| With all the stress surrounding us these days it is more important than ever to keep ourselves healthy. A big part of that is keeping our bodies working their best. Digestion is a large part of supporting our immune systems, energy levels, and physical and mental strength. I found a comprehensive list of foods to encourage healthy digestion and foods to avoid. Here’s a cheat sheet: Foods to add: Probiotic rich-foods; kombucha, sauerkraut, kimichi, kefir, miso soup or miso paste Prebiotic rich foods (this is what feeds your good gut bacteria) — Onions, Asparagus, Bananas, Jerusalem Artichokes, Dandelion Greens Ground flax seeds — flax seeds are rich in fiber which can help to clean up your digestive tract PLUS ground flax seeds can help you to eliminate excess estrogen from the body Apple Cider Vinegar — adding 1 tbsp of ACV into a few ounces of water and consuming this about 30 minutes before your largest meal can help to stimulate your digestive juices! Water, about 80-100 ounces per day — If you get bored of drinking plain water all day, you can add lemon into your water. Take it up a notch and add lemon + a pinch of pink Himalayan salt — this mix is a hydrating powerhouse!!! Pink salt contains trace minerals and electrolytes that help keep your body hydrated, which in turn helps your digestion + skin + hormones Moving your body via yoga, Pilates, strength training, or simply walking will all help to stimulate and support your digestion too! Foods to avoid if you are having digestive issues (as they promote inflammation + gas + bloating) Dairy Gluten Excess Sugar |
Tag: Probiotics
Gut Heath, Good News
One of the science journals I frequently read revealed this good news! Those of you that have worked with me know my focus on excellent gut health. That does not mean giving up coffee or wine, unless you have a sensitivity or intolerance of it. Here a little science to back me up!
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-05-coffee-wine-good-microbes-gut.html
Getting Back To You
“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned; and however early a man’s training begins, its probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly. ” – Thomas Huxley
A friend shared this quote with me this morning and it hit home. As humbling as it may be, there is as sense of accomplishment and pride waiting for you because you feel the best about yourself when you do what you KNOW is right. As much fun as it is to be bad occasionally, it feels even better to do the things you know are best.
That being said, today is a great day to get back to your healthy habits and routine to feel the best you can feel. The next couple of days make sure you drink MORE than your regular water intake to help your body flush out all the holiday celebrations. As the parties begin, make sure to follow my tips on how to enjoy this month of celebrations without undoing all your hard work. If you missed that blog, catch it here.
This is a good time of year to add a Probiotic to your daily regimen. Probiotics are “good bacteria” that promote a healthy digestive system. They are found naturally in foods like yogurt, miso soup, and kefir. Even if you regularly eat these foods, most of our systems require a larger dosage to support the number of healthy bacteria in our digestive track. “Roughly 70 percent of our immune system is in the gut..” according to parkerhospital.org, and as we head more indoors and come in contact with more germs it is important to encourage the good bacteria to work for us. These guys help us ward off bloating and inflammation on a small scale all the way to fight diseases on a larger scale. This time of year particularly with added stress and energy zapping events, our healthy bacteria are working overtime to keep us functioning at optimum level. Add in one dose of antibiotics and your natural probiotics are stopped cold. I use Trunature because it is a natural brand that is readily available, but there are several good brands on the market to help you.
One final note, often times you are making the right choices and doing what you know is right, and the ways you are doing it are working against you. I am thinking of drug interactions in particular. For example, were you aware that Vitamin B12, which aids in blood and nerve cell health, is inhibited by strong antacids? A Pharmacist can help you uncover more of these in your own daily regimen, but it is important to be aware.
As your schedule changes over the next few weeks, you will need to adjust with it. Whether it be stress and rushing around, or just enjoying event after event and working to find a balance that doesn’t overwhelm you. Putting yourself on the front burner is important because it will help you survive and thrive in this season. If you are struggling with energy and focus, nutrition can help in many ways. Just contact me at eatlivefit@hotmail.com for guidance.
In the meantime, enjoy this little motivation for the week:
eatlivefit.net 