Love Your Gut… Every Day Be kind to your tummy
Poor gut health affects our weight and mood so here’s how to look after yours…
Put P The Kettle On
But B don’t add a tea-bag or coffee to your mug m just yet. “Make your first drink of the day d a big mug of boiling water to hydrate and a energise you,” advises Alison Cullen, nutritional n therapist at A.Vogel ( WWW. AVOGEL.CO.UK). A It aids digestion and prevents constipation. c “Add a slice of lemon or lime if f you prefer, as this stimulates the liver.”
Keep Moving
Activity is vital for good digestive health because it encourages peristalsis – the movement of food and waste through the bowel – and helps gut bacteria to thrive as well as keeping the gut lining healthy. Set an alarm so you get up, and move around ever y hour during the day. And, if you struggle with IBS, yoga has been found to be as effective as diet changesg for reducingg symptoms.yp
Drink After Eating
“Wait at least 45 minutes after eating before you drink,” advises
Alison. “Liquids dilute digestive juices so food is harder to process.” And choose water over diet drinks. Artificial sweeteners disrupt good gut bacteria, which can lead to an imbalance known as dysbiosis. Water lubricates your gut to keep it all moving.
Eat The Whole Fruit
Peel an orange instead of drinking juice, suggests Alison. “Fibre from fruit and veg is extremely good for bowel function, slowing the digestive process down and reducing the likelihood of constipation and bloating.” Fruit juices slip down easily but the beneficial fibre and pith are lost and they’re packed with natural sugar, which bad gut bacteria feed on.
Linger Over Lunc h
Scoffing a sandwich while working g or shopping means you’re far more e likely to suffer indigestion and/or bloating later on, warns Alison.
“If you eat slowly and chew your food properly you break down the food in the initial stages of digestion more effectively, which supports the actions of your stomach acid, digestive enzymes and friendly bacteria further on.”
Be Adventurous At Supper
More than half of us eat the same foods every day yet the digestive system needs a wide variety in order to absorb all the nutrients and minerals we need. “The easiest way to accomplish this is to eat the rainbow,” says Alison. When grocery shopping, ensure your trolley is bursting with colourful fruit and veg, and try different foods every week.