- Domenic Pisanelli
- August 19, 2020
- 11:25 am
A healthy digestive system is essential as it affects every single cell in our bodies. Think of it as the hub where important nutrients are absorbed, transferring waste from the blood stream into the bowels, ridding the body of toxins. Improving or jump starting our digestion will help boost energy levels, improve quality of sleep and increase overall happiness as a result!
Through the winter months a lot of us tend to indulge in some comfort eating, while exercising less regularly or for shorter periods of time. The effect of this on our digestive system can be detrimental if continued over a long period. Spring is the perfect time to jump start your digestion and revitalise your body with fresh produce and some exercise outdoors while enjoying the warmer weather.
There are many ways to help you get your digestive system back on track, we call them digestive jump starters – here’s a few to get you started!
1. Drink Warm Lemon Water
Start your morning with a glass of warm lemon water. The lemon juice flushes out toxins and gives your liver a gentle kick start, stimulating digestion and hydrating you after sleep. All you need to do is squeeze 1/4 -1/2 a lemon into a glass and fill it with boiled water (which has been cooled but still warm).
2. Don’t Forget To Chew Your Food
Chewing is the first and one of the most important mechanisms of digestion that is often forgotten. By multiplying the surface area of food particles, chewing exposes huge surface areas of food to your saliva which is the first step in achieving smooth, efficient digestion. So eat slowly and chew thoroughly (at least 20 chews per bite). This will not only aid in digestion but will also help to naturally decrease calorie consumption.
3. Get Regular Exercise
Regular exercise is another important ingredient that helps to keep food moving through the digestive system. Taking a brisk walk after a meal is not only enjoyable, especially now that the weather is getting warmer and daylight savings is here, but also helps food move through your system quicker. Yoga is another great form of exercise to aid in proper digestion with its low impact exercises. The key really is to just move!
4. Eat Real Foods
From the moment you take a bite of your food your body begins the process of digestion. This process is made a lot easier if you feed your body food in its natural state rather than the processed variety. It’s typical for processed foods to be high in refined salt, sugar and processed oils, which are difficult for your body to break down and digest. Ensure you are getting enough fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, proteins and grains to keep your digestion moving along optimally.
5. Drink Healthy Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to consume more fruits and vegetables and simultaneously consume plenty of dietary fibre to ensure excellent digestion.
Here’s a recipe for a Vanilla Mint Smoothie to help boost your digestion and energy:
Ingredients: Vanilla Layer
Frozen banana
½ cup coconut milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Ingredients: Mint Layer
½ frozen banana
1 ½ cups fresh spinach
15 fresh mint leaves
½ cup coconut milk
Method:
- Add the vanilla layer ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.
- Pour into a glass.
- Wash the blender, add the mint layer ingredients and process until well mixed.
- Pour into glass.
- Garnish with fresh mint leaves and enjoy
Domenic Pisanelli
Domenic Pisanelli is a qualified Naturopath and has helped hundreds of people regain their health back as an experienced naturopath with over 18 years of clinical experience.