of the year that plays havoc with your IBS. Too much food and too much emotion can easily churn up sensitive guts. Who wants to spend Christmas on the loo?
My number 1 tip is: Know your limits. We consume three times as many calories on Christmas Day as on a normal day – and many of us will have more than one Christmas meal as we celebrate with friends, family and workmates. So listen to your gut. Eat to savour and enjoy the different tastes. What’s the point in stuffing yourself like the turkey? ”
Resolution: “My suggestion to you, if you have IBS – is to resolve in 2016 to take control of it. Don’t let it rule your life. Decide what you want to do and go for it. Ok you may need to ease up from time to time and take enough rest, eat sensibly etc, but don’t let IBS be the focus of your life. Get out there and make the best of it.”
See more tips from our Experts and Supporters here: http://bit.ly/1S8nU83