1. Bring variety back before taking anything away

If we were choosing one place to begin after a few weeks of eating differently, I’d look at what has disappeared from the plate, rather than what needs to be removed from it.

Holidays can narrow the range of foods we eat. Perhaps oats and seeds disappeared from breakfast, pulses appeared less often, or vegetables became more of a side dish.

Different plant foods provide different types of fibre and plant compounds, including polyphenols, which interact with the microorganisms living in the gut. Our individual responses vary, which is one reason a varied diet is more useful than becoming overly focused on a single “gut-health” food.

And variety means more than vegetables. Fruit, whole grains, beans and lentils, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices all contribute.

Think about what you ate yesterday. How many different plant foods appeared? There’s no perfect number to achieve; it’s simply a useful way to notice what might have slipped from your routine.

Porridge with berries, ground flaxseed, walnuts and cinnamon, for example, brings several different plants into one very ordinary breakfast.

Rather than asking “What should I stop eating now I’m home?”, look at what might have disappeared from your diet. Restoring variety is often a more useful place to begin than creating another set of food rules.

2. Bring fibre back gradually

If your fibre intake has dropped while you’ve been away, don’t try to make up for it in a day.

A sudden increase can mean more bloating and digestive discomfort. In the UK, adults are advised to aim for around 30g of fibre a day, but if you’re currently eating much less, work towards that gradually and increase your fluid intake alongside it.

That might mean returning to oats at breakfast, adding beans or lentils to a familiar meal, choosing whole grains more often or keeping the edible skin on fruit and vegetables.

Some fibres reach the large intestine, where they can be fermented by gut microorganisms, producing metabolites including short-chain fatty acids. These are involved in processes within the gut as well as immune and metabolic signalling.

The response isn’t identical for everyone. Different fibres behave differently, and the microorganisms already living in your gut can influence what happens when you eat them. There isn’t one fibre or “gut-health” food that everyone needs.

3. Know what fermented foods can, and can’t, do

Kefir, live yoghurt, kimchi and fermented vegetables have become almost shorthand for “gut health”. They can be part of a varied diet, but fermented doesn’t automatically mean probiotic.

Fermentation involves microorganisms, but whether they’re still alive when you eat the finished food depends on how it has been made and processed. Sourdough is a useful example: microorganisms drive the fermentation, but they don’t survive the heat of baking.

That doesn’t make sourdough any less worthwhile as a food. It simply means “fermented” and “contains live microorganisms” aren’t interchangeable claims.

And even a food containing live microorganisms isn’t automatically a probiotic. Probiotics are specific live microorganisms that, when given in adequate amounts, have been shown to confer a health benefit.

So enjoy fermented foods for the flavour and variety they bring, rather than feeling you need them to “repair” your gut after a holiday.

If you choose to take a probiotic supplement, think of Flora Daily Biotic as an addition to a varied, fibre-rich diet, rather than a substitute for one.

4. Don’t confuse drinking water with moisturising your skin

After flying, warm weather or simply drinking differently while you’re away, getting back to drinking regularly is important. But if your face feels dry when you come home, drinking litres of water isn’t necessarily the answer.

How comfortable your skin feels also depends on its ability to hold onto moisture. So if it feels tight, dry or more sensitive than usual, I’d resist the temptation to immediately introduce an active ingredient.

Reviver Hydrating Mist can be used after cleansing to add a light layer of moisture before the rest of your skincare, or misted on whenever skin needs a refresh, useful when air conditioning, flying or late-summer heat has left it feeling less comfortable than usual.

If dryness isn’t the issue, look at what has changed.

Skin that feels comfortable but looks duller or less even after summer may benefit from Vitamin C+E Facial Oil in the morning. It pairs an oil-soluble, slow-release form of vitamin C with vitamin E and is Dermatologically Approved for sensitive skin. Apply before your daily SPF.

Bakuchiol Natural Retinol Facial Oil answers a different concern and can be considered in the evening when fine lines, pigmentation or uneven tone are more of a focus.

