Travel Feasts: How Overeating Can Trigger Heartburn and Indigestion

New year, new travel goals. If you are someone who loves to travel and explore places, the last thing you want to be worried about is acidity and tummy troubles. However, it is fairly common to experience digestive distress while traveling due to several reasons, including changing water, food contamination and travel anxiety. Overeating shouldn’t be ignored. The simple act of overeating can ruin your entire itinerary without you realising. So, it is better to be prepared. We spoke to two brilliant specialists to understand how overeating during travel can trigger acidity, indigestion, and other issues, and how it can be effectively averted.

Why do people tend to overeat while travelling?

First things first, why do people tend to overindulge in food during travel? According to Dr Anupama N K, Consultant- Medical Gastroenterology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, “One of the main reasons why people eat more while on that trip is irregular schedules. If a person is on an early flight, it affects their sleep schedule and sometimes even leads to skipping meals. When food is finally available, people feel extremely hungry and thus overeat during travelling. On top of that, the sleep deprivation that comes with travel can make hormones like ghrelin (appetite stimulant) and leptin (fullness signal) work in such a way that the person craves more of the high-calorie food.”

Several other factors include:

• Limited food choices: Fast food, sugary snacks and ultra-processed items are found everywhere. These kinds of food are high in salt, sugar and fat, which increases appetite but do not last. Therefore, people tend to buy larger portions or keep snacking throughout the day.
• Psychological reason: People usually have the impression that travelling is a break from disciplined eating, so that creates a mindset of indulgence- “I’m on vacation, so it’s okay.”
• Stress and boredom: Travel stress, crowds, delays and bright new environments can trigger emotional eating as a coping mechanism. During long travel, boredom causes people to take in snacks even when they are not hungry.
• Change in digestion caused by stress and posture: Hunched over for a long time, not drinking enough water, and eating under pressure can all contribute to the digestive system working less effectively. This scenario frequently leads to the formation of gas, discomfort and acid build-up.

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What happens when you overeat?

Ms Veena V, Chief Clinical Dietitian & HOD - Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics at Aster Whitefield Hospital, shares that eating too much, particularly on an occasional basis, typically results in short-term physical discomfort and digestive issues. However, if overeating becomes a frequent habit, it can lead to long-term health problems such as chronic disease and obesity.

Short-Term Effects

• When you eat too much, your stomach stretches beyond its normal capacity to accommodate the excess food, which triggers immediate physical symptoms.
• Stomach Discomfort, Gas, and Bloating: The strained digestive system produces excess gas, leading to feelings of fullness, pressure, and pain.
• Heartburn and Nausea: The body produces more stomach acid to break down the large meal. This acid can back up into the esophagus (acid reflux), causing a burning sensation or nausea.
• Fatigue and Drowsiness: Your body redirects a large amount of energy and blood flow to the digestive system, leaving less for other activities and causing you to feel sluggish or tired.
• Blood Sugar Spike: Consuming a large amount of carbohydrates and sugar elevates blood glucose levels. The pancreas releases excess insulin to manage this, which can sometimes lead to a ‘sugar crash’ or reactive hypoglycemia, causing further fatigue.
• Disrupted Sleep: A full, uncomfortable stomach can make it difficult to find a comfortable position, interfering with a restful night's sleep.

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Long-Term Effects

• Chronic, habitual overeating can disrupt your body's normal functions and increase the risk for serious health conditions.
• Weight Gain and Obesity: Regularly consuming more calories than your body burns leads to the storage of excess energy as fat. Over time, this can result in being overweight or obese.
• Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes: Constantly high blood sugar levels can make your cells less responsive to insulin. This condition, known as insulin resistance, is a major risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes.
• Heart Disease: Obesity and related conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation put extra strain on the heart, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Disrupted Hunger Hormones: Chronic overeating can desensitize the body to the hormones that regulate hunger (ghrelin and leptin), making it harder to recognize genuine hunger and fullness signals.
• Potential Organ Strain: In extreme and very rare cases, acute gastric dilatation (stretching of the stomach) due to massive overeating can lead to serious complications like stomach perforation or necrosis, which requires emergency surgery and can be fatal.

Why does overeating cause heartburn?

According to Dr Anupama, “Overeating commonly causes heartburn because it directly affects how the stomach, esophagus, and digestive muscles function. Heartburn is the reflux of acid, which is when stomach acid is sent back into esophagus. All through this process, the person feels a burning sensation either in the throat or the chest. Consuming more than one’s capacity at once enhances the chances of this backward flow.”

Foods that are heavy, fatty, spicy or fried not only slow the digestive process but also result in the production of excess acid. On the other hand, sweet foods, chocolate, caffeine and fizzy drinks can aggravate heartburn even further by influencing acid secretion and pressure in the stomach.

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How to treat acidity due to overeating?

Here are some suggestions by Ms Veena V:

• Proper sitting or mild walking movement acts as a digestion helper and lessens the possibility of acid coming back to the esophagus.
• Small volumes of warm water between the sips may neutralize the stomach acid and after the meals.
• Having curd, banana, oats, or simple rice can soothe the stomach.
• Over-the-counter antacids might be the problem's short-term solution, but it is not advisable to use them regularly and without a doctor's consultation.

How to prevent indigestion and heartburn while traveling

“To avoid indigestion and heartburn while traveling, focus on mindful eating, choosing lighter, less spicy foods, staying hydrated with water, incorporating probiotics, and managing stress, while avoiding triggers like large, greasy meals, excessive caffeine/alcohol, and tight clothing; small, frequent meals and familiar snacks help maintain gut harmony,” says Ms Veena V.

Dietary Strategies

• Eat Mindfully: Don't gorge; eat smaller portions and chew food thoroughly.
• Choose Wisely: Opt for bland, fresh foods like rice, lean proteins, and vegetables; avoid fried, spicy, or rich dishes.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water; avoid sugary sodas, excessive caffeine, and alcohol, which can trigger symptoms.
• Pack Snacks: Carry familiar, healthy options like nuts, bananas, or whole-grain crackers.
• Probiotics: Yogurt, kefir, or supplements can support gut health.
• Beware of Local Cuisine: Research dishes to avoid known triggers like heavy sauces or uncommon spices

Final Word

Travel usually implies irregularness of meals as well as food choices and thus, the risk of indigestion is doubled. An easy way to avoid that problem is to consume less food per meal and refrain from overeating, mainly at buffets and during long journeys. Take a dietary expert’s advice into consideration to enjoy your trip without tummy troubles.