Good digestion might be summarized as the smooth and efficient movement of healthful foods and beverages through your gastrointestinal tract, the successful extraction and assimilation of the nutrients from the substances you ingest, and the regular elimination of waste products from these and other interrelated bodily processes. Many of the chronic diseases and discomforts that plague us (crazy, constantly moving, contemporary human beings) are attributable directly to hasty habits of eating and drinking that impede good digestion. However, by implementing the six strategies enumerated and described below, you can improve your digestion, facilitate the elimination of toxins from your body, decrease excess stored body fat, and improve your overall health significantly.
1. Water, Water Everywhere! Lots of Drops to Drink! Sip a pint of pure water upon first arising in the morning and between every meal. As we sleep, we lose water with each expiration. In addition, as we age, the acuity of our sense of thirst declines. By the time we are thirsty, we may be somewhat dehydrated. Caffeinated beverages accelerate water loss through urination. However, imbibing small amounts of water throughout the day facilitates smooth fecal elimination and other essential bodily functions. Therefore, keep a pint with you everywhere you go: in your car, in your gym bag, during your workout, at your desk. Sipping plain pure water not only keeps you hydrated, it also suppresses the urge to eat between meals.
2. Lube the Tube! In addition to what you add to your salads, drink a dedicated tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil once or twice daily. When consumed separately, these two healthful fats grease the skids, facilitating smoother moves at the finale of your digestive tract.
3. Crunch Some Kraut! Eat two tablespoons of raw, organic sauerkraut or another fermented vegetable every day. Fermented foods are rich in probiotics that are not only essential for excellent digestion but, just as importantly, for optimal function of the human immune system.
4. Have a Salad at High Noon! Eating a large, organic, leafy-green, and brightly colored, vegetable salad for lunch is a timely strategy to stimulate your GI tract and fuel your body with the nutrients and energy you need to excel for the rest of your day. Let’s face it; eating a big salad in the morning is a bit of a stretch for most of us. And eating a big salad in the evening is too much food to digest completely before bedtime. But for lunch, at the summit of your day, the fabulous fiber from vast amounts of voluptuous vegetables has the time to work magic in your digestive system. If, instead, you wolf down calorically dense, nutrient-sparse, grain-based foodstuffs at lunchtime, you will be drowsy and foggy all afternoon. By contrast, vegetables are nutrient-dense and calorically sparse; they will not raise your blood sugar levels, cause you to accumulate body fat, or make you sleepy for the rest of the day. Eat a vegetable salad at noon and you will have rocket fuel for your entire body until it is time to sleep.
5. Enjoy a Teetotaler’s Evening Glass of Wine! Into a large glass of warm water, pour and then stir one to two tablespoons of unfiltered, organic, raw, apple cider vinegar. The active ingredient in raw vinegar is acetic acid which can kill some pathogens in your GI tract. Drinking one tablespoon of vinegar in the evening can lower your fasting blood sugar level 4% by morning. Studies show also that consuming just one tablespoon each day can increase the feeling of satiety, causing you to reduce your intake of food by 200 to 275 calories. In one study over a three-month period, subjects who consumed a tablespoon of vinegar per day lost 2.6 pounds, compared to a control group who did not drink vinegar and did not lose weight. Drinking such a small amount of vinegar can also lower your levels of blood triglycerides. Sip this beverage slowly, as you would a glass of wine.
6. Take a 20-minute Stroll after Dinner! Just a brief walk at a leisurely pace after your evening meal will prevent your blood sugar from rising to the higher level it would reach if you were to plop down in front of a TV or computer. In addition, the rhythmic swinging of your arms and legs as you amble stimulates haustrations, wavelike muscular contractions in your bowel that keep the trains running on schedule throughout your GI tract. Okay, you have me; in a 20-minute stroll you will take many more than six simple steps. But, think of it this way: with every stride, you are moving toward better digestion, improved regularity, atrophy of unnecessary body fat, and greater health and fitness.
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