The important part is knowing what you’re responding to. Tightness and dryness call for a different approach from dullness, pigmentation or fine lines, and recognising that difference can help you keep your routine both simpler and more considered.

5. Give your routine time to become ordinary again

One thing we can underestimate after travelling is how many things change at once.

We don’t just eat differently. We sleep at different times, eat later, move differently and perhaps spend hours sitting on a plane or in a car. Even digestion can feel different simply because its familiar rhythm has disappeared.

There’s no need to correct all of that on Monday morning.

Return gradually to familiar meal times. Bring back the foods you normally enjoy. Walk, get outside and let your sleep settle. If your digestion has been a little different while you’ve been away, give your usual habits some time before assuming you need a new diet, cleanse or complicated regime.

Sometimes the body needs less intervention than we imagine.

Can looking after your gut really help your skin?

Researchers use the term gut–skin axis to describe communication between the gut and skin through microbial, immune and metabolic pathways.

Skin conditions including rosacea, eczema and psoriasis are associated with gut imbalance, and so taking care of your gut can positively influence the health of your skin.

Genetics, hormones, immune function, environment and skincare can all play a role.

Nutrition is one part of a much wider picture of skin health.

If you prefer an inside-and-out approach, Rise & Glow brings together Flora Daily Biotic with Hero Facial Oil, pairing a daily probiotic supplement with topical nourishment for dry, sensitive skin.

Quick Summary

• Bring variety back before taking foods away. Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices all contribute different fibres and plant compounds.
• Increase fibre gradually. UK adults are advised to aim for around 30g a day, but suddenly eating much more can cause digestive discomfort.
• Understand fermented foods with a little nuance. Fermented foods can add variety, but “fermented”, “contains live microorganisms” and “probiotic” don't mean exactly the same thing.
• Treat hydration and dry skin differently. Drinking enough fluid matters for general health, but more water alone won't resolve dry or sensitive skin.
• Give your usual rhythm time to return. Regular meals, movement and sleep are a more useful post-holiday starting point than trying to compensate for what you ate while you were away.

FAQs

How can you improve your gut health after a holiday?

You don’t need a detox. Return gradually to regular meals, varied plant foods, enough fibre and fluid, movement and sleep. If you’ve been eating less fibre while away, increase it gradually rather than trying to compensate overnight.

What foods are good for the gut microbiome?

There isn’t one “best” gut-health food. Aim for variety across vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and lentils, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Some fermented foods containing live microorganisms can add further variety too.

Can gut health affect your skin?

Yes, the gut and skin communicate through what researchers call the gut–skin axis, involving microbial, immune and metabolic pathways. Take care of your gut, and your skin will glow too.

Can a daily probiotic support gut health?

Yes, a probiotic complements a varied, fibre-rich diet, and helps to replenish the friendly bacteria that support the gut lining and skin barrier. Flora Daily Biotic contains 9 selected probiotic strains and zinc to support a healthy gut and skin resilience.

Explore a little further

• How to Strengthen Your Skin Barrier
• What is the gut-skin axis and how does it affect skin health?
• Women’s Health & Gut Health: Why Probiotics Matter

A gentle return to your rhythm

Coming home can bring an urge to compensate - to eat better, sleep perfectly or become more disciplined after a few weeks of doing things differently.

Bring familiar foods and variety back to your plate, return to regular meals and give your usual patterns of sleep and movement time to re-establish themselves.

The same thinking applies to your skin. Rather than changing your whole routine, notice what has actually changed: does it feel drier, more sensitive, or simply look a little duller than before? Those differences can tell you far more about what it needs next.

It reflects something we often return to: our health is shaped far more by the patterns we return to than by a week or two spent outside them.

Give yourself a little time to come home.

And if you’re not quite sure what your skin needs next, we’re always here to help. Take our 3-minute Skin Quiz, email care@bysarahlondon.com, or come and say hello at @bysarahlondon.

 

This guide provides general nutrition and lifestyle information and isn’t a substitute for personalised medical or nutritional advice. If you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are considering significant dietary changes, speak to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

 

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