digestion

Stomach problems SUCK! Trust me I know…I was diagnosed with IBS when I was 19 (which believe me…was a LOT of years ago). If you’ve been struggling with digestion problems, it might not be a medical condition, but actually from the types of foods you are eating. Many people have food sensitivities, not necessarily allergies, and many people just don’t get enough water and fiber in their diet. Check out these gut healing foods and see if you can start incorporating them into your diet on a regular basis.

Best Gut Healing Foods

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a superfood and also happen to be really good for your digestion. These seeds are a superfood because of how many nutrients they contain. You will gets lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They also have omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, both of which are great for improving your digestion and helping things move more smoothly. The nutrients in chia seeds can also help with regulating bowel function, reducing inflammation in your body, and lowering your cholesterol. All you need are a couple tablespoons of the seeds each day, which are easy to add to smoothies, yogurt, or topping on salads.

Lean Protein

Don’t forget about lean protein, including poultry and fish. These foods contain nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids, without increasing sugar and other ingredients you don’t need in your foods. Lean protein is a lot easier to digest than red meat, so going for salmon or chicken is a much better option for your gut health than steak.

Bananas

If you are looking for fruit that is going to help with your digestion, go for bananas. These are amazing for you, packed with nutrients, and very easy to tolerate. Bananas are super easy on the stomach and often one of the only foods recommended when you have the flu or a serious illness because of how easy they are to tolerate. Try to eat at least one banana a day, whether you eat it on its own, spread on toast, or topped on your cereal.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds kill parasites. It is best to consume 1/4 cup daily as a late afternoon snack or make pumpkin seed milk in a Vitamix with water, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and stevia (if needed).

Cloves and Cinnamon

By cooking with each of these spices or adding them to a smoothie or drink you are naturally killing microbes that are wreaking havoc on your system.

Turmeric

By adding 1 tablespoons of turmeric to your foods, you are using one of the most powerful antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory spices.

Ghee

If tolerated, ghee is fabulous for nourishing and healing the intestinal lining.

Try to include some of these options on a daily basis and see if they can help. I would also work to eliminate gluten and dairy. Many people struggle with these foods so doing a trial elimination period can show you if you’re one of those people.

I know it can be daunting to think about eliminating staple foods from your diet. Join me in the next FASTer Way to Fat Loss round where I can teach you the healthy habits you need to take to find genuine health and age gracefully.

What are your favorite gut healing foods?

When we think of digestion, we think of the gut, but digestion really starts in the brain! These 5 tips for better digestion will help you absorb more nutrients from your food as well as feel less bloated.

5 Tips for Better Digestion

Chew Your Food Completely

The process of digestion begins as soon as we start thinking about food. The enzymes in our mouth start to be released to help process proteins and carbohydrates. Once food enters the mouth, the job of the teeth is to break the food down into small pieces so there is as much surface area as possible for the digestive enzymes to get to.

When we get busy and eat quickly or on the run, we are less likely to chew our food completely. So the first tip is to slow down and chew your food well…that probably means a lot more than you’re doing now.

Try it for week, see if you notice any benefits.

Drink 2 Glasses of Water Before Each Meal

I’ve found sites that say you should NOT drink water with meals and some that say you should.

While looking into the research, I found one study that showed that drinking 2 cups of water prior to a meal (on a low calorie diet) led to greater weight loss than did just the diet alone.

Another study showed that by just switching out one drink per day with water, the participants showed less weight gain over a four year period.

So whether you are drinking water before, during or after your meal, drinking at least 64 oz of water daily can help your digestion by staying hydrated and it may even help you maintain/lose weight.

Practice Mindful Eating

Mindfulness is quite the buzzword these days and I think I know why. We have found ourselves in such a fast paced, demanding environment that we have to actually remind ourselves to slow down and be present.

Food has become a chore that must be checked off a list, instead of a community experience to be savored and enjoyed with family and friends.

OK so how do we help our digestion by practicing mindful eating?

Eat sitting down so you can be calm and enjoy each bite.

Focus on your food and enjoy the company of your companions.

Do not eat in front of the tv.

Stop when you are full.

Don’t eat on the run or standing up.

Mindfulness just means being present with what you are currently doing instead of thinking about what’s to come.

Eat Anti-Inflammatory Foods

I talk to people all the time that have no idea what is wrong with their digestion. They know they’re having trouble, but can’t pinpoint which food is causing the problem.

This is when an elimination diet like Whole30 and/or IgG Food Sensitivity testing can really be helpful.

But the general rule of thumb is…if a food gives you “trouble”, don’t eat it.

Pay attention to the signals your body is giving you.

Most of the time the issues come from one (or a combination) of these six foods: wheat, corn, soy, nuts, eggs and dairy. But other foods can cause issues too, it just depends on the health of your gut.

Your Eating Crap Food

By choosing to put highly processed, high sugar and fried foods into your mouth, you are setting yourself up for digestive problems.

Focus on eating real foods – mostly above ground vegetables, moderate intake of well sourced proteins and healthy fats to satiety.

You can sprinkle in a few berries in there too for fun. (If you need help getting started I have a free one page download, Keto Food List, that can help.)

As you can see, healthy digestion may have nothing to do with your gut…but sometimes with the choices you’re making before you even get to the table.

Let me know what works for you!