Three things you can do today to help your Gut health and have happy poos tomorrow!

If you often experience acid reflux, cramps, gas, constipation or diarrhoea, your digestive system might need a little help getting back on track. Here are three simple things (plus a tasty bonus at the end!) you can do today to boost your gut health, get your digestion running smoothly and have happy poos (and isn't that one of the simple luxuries of life we all need?):

1. Eat mindfully and chew well

Our nervous system is in ‘rest and digest’ mode when we eat calmly and unrushed – signals being sent from the mouth to the brain (through the Vagus nerve) to the stomach to produce the digestive enzymes and stomach juices needed to break down food. This begins when first seeing and smelling food, then chewing thoroughly coats food with saliva and digestive enzymes and is the first stage of digestion before food continues to get broken down by the mixture of juices, digestive enzymes and the churning action of the stomach. Rushing meals can lead to a challenging environment for the stomach to break down the food, as the body will be in ‘fight or flight mode’  (rather than 'rest and digest') and the signalling will be less effective, as the body is ready to move, not to be still and eat. This can lead to bloating, pain and a feeling of heaviness on the stomach.

2. Stay Hydrated and avoid drinking with your meals!

Drinking enough water is super important for keeping everything moving in your digestive system. Aim to drink between 1.5 - 2 litres (8 cups) of total fluid a day, with at least 1 litre (4 cups) being water. Adding a squeeze of lemon to a glass of warm water as your first drink of the day wakes up your liver, kidneys and bowels and promotes morning eliminations.

Wait either 30 minutes after drinking caffeinated drinks before eating breakfast or at least one hour after eating. When drunk with meals, tannins in tea, coffee and green tea can inhibit the absorption of some minerals specifically iron, which may influence energy creation. Drinking with meals can also dilute digestive juices and make it more challenging to break down food in your stomach, which can cause cramps, wind and constipation further down the line.

3. Add More Fibre

Fibre is your friend! It helps with digestion and can prevent constipation. Fibre also is important for the health of our gut microbes, as fibre is their food source but it also increases the diversity of beneficial bacteria. Eat a variety of vegetables and wholegrains and a piece of fruit with every meal. Avoid processed and refined foods that contain little fibre (and often little nutrient value) and can contain ingredients that are god for the shelf-life of the product, but not good for our gut.

Bonus

Start to include fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and yoghurt into your daily diet. These contain naturally occurring friendly bacteria which can contribute to good gut heath.

Kimchi (a Korean speciality - widely available in UK shops now) and sauerkraut (an Eastern European speciality - also easily available in UK shops) also contain fibre, which is then a double bonus! Fermented foods can also generate bioactive compounds which can have anti-inflammatory effects - so these foods can be helpful for IBS sufferers and also for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and diabetes.

Give this advice a shot, and you might just start feeling a lot better!

I've created an anti-inflammatory pack for you - one recipe at a time. Check out my next post for the first recipie - Turkey Fritattas! So more-ish, gut friendly and anti-inflammatory.

All the love,

Fleur

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As a Nutrition Advisor and Coach I am here for you! I create tailored advice based on a personalised nutrition report after learning about your current diet, stress, work and health concerns and goals! I specialise in Gut Health, overcoming such debilitating symptoms such as acid reflux, cramps, bloating, constipation and diahhroea. My Advice helps to look at the root cause of the problem (taht's the Naturopathic approach) and then works to support you improve your health in such areas as: coping better with stress, helping you resolve digestive issues, to lose weight naturally and sustainably and to sleep better - improving energy levels, focus and mood! I'm about long-term health, not quick fixes, but it doesn't take long to feel better - as the testimonies from previous clients show.

Contact me today to book your free 15 minute session - invest in your health and your life!