I think to truly nail good gut health at a festival, we have to be willing to talk about poo. Poo is our body’s way of getting rid of waste and toxins and if you aren’t going to the toilet properly at a festival, then you are inevitably going to feel bloated, uncomfortable and generally a bit rubbish.

For years I was terrified of pooing at festivals. One year I even took medication to STOP me from going to the toilet because I was genuinely fearful of being trapped in a fouled Portaloo (we all have one mate with a horror story). Plus, going to the toilet at a festival really isn’t an ideal activity, especially as a female. The crouch? The hover? IYKYK.

But, turns out that in order to conquer constipation most of us should be drinking a lot more water. Sounds simple, but when we’re hydrated it’s easier for food to pass through our digestive system. Why? Because when we digest food our body pulls fluids into the digestive tract, but if there isn’t enough fluid to keep the food moving along (ie, from stomach to intestines to colon), the food can slow down or get ‘stuck’, which can cause constipation or bloat. This can also then lead to gut microbiota dysbiosis or an imbalance – aka, zero lols.

So, I decided that while frequent trips to the loo are annoying, I’d rather that than endure an upset tummy for the entirety of the festival. The solution: I purchased a reusable bottle and I went to town on every festival hydration station I came across. Yes, the pee breaks were tedious, but I have to say, I felt so much better. Less bloated and far less fatigued.

Don’t forget that we also perspire more at festivals because of the constant movement (which is actually great for our digestive system: movement, and yes, dancing, all help food move more freely), so staying hydrated is a super smart move overall. Plus, it really helps with the hangovers.

After just a day following my strict festi-hydration routine, I can honestly say I felt much better overall. Waking up the next morning in my sweltering tent not feeling like some dried-out husk of a human was refreshing and being able to go for an AM ‘number two’ meant I didn’t feel as bloated and miserable as I usually would.

Another great tip at a festival (shared by a friend who has her own routine nailed) is to eat food with a high concentration of water to top up your hydration levels throughout the day. Watermelon is readily sold across many festival sites (served ice cold, it’s absolutely delish), and keeping one or two whole cucumbers in your tent to munch on when you’re feeling peckish is another great tip. Yes, you probably will get some strange looks – but, hey, anything goes at a festival.

Beige, glorious beige. Yep, while we all love a bit of fried beige, it really isn’t the best for our gut. However, loaded fried carbs and greasy meats are prime festival fodder, and are precisely the types of food that we crave after a day of drinking warm beer in the sunshine. 

We should never, ever feel guilty about what we eat and festival season is the one time we can all cut a bit loose, but there are some small things we can do to prevent the beige from knocking our gut bacteria completely out of whack.

Taking this on board, I started to think a bit more respectfully about what I was consuming throughout the day. If you are camping at a festival, having things in your tent like high fibre bars or nuts will help keep your gut bacteria ticking over. Fruits like apples are portable and can be slipped into a bumbag for a mid-afternoon snack rather than snaffling half of your mate’s chilli cheese fries.

In the mornings, I would seek out a stand or tent that offered a smoothie made with live natural yoghurt to help boost my gut bacteria before setting out for the day. I also started looking for food vans that offered extra toppings – pizza vans where you could add grilled aubergine or fresh rocket, or burrito stalls that would offer veggie options. 

Treat your meal options like you would your fashion choices – lots and lots of colour. Extra kimchi? Pickles? Load it up. Fermented products are excellent fuel for your gut bacteria, so go to town if the vendor is offering them.  

NGL, this approach is perhaps a spennier way of doing things, but because I was eating food that made me feel fuller for longer, I definitely wasn’t as rotund and gassy as I usually would be after smashing into a gooey cheese toastie and a pint of lager.

Of course, there are always instances when a 3am fried chicken burger just hits different, and that’s fine. I just made sure I drank loads of water afterwards to keep my digestive system hydrated and happy. 

Also, hand sanitiser. Apply LIBERALLY at all times, especially before eating anything at a festival. Diarrhoea is common due to increased exposure to foreign antigens (or germs) from the environment such as bacteria and viruses, which your immune system does not recognise and then attempts to fight off. And, hey, Portaloos. Not the cleanest of places. So, keep your hands clean before sticking them anywhere near your mouth to save any tummy mishaps later down the line.

God bless those lucky people who can sleep at festivals. Who are you? Please tell me your secret.

We’ve all been there, lying awake at 4am while fellow festival goers crash into neighbouring tents while some bright spark feels it necessary to start playing Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit on a tin whistle. Then you hear it. The sound of someone snoring a few tents away, blissfully and deeply asleep. The jealousy is so, so real.

But interestingly, sleep is also another way of keeping your gut in check. Our body likes routine, and when we knock our inner circadian rhythm off-kilter because we’re not getting a decent amount of rest (or in other words, spending too much time in the dance tent), then this could also lead to an unhappy tum for the whole festival.

Again, I’m no angel and I love staying up late, but in the quest to be more mindful, I made sure that I was prioritising my rest to try and combat any potential gut imbalances as a result of not getting enough sleep. This included trying to get to bed at roughly the same time each night with the aim of hardwiring my body clock into thinking I was following some kind of regular routine. 

I also took the time to prep my tent for slumberville. Ear plugs. Face mask. Self-heating cushion (yes, they do exist). Comfy bed clothes. Phone turned off. Effectively, any means necessary to mimic my home sleep habits. Yes, I even bought pillow spray. 

The first night I camped at a festival, it took me a good while to drop off, even with all my sleep accessories. But the second night I fell asleep within seconds. Don’t forget, all that walking does mean your body is pretty knackered – it wants to rest. It’s more about shutting down your mind. Downloading an app like Headspace and doing a mindful little meditation before sleep if you are finding it really hard to wind down is a great idea.

Also, make disco naps a priority. A mid-afternoon power nap can do you the world of good if you’re feeling a bit fatigued.

Nailing good gut health at a festival? Completed it, mate.