Have you ever wondered what happened to that delicious lunch you ate? Or have you considered how amazing your body is, that it is able to take the essential nutrients it needs from your lunch, digest it and absorb it into your blood stream and the cells throughout your body. AMAZING!
However, if you suffer from bloating, gas, irritable bowel, diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn, reflux or any other digestive complaint this is NOT normal and it might very well be your digestive system crying out for some help! If you’re reading this and it sounds familiar keep going.
Recently I attended a great seminar series about all things digestive. It really reinforced my belief and understanding that good digestion is so important. And I don’t just mean for good gut health but for all aspects of health including mood, stress, brain challenges, autoimmune conditions, and inflammation just to name a few.
The good news is I’ve got some simple tips for you and they can make a huge difference to how you digest your food and how you feel as a result of that.
Number 1: Exercise – you may be thinking what has that got to do with my digestion. Well your bowel requires good muscle tone to move food down through your digestive tract so anything to get you moving will help you ‘get moving’!
Number 2: Appreciate your food before you eat it – just thinking about food gets your digestive juices going meaning better digestion. Eat slowly and take the time to savour it.
Number 3: Don’t overeat – overeating puts a lot of stress on your digestive system as your body tries to absorb an overabundant supply of nutrients all at once. Instead try to stop eating when you are ¾ full and save your leftovers for lunch.
Number 4: Reduce or eliminate processed foods. These are challenging to your digestive system – if your Grandmother wouldn’t know it as food…don’t eat it!
Number 5: Chew your food. Duh! I hear you say – you would be surprised how many people don’t chew their food enough. Remember your stomach doesn’t have teeth and the important enzymes for digestion are released in your saliva while chewing.
Number 6: Eat more fibre – Fibre is not just for when you get older! Fibre helps to keep your colon healthy, speeds up the passage of food, absorbs bad bacteria and toxins, and improves elimination. There are different types of fibre depending on your individual needs so if you’re interested in this book a consult with me to learn more.
Number 7: Boost stomach acid – despite popular misconception issues such as heartburn, belching or gas can all be symptoms of low stomach acid. To give yourself and your stomach acid a boost squeeze the juice of a lemon into a glass of warm water each morning, or add a tablespoon of raw fermented apple cider vinegar to warm water – drink and enjoy.Number 8: Drink water – we are 65% water so it’s a no brainer that drinking water is essential for good digestion and helps prevent such things as constipation, indigestion, heartburn, brain fog and poor memory.
Number 9: Add in probiotics – good bacteria are needed to crowd out the bad, to help with leaky gut, inflammation and more. Adding fermented foods such as Kefir, sauerkraut or kimchi to your diet is a great way of doing this or you can take a high quality probiotic supplement.
Number 10: Bring in digestive enzymes – these are needed to break down protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Adding live, sprouted, or raw food to your diet will increase your digestive enzymes or you can take a high quality supplement.
I know it can seem overwhelming to read through the 10 tips I’ve written about – my suggestion – pick one or two of these each week and incorporate it into your daily routine – seriously try these out and see how much better you feel.
I’d love to help you with your specific health issue so contact me to book an appointment.
Take care,
Caroline