By Laura Discepola, ROHP/RNCP
www.fitfirmandfab.com
Do you have gas, bloating, abdominal distension, bad breath, flatulence, heartburn, headaches, irregular bowels? Do you feel tired after eating a meal; have undigested food particles in your stools or vertical ridges on your fingernails?
Well, you are experiencing Digestive Issues!
There is hope. You can reduce the above mentioned symptoms by avoiding eating while working, driving, watching television, when you are upset, in a rush or on the go because they all contribute to interrupting the digestive process.
Below are some healthy tips and new habits to form that will improve your digestion and overall health.
Top 10 Ways to better your digestion:
1. Don’t eat when you are stressed. Take a time-out to eat your meal peacefully (take an actual lunch break at work) and you will find that you are more productive afterwards. Stress eating or eating when you are rushed slows down the digestion process.
2. Take only small sips of room temperature water with meals, never large glasses or ice cold water.
3. Consume smaller balanced meals more often. Try eating 5-6 smaller meals a day instead of 3 square meals. Your body only needs so many calories at any given time, larger meals usually get stored as fat because you can’t burn off all those extra calories. The more food in your stomach, the harder digestion becomes.
4. Find the time to sit down and relax while you enjoy your meal (and no, driving or eating on the subway does not count).
5. Avoid caffeinated beverages because they promote premature dumping of stomach contents into the small intestine which means that the food has not yet had the opportunity to fully digest.
6. Chew every forkful of your food until it’s almost liquid - take your time. Not only will it help with digestion but it will also help your stomach send a signal to your brain to let it know that it’s full so you don’t overeat.
7. Try adding 1/2 tsp per day of Celtic sea salt in a glass of warm water, it is needed to make HCl (Hydrochloric acid which is necessary for digestion)
8. Food combinations such as protein and sweets, or fruit right after meals are to be avoided. Sugars are digested in the intestine, but protein and fats remain in the stomach for several hours. When sugars, which normally pass through the stomach within minutes, are mixed in the stomach with protein and fats, putrefaction occurs causing gas, bloating and fermentation.
9. Say thank you! Take just a quick moment before you eat to feel appreciation for the food in front of you or for someone special in your life. Some say that to be grateful can have a great impact on the vibration of the food you are about to consume whilst helping digestion.
10. If the above recommendations do not help, consider taking a natural digestive enzyme containing HCL and bile to help with digestion. Note, if you experience a burning sensation while taking the digestive enzyme, you may in fact have an overactive stomach and should consult your physician.
Laura Discepola, ROHP/RNCP
Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner
laura.cnp@rogers.com 647.408.7142
www.fitfirmandfab.com
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