Our gut is the epicentre that supports our overall health and well-being, so it is essential to nourish our digestive system holistically. The microbiome, the thriving ecosystem of 38 trillion microorganisms in and on our bodies, dictates our libido, sleep quality, nervous system health, how calories are absorbed, immune response, and more. When our gut is thrown off balance, it sends stress signals to all body parts, contributing to bloating, flatulence/gas, low energy, and brain fog. Good gut health depends on many variables and extends far beyond making healthy food choices.
Here is a list of daily rituals I live by to optimize digestion and improve metabolism, energy, mood, immunity, cognitive function, motivation and skin.
- Morning Elixir: I begin my morning with warm water, a squeeze of ½ fresh lemon, and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. This helps to alkalize the body and stimulate digestive secretions. This will also improve the absorption of nutrients, so if you suffer from bloating or feel you aren't digesting your food correctly, this will help.
- Focus on Whole foods: Nothing supports a healthy gut microbiome more than consuming a wide variety of whole foods, predominantly consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables, good quality protein sources, and healthy fats. Adding in prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods will help to maintain beneficial bacteria within the gut microbiome, such as kefir, sauerkraut, yogurt, onions, garlic, and onion.
- Plant Diversity: The microbes in our digestive system thrive on plant fibre. The best way to up your plant intake is to incorporate them into every meal. I include spinach, cauliflower and zucchini into my morning smoothie. Lunch usually looks like a salad, soup or open-faced sandwich with spinach and sprouts with some veg on the side. While cooking dinner, I will snack on raw veggies as a starter and always include a variety of veg in our dinner time meals. Each plant contains powerful nutrients to support your body, so by getting a variety of plants into your diet, you also get an array of nutrients. Shooting for at least three-five different plants in each meal is an excellent place to start. Now, I challenge you to make each one a different colour (green spinach, orange sweet potato, red tomato, purple cabbage, yellow peppers). Make a conscious effort to add one new vegetable to your food shop every week. Beauty Tip: Crucifers (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and bok choy have incredible detoxifying benefits, so make sure to include at least one of them!
- High-Quality Probiotic: Probiotics are beneficial, living bacteria that maintain body balance and are responsible for helping you digest your food. By taking a probiotic, you're ensuring more "good" bacteria than "bad" by creating a ratio your body loves. When this happens, you can expect some pretty terrific results: improved digestion, reduced bloating, increased immunity, weight management, clearer skin, enhanced energy, hormonal balance, and regulate inflammatory response. Meanwhile, prebiotic fibre (found in organic fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds) feeds these strains to keep them thriving.
- Eating Mindfully: Before you eat each meal, begin by sitting down without any distractions (no phones, screens, or TV). Take 3 to 10 deep belly breaths to activate your parasympathetic nervous system. Chew your food at least 20 to 30 times before swallowing. This stimulates the chemical breakdown of carbohydrates and fats while also signalling to your digestive system that food is about to enter the stomach. Ensure you pause after each mouthful to allow the food to reach your stomach before you take another bite. Eating slower and more mindfully has been shown to make you feel satiated sooner and helps you to avoid overeating.
- Drink and EAT your Water: Drink at least 2 to 3L of filtered water and fill up on foods with high water content, such as cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon, apples, celery, and lettuce.