Did you know that 70% of women have some problem with digestion nearly every day? Holy Moly ladies! This is not a fun problem to deal with every single day. #amiright
One thing I grew to heavily love in school was learning about digestion and gut health. It fascinates me for some reason. I am talking to the point where I bought extra books not required to the program just to learn more.
You know the saying, ‘we are what we eat’? Well, it is really true. Everything in our bodies is made from food we eat. Did a thought just flash to your mind about that last meal you ate? Yeah, me too! OK, but here is what really got me hooked. We are not really what we eat but we are more of what our bodies can absorb. When I read that, I wanted to make sure that if I was taking such care to eat well, how could my body absorb it the best?
Are you feeling sluggish in your digestion system? Wanting more energy? Would love to fall asleep quicker and bounce out of bed in the morning? Introducing Living Refreshed! This NEW program is packed full of 28 days worth of meals, extremely valuable tips for better digestion and your health, and ALL RECIPES INCLUDED in your own member portal.
Learn More about Living Refreshed Here
Let’s get to it!
Here are 5 easy tips you can start focusing on right now to help ease the digestive process.
1. Sit down and eat because you need to be relaxed in order to properly digest your food.
People can only digest in one meal the amount of food that would fit in a bowl the same size as our hands cupped together. Crazy right!?
While eating, eat slowly; chew your food REALLY well. I once read that the ideal number is to chew your bite 50 times. Yup! You read that right. I have never been able to do that either but I suggest chewing more than a few times.
2. Find out if you have food intolerances or sensitivities.
If you have sensitivities to certain foods and you are eating those foods over and over, it harms your gut and affects the digestive process. This was happening to me with almonds. I was eating them all the time! I would have never guessed that this little nut was the thing causing me such discomfort. Taking almonds out of my diet was easy to do and I feel so much better. This is the
3. Don’t drink water while you eat.
Drinking while you eat will dilute all the digestive enzymes in your gut that are trying to work. Here is what to do instead: drink 30 minutes before you eat and at least one hour after a meal. Sipping warm water (keyword- sip) while you eat will help the food go down.
4. Make sure you are getting a balanced meal with enough protein, fats, and carbs.
I aim to eat 2 out of 3 of these proteins at every meal.
- Grains
- Beans/Legumes
- Nuts/Seeds
I cut out processed sugars and white flour as much as I can and swapped them for better carbs like brown rice and root veggies (with the skin left on).
When it comes to fat I read the labels and stay away from anything that says ‘hydrogenated’ or really anything processed as much as I can. Instead, I enjoy raw olive oil and avocados.
5. Eat enough fiber. We need to keep things moving 🙂
These foods are good sources of dietary fiber:
- Chia Seeds
- Raspberries
- Flax Seeds
- Broccoli
- Apples
- Almonds
- Artichoke Hearts
- Butternut Squash
- Collard Greens
- Blackberries
- Pears
Take these steps and focus on them over the week. OH YEAH, and don’t forget to drink enough water!
If you feel like sharing your progress, I am always here to cheer you on!
If you found this helpful, you may also like these articles:
The Amazing Health Benefits of Eating More Plants
5 Tips to Help you NOT Overindulge
Why it is More Important to Focus on What You Eat Instead of How Much
Trackbacks/Pingbacks