You have 10 trillion cells in your body and all of them need to “eat” or be fueled in order to function. Add to that, your gut is host to your microbiome, 30 trillion (estimated) organisms that assist your digestion, brain health, immunity and hormonal balance. It is not an overstatement to say that without proper digestion it is impossible to be healthy.
Better Digestion Foods
For those working in an office we are often tempted to pick up lunches at the drive-thru and drinking our favorite carbonated drink at the vending machine down the hall. There is something super fun about having an assortment of snacks for lunch. Just because we’re adults, it doesn’t mean we should have to leave that behind! Let’s bring back the nostalgia of lunchables with my healthy lunchables for adults- but more elevated, balanced and packed with nutrition. And most importantly, just as fun.
This isn’t lunch-specific, but eating around three meals a day is important regardless, for meeting your nutrient and energy requirements. Even if you don’t feel hungry around lunchtime, you will find that skipping lunch will often leave you feeling irritable, tired or ravenous later in the day. Fruits and veggies also play more hidden roles in our meals. They are great for rounding out our meals with volume and provide color, which visually enhances the plate. I don’t know about you, but having a pretty lunch to eat is always more exciting!
5 tips to boost digestion naturally:
Tip #1: Hydrate Regularly
Most Americans are dehydrated. Getting about 8 glasses of purified water per day (not more than 1 glass or 8 oz per hour) is truly critical to optimize your digestion. It allows for better absorption of nutrients as well as better elimination of toxins. Drinking enough water can help you feel better in ways you probably wouldn’t realize.
Tip #2: Stay Away From Processed Foods
Processed foods should not even be called “food”, as they provide more toxic exposure and body burden than they do nutrition. The non-food, bad oils and chemicals contained in processed foods will “feed” the bad bacteria in your gut and introduce chemicals that literally burden your body’s ability to digest and absorb good nutrients.
Tip #3: Eat More Vegetables & More Fiber
Fiber is a critical component that drives good nutrients down into your lower colon, feeding your healthy bacteria. Fiber helps with elimination and therefore buildup of toxins and is also important for blood sugar regulation. Natural fiber, contained in vegetables and fruits, is loaded with Phyto (plant) -nutrients and antioxidants that help prevent disease due to their high nutrient content.
Tip #4: Get Up and Move
Moving your body helps you to digest better. While you don’t want to go for a run or hit the weights with a full stomach, waiting a good hour after a meal or enjoying a nice stroll after dinner are good ways to enhance nutrient absorption and keep your weight under control.
Tip #5: Chew Your Food
It is a fact that digestion begins in your mouth. The enzymes in your saliva begin the digestion process and chewing your food well facilitates your stomach’s digestive process. Try to avoid eating quickly and not chewing adequately to enhance your digestion, especially if you have sluggish digestion.
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