09 Apr 12 Tips To Optimize Digestion
We’ll never be able to escape toxins completely, but we can take steps to minimize our exposure and the effects they have on our bodies. If you experience bloating during the seasons or suffer from digestion issues, check out these signature tips by for building a healthier you. * Remember, the majority of your serotonin (the happy hormone) is manufactured in your digestive system, and most of your immune system resides in or is related to the gut.
1. Slow down. We are all rushing — to eat, to squeeze in an errand, meet a deadline, get to an appointment. So, let us slow down. Start the process with your eating. Stop and actually sit down when you eat. Your body needs you to be calm to actually digest, and digestion is about transforming your food into fuel. When we get stressed, tired or even nervous, our digestion doesn’t function properly, and certainly not optimally. Try and focus on being present in the moment.
2. Chew your food well. Digestion begins in your mouth. When you do not chew your food, it sets the stage for poor digestion. When you don’t digest properly, your body can’t transform your food into energy. Aim for 30 chews per bite.
3. De-stress and digest. Put down the phone, BlackBerry, and iPad. Turn off the TV, sit down and just enjoy the activity of eating. Give yourself some quiet time so you can de-stress and digest! I know life gets busy. But living and eating this way is causing you to be missing the moment that you’re in.
4. Consume cultured foods. Start adding a good, quality probiotic to your daily routine. Incorporating cultured foods and drinks to your life, such as yogurt, miso, dairy or nondairy kefir, kefir water, kombucha, cultured vegetables, and other cultured foods is a great way to improve digestion and overall health. These foods have been around for centuries. By adding these foods or another high-quality probiotic to your lifestyle, you’ll lose weight, assimilate your nutrients better, have clearer skin, better sleep, and decrease your body’s inflammation.
5. Clear out the junk. Eat simple and eat clean. When we eat junk, we end up feeling like junk. I find that people often think they’re eating clean, but actually they’re eating foods that are wreaking havoc on their body and causing inflammation. Food either gives us inflammation or fuel. I always vote for the fuel!
6. Eat organic whenever you can. When you can, avoid the Dirty Dozen or the most contaminated fruits and vegetables: apples, strawberries, grapes, celery, peaches, sweet bell peppers, imported nectarines, cucumbers, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, hot peppers, summer squash and leafy greens, including spinach, kale and collard greens.
7. Avoid toxic fish and seafood like tuna, swordfish, sea bass and farm-raised salmon. Find healthy alternatives and the most up-to-date information using the free online Seafood Selector from the Environmental Defense Fund.
8. Stay hydrated with filtered water. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and consider filtering your water. If you don’t have one already, check out the Water Filter Buying Guide from the Environmental Working Group before you buy.
If drinking unadultered water sounds boring to you, try adding flavors that enhance digestion. My favorites are fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, ginger slices, grapefruit, and fresh mint leaves.
9. Avoid foods or drinks that have been in contact with plastic, styrofoam or nonstick surfaces. Replace plastic food and beverage containers with glass or stainless steel versions. Replace nonstick cookware with cast iron or stainless steel pots and pans.
10. Exercise. Put on your sneakers (or yoga clothes), because exercise is vital for good health. Get moving! When you move your body, you move the vital energy in your body, and this is key for your well-being. Even if you can only manage 12-15 minutes per day, get your heart pumping and your health will improve. Plus, you will release key endorphins that will make you feel happy and less hungry.
11. Open the windows. According to the EPA, indoor air is “more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.” To help exchange and circulate air inside your home, open your windows as often as you can and if you have a mechanical ventilation system, use it regularly and keep it in good working order.
12. Learn what you’re putting on your skin. Find alternatives if necessary with the Skin Deep cosmetics safety database from the Environmental Working Group.