It is all well and good to be following a kickass wholefoods diet, yet if our digestion is not switched on or we have a sluggish gut/liver, all these beautiful nutrients will not be absorbed properly!! Nooooooo - what a waste! When our digestion is not functioning as it should we can also experience a vast array of symptoms including bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, appetite disruptions, skin break-outs, food intolerances, sleep disturbances, fatigue and so much more! If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, I would always recommend going to see your preferred health practitioner to get to the bottom (no pun intended) of what is going on. And in the meantime, you can always try the below tips at home to help get your gut and digestion back on track.
These are four really simple strategies we can add to each day to help switch on our digestion and assist the functioning of our gut;
1. I am sure you have heard this one before, but starting your day with a glass of water with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. My main reason for suggesting this is that apple cider vinegar is classed as a bitters >>
2. Include bitter foods! Our bitter foods help switch on our digestion by promoting the production of digestive juices/enzymes, which work to break down the food we eat. Try including any of these bitter foods with each main meal: dandelion greens, chicory leaves, rocket, artichoke, kale, cacao nibs/powder, ginger, or fennel.
3. “Chew your food, you’re an animal” - if you know what movie that quote is from, then you have immediately gone up in my books. Chewing our food kicks off the entire digestion process! The actual act of chewing your food promotes the production and flow of Salivary Amylase. Salivary Amylase is an enzyme that plays the crucial role of starting to break down the starchy carbohydrates in our food. Can you take a guess as to how many times we should chew per mouthful?….
We should all be chewing approx. 20-30 x per mouthful! No more 2 chews and gulps please (speaking to myself also).
4. And lastly, breeeeaaattthhhhhheeeee - the simple act of taking a few big, deep breaths before a meal helps signal to your brain that it is now time to eat! This helps shift your body from being sympathetic (stress) dominant to parasympathetic (rest and digest) dominant. Make sure your deep breaths are going all the way down to your belly - you want to see your belly expand and contract. Taking a 3-4 deep breaths before each main meal and similarly, eating slowly, is going to assist in a properly functioning digestive system.
Until we meet again,
Nutmeg xx
*Please note that this blog is providing general advice, it is not specific to your individual health history. If you are experiencing significant digestive changes, please book an appointment with a health practitioner to obtain your individualised treatment approach.
