It can feel, at times, like there is nothing quite as sensitive as your gut. The smallest imbalance can result in problems with your digestion and affect your body as a whole. If you’re looking to take care of your tummy a little bit more, there are some things you can ingest to help you digest!
An excellent way to kick start your day in the best way is with a glass of water and lemon. Just squeeze some fresh lemon into warm water and drink it first thing, instead of your usual cup of caffeine. This will also give your metabolism a boost in the morning and people report this helping reduce bloating and even making skin clearer and more radiant. Lemon and limes are great for alkalizing your body and keeping your PH levels balanced, which will help maintain a healthy gut in the most delicious way.
Another stomach friendly fruit are bananas. Notoriously high in fiber which contributes to regulate your bowel movement and ease food down your digestive tract, they are also great for controlling your blood sugar and slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates and fats. The best time to chow down on a banana is before or after a workout, to replenish everything you’ve lost and by eating them regularly, you will really help you see a difference in your health.
Everyone knows that coconut oil is a miracle worker in every aspect of your life (makeup remover, teeth whitener, moisturizer, etc.), but did you know that it is easily digestible, gentle on your gut, antibacterial and proven to help with yeast infections in the stomach? Start using a spoonful of coconut oil instead of your usual cooking oil and you will begin to see the difference. Some people even use it as a spread alternative on bread or toast to ensure they are getting enough.
One option that is not quite so easy to incorporate into your daily routine, but is certainly good for you, is bone broth. It might not sound all that delicious, but the gelatinous bone broth is apparently pretty tasty when heated and is great for your digestive tract. When you next cook a roast on the bone, slow cook it in water for several hours and leave to cool until it becomes gelatinous. When it is reheated, it turns into a liquid broth. Full of gelatin, collagen, and protein, it takes a few hours to prepare but will warm you up in the cold winter months too!
Speaking of warming, ginger is one of the most commonly known super foods to aid with digestion! Perfect for helping clean our your system, you can brew your own ginger tea using grated fresh ginger and hot water, or if you’re feeling a bit lazy, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a ginger herbal tea and enjoying that daily. You can get some delicious mixed flavors, including lemon and ginger – two birds with one stone!
If you do enjoy herbal teas, mint is another great option, whether you make it fresh with mint leaves or pick up some mint tea bags for easy consumption. Mint is great tasting and known for soothing a queasy stomach, so it is certainly worth keeping around at all times. Not to mention it freshening your breath, which might be useful if you up your intake of Omega 3s!
Omega 3s can mainly be found in fish and among their long list of benefits, are effective in healing digestive disorders and reducing inflammation. Fish is also great brain food, so it will serve multiple purposes. The oilier the fish, the better it is for you! Your breath might be a bit whiffy, but your gut will thank you!
If you’re looking for something that is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, cinnamon is an excellent all-rounder – not to mention the fact that it is a tasty spice to add to food. You can add it to desserts or hot drinks to give the taste a kick, as well as rack up those great health benefits. Good gut health doesn’t have to be a chore!
One thing that’s great to add cinnamon to is natural yogurt. Fermented foods, such as natural yogurts help with the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut. A lack of this healthy bacteria can cause bloating, diarrhea and excessive gas, so it’s certainly something you want to keep on top of. Adding something like cinnamon will give the yogurt some extra flavor, as well as doubling up on the health benefits. It serves as a great breakfast or dessert, or why not take a portion to work with you as a mid-afternoon snack?
If you suffer from issues such as stomach ulcers, turmeric is an excellent way to help. It is packed full of curcumin which is an amazing anti-inflammatory, so it’s certainly worth making it a regular part of your life. There are lots of ways in which you can add more turmeric into your diet, from adding it to omelets and mixing it into soups, to popping it into smoothies and putting it in rice dishes. You can even use it to make tea!
As you can see, none of these items are difficult to get into your diet and aren’t likely to break the bank. If you suffer from poor digestion, or you just want to treat your body better, try and put some of these into practice, today!
