A Few Tips for Your Gut

If you’ve been on a journey to optimal digestion & struggling, there’s so much out there you could do! But what really matters is where you are on your gut health journey. Are you just beginning or do you already have an idea what works for your body and what doesn’t?

Here’s a few tips to try, but not every single tip mentioned will work for you. So it’s important to work with your health practitioner to determine what’s best for your individual body. The first four tips are for everybody to try, the rest I’ll leave up to your discretion because you know what’s best for your body.

After changing your diet to include whole organic foods and add movement to your daily routine, here’s a few quick tips:

COOK YOUR FOOD YOURSELF

If not, have someone else cook for you or better yet learn how to cook yourself! The smells and aromas from cooking actually help stimulate your natural digestive enzymes to aid in digestion. With takeout you don’t know what’s going into your food and if it comes in plastic containers it’s probably contaminated with endocrine disrupters. And to take it to the next level, try cooking non-toxic cookware.

TURN OFF DEVICES DURING MEALS

Yes, this means putting away that cell phone & turning off the tv (especially the news!!!) during meals because too much visual and mental stimulation interferes with good digestion.

SIT UPRIGHT WHILE EATING

Eating in an upright position can help you digest your food better. Poor posture can compress the abdominal organs which can lead to your gastrointestinal system to function ineffectively leading to acid reflux, gas, bloating, and constipation.

CHEW YOUR FOOD THOROUGHLY

It’s the first step in digestion and helps break down food so large food particles don’t enter the digestive tract causing digestive dysfunction. Chewing your food also helps activate your digestive enzymes and other acids to assist digestion.  

AVOID RAW HARD TO DIGEST FOODS

If your specifically struggling with digesting food, DON’T eat salads. Your stomach may need a break, so instead eat warm cooked foods. By cooking, the food will be easier to digest. Simply put, eating raw foods are just harder to digest.

LOOK INTO DRINKING GEORGE’S ALOE VERA WATER

A glass of aloe water can help balance the stomachs PH levels and promote healthy bacteria growth. (I’m not talking about that garbage sugar filled aloe water from your local grocery store).

FIND A GOOD PROBIOTIC THAT WORKS WITH YOUR BODY

This can be difficult and sometimes people take the wrong one for their bodies and then swear off probiotics. Taking the proper probiotic can not only have a positive effect on your gut health, but it can also help your immune system and even have a positive effect on your mental health.

TAKE DIGESTIVE ENZYMES

They’re important to help with breaking down the food we eat. If your digestion isn’t optimal, you may not be getting all the vital nutrients from food because you’re not properly breaking down your food. That’s where digestive enzymes come into play. Find one that works with your specific requirements.

TAKE PAPAYA ENZYMES

Please stop popping antacids like candy. You will end up with more digestive problems in the long run. When you continually take antacids, you can have long term alterations in your digestive acids. If you're struggling with acid issues, it’s probably time to change your diet and consider eating less acidic foods. Get a good quality papaya enzyme to take instead.

AVOID DAIRY & GLUTEN

Both inflammatory and can cause digestive distress, enough said.

CONSUME GUT SUPPORTING HERBS

Licorice root, slippery elm bark, marshmallow root, peppermint leaf, dandelion root, ginger, wormwood— are just some of the healthy gut supporting herbs. Depending on what you’re struggling with, tailor it to your own needs. Wormwood may help clear out parasites, peppermint can ease digestion, and so on. It’s important to speak with a health practitioner before implementing any of these herbs.

DRINK 1 TABLESPOON OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR IN A GLASS OF WATER

This can be controversial, but ACV can do wonders for candida overgrowth and reduce glucose spikes. I personally recommend consuming 1 tablespoon of ACV in a small glass of water instead of taking it straight.

REMEMBER, These tips are not for everyone, so listen to your body, speak to your healthcare practitioner and decide what works for you.

I wish you healing on your gut health and full body wellness journey!  

With Love & Wellness,

Lily

***These statements are not medical advice and is not intended to cure or treat any ailments or diseases. Please consult a healthcare professional before starting a new regimen.