Your Gut in Summer: How to Support Digestive Health When Routines Change
Summer brings sunshine, longer days, picnics, BBQs, and holidays, but it can also throw routines off and impact our digestion. Leaving some people excited yet anxious, knowing they’re gut will likely take a hit.
Whether you're just out and about more, staying out later with less time to prepare your usual evening meals, travelling, on that all-inclusive holiday, or dealing with heat-related sluggishness, your gut might start to complain. In this blog, we explore why summer can be a tricky time for digestion and how you can stay on top of your gut health with simple lifestyle tweaks and nutritional support.
Why Might Summer Disrupt Your Digestion?
Summer changes more than just the weather, it often changes how, when, and what we eat and can throw other lifestyle routines off also. These shifts can impact your gut in a number of ways, including:
>> Later nights on those long summer days can impact our evening meal, both in terms of meal timing and contents.
>> Disrupted sleep or later bed times, travel and time zone shifts can all impact gut motility and bowel regularity.
>> Summer often means more ultra processed or heavy foods and alcohol, and less fibre and phytochemicals, which can throw your gut microbiome out of balance.
>> Hot weather can quickly lead to dehydration, which slows digestion and affects the body’s ability to produce stomach acid and enzymes, which are crucial for digestion.
>> New environments and busy schedules can subtly activate the stress response, which suppresses digestive function, despite the fun we might be having!
6 Summer Gut Support Strategies
So how can you keep your digestion happy during this seasonal shift? Here are a few practical, supportive strategies:
1) Prioritise Hydration (with minerals!)
While water is essential, your body also needs electrolytes, especially in the heat. Consider adding a pinch of sea salt, a splash of lemon, or opting for mineral-rich juices to stay properly hydrated. Juicing ingredients like celery, lemon, and parsley are naturally hydrating and help replenish lost minerals.
2) Travel Smart with Probiotics & Digestive Support
When you’re away on holiday or travelling:
>> Bring a shelf-stable probiotic (preferably one that comes in a blister pack) to help keep your microbiome balanced whilst you are eating new and different foods and water.
>> Have a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar or herbal bitters before your meals to gently support stomach acid and digestion.
>> Stay consistent with your meals and movement, even short 10-15 walks after meals can make a big difference to how you digest and metabolise your food.
3) Stick (Loosely) to Routine
Even if your days are a bit more flexible in the summer, your digestive system really likes rhythm and routine:
>> Continue to eat your breakfast at your usual time each day. Make sure it contains around 30g of pure protein, some good fats, and healthy carbs.
>> Eat the rest of your meals at regular times as much as you can.
>> Prioritise movement (especially the 10-15 walks after meals) and downtime.
>> Avoid drinking more alcohol just for the sake of it or “because you’re on holiday”.
>> Try to keep a consistent bedtime and wake time to support your circadian rhythm, which plays a role in digestion too.
4) Eat for Your Microbiome: Summer-Friendly Fibre & Fermented Foods
A gut-loving diet doesn’t have to be heavy. Light, colourful plant foods can work wonders at feeding your friendly gut bacteria:
>> Fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi help top up beneficial bacteria.
>> Seasonal berries are rich in fibre and lovely polyphenols that feed your microbiome.
>> Cooling herbs like mint, coriander, and fennel are gut-soothing and digestive-friendly.
>> Prebiotic foods like onions, garlic, leeks, and green bananas help feed your beneficial gut bacteria.
>> If you're feeling bloated or sluggish, blended soups, vegetable smoothies, or juices can be a gentler way to get these nutrients without overloading your system.
5) Chew Thoroughly, It Really Matters!
Digestion starts in the mouth, and chewing your food thoroughly breaks it down mechanically and triggers the release of crucial digestive enzymes. This simple habit reduces bloating, supports nutrient absorption, and eases the workload on your stomach and intestines, especially important when your gut feels sensitive or sluggish.
6) Incorporate A Gentle Reset After Holidays
If you’ve been indulging in more treats than usual, eating dinner later than usual, and your digestion feels sluggish after a trip or summer holidays at home:
>> Have a plant and fibre-rich day to give your system a break.
>> Start ensuring you chew every mouthful of food you eat really, really well.
>> Drink plenty of fluids, including soothing herbal teas like peppermint and chamomile.
>> Try a gut-soothing juice with ingredients like aloe vera, lemon, and turmeric.
>> Make time for gentle movement, deep breathing, and rest, as these are essential for restoring and maintaining digestive balance.
Juicing for Gut Health: What to Include
Juices can be a refreshing and effective way to support digestion, especially in the summer when heavy meals can feel too much. The right combination of ingredients can help hydrate you, soothe the gut lining, support detoxification pathways, and nourish your microbiome. They’re also rich in phytochemicals; natural plant compounds with antioxidant properties that help reduce inflammation, support cellular health and energy, and contribute to overall wellbeing. It’s important to ensure your juices are cold pressed using high quality, organic ingredients. Cold pressing is a reassuringly slow process using pressure, not heat, to create a superior product. Oxidation is minimal so more natural vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes are retained.
Here are some key juicing ingredients to support gut health (all of which can be found in JUNIUS’s cold-pressed juices):
Ginger & Turmeric Root: Both are anti-inflammatory powerhouses that can help soothe the gut lining, reduce bloating, and support healthy digestion.
Aloe Vera: Known for its cooling and soothing properties, aloe helps calm inflammation in the digestive tract and supports bowel regularity.
Hibiscus: A gentle herbal support that’s not only refreshing but also rich in antioxidants that can protect gut lining integrity.
Broccoli, Kale & Spinach: Rich in folate and phytonutrients, these leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables feed beneficial gut bacteria and support detoxification.
Parsley & Celery: Natural diuretics that help with water retention and gently stimulate digestion.
Carrot & Apple: Provide prebiotic fibres that feed your gut microbiome, while adding natural sweetness and antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-carotene and a soluble fibre called pectin.
Orange & Lemon Juice: Provide vitamin C to support your immune system and digestive enzyme production, while adding a bright, citrusy flavour.
Together, these ingredients offer a multi-targeted approach to reducing inflammation, promoting microbial balance, supporting the liver and digestive enzymes, and enhancing hydration. It's a simple but powerful way to keep your gut happy, especially when your routine is out of sync.
Our Final Thoughts
Your gut health and digestion doesn’t need to take a hit or a holiday this summer. With a little mindfulness, supportive nutrition and lifestyle habits, and some gut-friendly juices, you can enjoy the season feeling light, energised, and well from the inside out. September no longer needs to be a time of “getting back on track”, you CAN actually keep things healthy whilst still enjoying some treats and indulgences.
