Listen to Your Gut: Improve Your Digestion Naturally

Good digestion is a cornerstone of optimal health. Your digestive system is where your body extracts the nutrients from food your food and eliminates toxins.

If you frequently feel fatigued, bloated, and constipated, that may be a signal that your digestive system isn’t working at its best.

“Ditching your Belly Bloat” and improving your digestion was the topic for our workshop at the Berkeley Heights YMCA last Friday.

Read on for a summary of the session and to learn the strategies we discussed.

Eat Slowly and Mindfully 

Most people have experienced the feeling of eating too quickly and feeling bloated or uncomfortable after consuming a meal. Eating slowly allows you to savor the flavors of each bite while allowing your stomach enough time to signal when it’s full. Additionally, eating mindfully encourages mindful eating habits and helps you practice mindful chewing habits, which can also help improve digestion.

Focus on These Foods

Eating a variety of fiber-rich foods, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, can provide bulk to stool which will help move food waste through more efficiently. Fermented foods, like sauerkraut, kimchi, unsweetened kefir and yogurt, miso and pickled vegetables are a great source of probiotics, to improve the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, dandelion greens, leeks green bananas and Jerusalem artichokes, are a great source of food for your healthy gut bacteria. And finally, peppermint, ginger, and fennel are helpful in reducing gas and bloating after you eat, and they help your overall digestive process.

Drink Plenty of Water 

Water plays an essential role in digestion by helping break down food particles into smaller pieces from which the body can easily absorb nutrients. Additionally, water helps transport those nutrients throughout the body to be used for energy and other bodily functions. The general rule of thumb is to aim for at least half of your body weight in ounces of water daily for optimal hydration levels and improved digestion. A simple way to measure your hydration level is look for light straw-colored urine. And, if you need to hydrate more, do it gradually.

Get Moving 

Exercise helps stimulate digestive juices, which aids in breaking down food more quickly. It also helps to increase the speed at which waste is eliminated from the body. Even just 15 minutes of light exercise, such as walking, stretching, or yoga per day can make a world of difference when it comes to improving digestion. An excellent time to walk is after meals to help with digestion, boost metabolism and regulate blood sugar.

Avoid Trigger Foods 

I’m sure you have a list of trigger foods that cause discomfort or bloating after you eat them, including dairy products, spicy meals, or fried foods. Avoiding these triggers can help identify what foods may be causing distress, your digestive system has had a chance to readjust.

Improving your digestion doesn’t have to be complicated; with simple lifestyle changes such as eating slowly and mindfully, focusing on gut friendly foods, drinking plenty of water each day, getting regular exercise, and avoiding trigger foods, you can experience improved digestive health in no time.

Quick and Effective Way to Improve your Digestion

One of the tools clients use initially to support their digestion is the 3-Day Soup Reset. Jenny, a recent Reset participant, had the following improvements after the program:

• • Her bloating and cramping had decreased
  • She had more regular bowel movements
  • She felt lighter and more energized
  • Her skin looked clearer and brighter

After Reset, Jenny continued to make small changes to her diet and lifestyle. Her digestive issues continued to improve, and she no longer had to deal with the uncomfortable symptoms that had plagued her for years.

The 3-day soup reset was the kickstart she needed to make positive changes for her overall health and well-being.

You too can have results like Jenny through the 3-Day Soup Reset.

The next program starts June 6^th, and registration closes May 31^st.

To feel your best, having a healthy gut is vital.

Please comment below or email me if you need support and guidance to improve your digestive health.