Having a healthy gut is the key to your body absorbing all the food that you put in.
So what are some things you can do, starting today, to optimize your digestion & increase your absorption of vital nutrients?
1. Eat a Balanced Diet
A poor diet can lead to shortages of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids.
But what does a ‘balanced’ diet really look like?
Eat the rainbow — Remember ROYGBIV. The next time you go shopping, find foods that fall under the rainbow’s color spectrum (e.g. tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, lettuce, eggplant, etc)
Choose organic food — Eat as much organic food as possible, as these are more nutrient-dense and can reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals. Choose lean protein sources like tofu, legumes, unsalted raw nuts and seeds, and fish.
Know the foods to avoid — Decrease your consumption of refined carbohydrates. Avoid stimulants (as much as possible!) like caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and smoking which can adversely affect your digestive system. Also avoid processed foods, refined sugar, trans fats, and fried foods as often as possible.
2. Address Food Allergies and Intolerances
Exposing yourself to foods you’re allergic or hypersensitive to can result in inflammation, pain, and damage to your gut wall.
Symptoms you may experience include bloating, wind, diarrhea, and other digestive disturbances. You might also experience headaches, sinus issues, coughing, fatigue, stiff and achy joints, and eczema.
If you’re not yet aware of your food intolerances, some of the most common offenders are
Wheat
Dairy
Eggs
Soy
Corn
Peanuts
Some chemicals, preservatives, and additives in food
3. Balance the Bacteria in Your Gut
Of course, you already know this…
But one of the most important ways to improve your digestion is to improve the balance of good bacteria in your microbiome.
A few things you can do include:
Consuming fermented products like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, etc
Taking probiotic supplements, especially if you’ve been exposed to antibiotics
Consuming prebiotic foods like artichoke, garlic, onions, banana, etc
4. Eat Plenty of Fiber
Get your bowels moving by eating plenty of high-fiber foods, such as vegetables, seeds, nuts, beans, and lentils. Daily bowel movements can lower the chances of intestinal gas, bloating, and cramping.
5. Keep Your Stomach Acids at a Healthy Level
Low stomach acid is the main cause of indigestion. To keep it at a healthy level:
Avoid drinking excess fluid around mealtimes so you don’t dilute your digestive juices
Take apple cider vinegar or lemon in water before a meal to get your digestive juices flowing
Consider taking enzyme supplements
Drink bitter herbs in the form of herbal teas like Dandelion, Fennel, Ginger, Peppermint, Gentian, Agrimony, and Meadowsweet
6. Drink Filtered Water
Drink 8 glasses (2 liters) of water daily (more if you need it!)
Filter your water to prevent heavy metals and contaminants (e.g. chlorine, fluoride, etc) from damaging your gut lining
To mix it up, you can also drink herbal teas, juices, or smoothies. Consume high-water content foods like watermelon or cucumber or make a soup with your favorite vegetables.
7. Heal and Seal Your Gut Lining
If your gut lining is damaged (a.k.a. leaky gut), proteins, pathogens, and antigens slip into your bloodstream. This can cause various sensitivities, allergies, and inflammation. There are some great powders formulated to heal and seal your gut, and thereby reduce inflammation.
8. Manage Your Stress
Stress is only good in small amounts. When it becomes chronic, your health will suffer, especially your digestive functions.
Although it’s unavoidable, you can control how to respond to stress. Some of the steps I recommend include:
Making regular times for fun and relaxation
Journaling your thoughts
Grounding yourself in nature to help decrease too much positive charge that can build up in our bodies over time
Doing mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) which combines mindfulness, meditation, and yoga with a particular focus on reducing stress
Connecting with others around you (ask for help if you need it)
9. Eat Consciously and Mindfully
Eat sitting down in a relaxed environment
Chew your food until it’s completely pureed
Avoid consuming large amounts of liquid 20 minutes before and after your meals, as this will dilute your digestive secretions and render them less effective
Drink a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice or 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar 20 mins before your meals to help stimulate the secretion of digestive juices ready for absorption
10. Exercise
Exercise regularly and stay active for at least 30 minutes per day, six times per week. This can aid your digestion and reduce your stress.
Outside exercises are better as sunlight is important for your body’s metabolism and hormone balance, as well as a good source of Vitamin D.
A Leaky Gut Repair Kit For You
As you can see, improving your digestion can do you wonders! Apart from these 10 steps, I also offer customizable nutritional cleanses to optimize your gut health. Choose from Whole Food, Vegan, or Paleo protocols to support your body's natural elimination systems.
Each cleanse includes:
3 recipes a day for 14 days
A daily protocol to help you reset and rebalance
Stress management techniques
Daily support in a closed Facebook group
Cleanse journal
And the best news is that all cleanses are on sale right now…thru the end of January get 50% off all cleanses using CODE: HALFOFF.
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