I'm going to write a series.
Not a telenovela kinda thing. Not anything as remotely violent as Eastenders, or as glamorous as the Good Wife. Just a series of ideas. A collection of episodes that when taken together might form a picture of simple ways to feel better by making, maybe only a few, changes to the way you eat.
So here it is. The start of my series.
#1: Improving your Digestion
It's amazing to think that our digestive system is solely responsible for extracting all the glucose, amino acids, fats, vitamins and minerals we need from the food that we eat. Without it, we just couldn't function. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it!
To release any degree of 'goodness', your body needs to turn that hunk of meat, or bread, or vegetable, on the plate into the mushiest mush possible. Into a liquidy slime, that's been battered and churned, broken down by acid and enzymes into a form that can release all the trapped nutrients, setting them free to where-ever they're needed the most in your body. If they remain schackled, they can't do their job.
You can help this process along by following a few simple steps:
Kick Start: By starting your day with a tablespoon of lemon juice in some warm water, you can get your metabolism going and your digestive enzymes flowing. Even better, swop the lemon juice for a nice cloudy apple cider vinegar.
Chew, Chew, Chew: You will make a massive difference to your digestion by simply chewing until your food is as mushy as possible by the time it leaves your mouth. Especially meat.
20 Minute Rule: Try not drink too much water during the meal, just to allow your digestive enzymes do their work. While it's recommended to drink 8 glasses of water per day, try to do it at least 20 minutes before or after meals.
Probiotics: Your gut is a veritable Western, with the 'good' guys required to keep the 'bad' guys away. Bloating, excessive wind, fatigue and constipation/diarrhoea can be signs of an imbalance towards the baddies. Consider a probiotic supplement (I like Udos) or fermented foods, which are a source of probiotics in themselves: such as live culture natural yoghurt (Glenisk), sauerkraut and miso.
Eat Bitter Leaves: Bitter leaves are super for your digestion - including spinach, rocket, cress, chicory, dandelion, etc. Here's a lovely green salad dressing recipe that uses all of these leaves, and more.
Symptoms of 'Digestion Gone Bad' can include constipation, diarrhoea, excess wind, bloating, cramps, fatigue, amongst others. While they might not solve all of these, starting off with the tips above can really help out. If you've any comments, do visit me on my Facebook page, or Twitter.
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