Relief For Digestive Disasters
Words by Katherine Castillo Eustaquio
Published in Total Fitness Magazine September 2011 Issue
Tummy troubles are often self-induced. Poor eating habits, lack of fluids, not enough fiber, sleep deprivation, over eating, and stress are the main culprits in your frequent bathroom battles. Here are a few suggestions for all-natural and effective relief from digestive disasters.
Chew properly. Chewing your food kickstarts the whole digestive processes so what better way to help your tummy digest food faster than chewing your food to smithereens? Here’s the rule of thumb: for each mouthful, chew 25-50 times until your tongue can’t recognize the food’s texture any more.
Focus on eating to avoid excess gas. If you can wolf down a burger meal (with side fries and a large drink) in less than 10 minutes, slow down. According to the book 101 Optimal Life Foods by dietitian David Grotto, if you focus on chewing you food, the lesser the chance you’ll swallow air. And the less air you have in your tummy, the lesser the resulting gas.
Train your tummy. You are most likely to overeat if you’re trying to go through the day in three big meals alone and an overloaded digestive tract can be such a pain in the ass, literally. Train your tummy to process small but frequent batches of food on a regular basis. Settle for 5-6 healthy meal options every 2-3 hours to keep you feeling satisfied.
Eat fresh fruits 30 minutes before meals. Most people associate fruits with desserts and desserts come after each meal. However, simple science tells us that when you eat raw fruits with a full stomach, the fruits’ juices with turn the food into acid that can lead to digestive disasters like constipation. On the other hand, raw fruits in an empty stomach break down easily in 30 minutes, cleaning the digestive tract as well as distributing the nutrients faster.
Call in reinforcements. We all know that good bacteria is good for the digestive challenge. Check the labels in your yogurt and other probiotic products to see if they contain “live and active cultures.” Today, Kefir grains are considered the healthiest probiotic option that can be made into yogurt-like beverages, soups and even cheese. Kefir grains look like small cauliflowers wherein a good bacteria and yeast symbiotically combine to provide great health benefits.
Love prunes. I remember eating prunes when I was a kid. Whenever I open our fridge, I’d always find an open box with these sticky, tasty, “giant raisins” inside. I can finish an entire box in two days and my mother would go ballistic because those prunes were for my grandfather who was always suffering from constipation. Needless to say, I never had tummy problems when I was kid. Ironically, as an adult, a huge, ripe papaya is my cheap but really effective remedy for tummy troubles.
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Published in Total Fitness Magazine September 2011 Issue
Tummy troubles are often self-induced. Poor eating habits, lack of fluids, not enough fiber, sleep deprivation, over eating, and stress are the main culprits in your frequent bathroom battles. Here are a few suggestions for all-natural and effective relief from digestive disasters.
Chew properly. Chewing your food kickstarts the whole digestive processes so what better way to help your tummy digest food faster than chewing your food to smithereens? Here’s the rule of thumb: for each mouthful, chew 25-50 times until your tongue can’t recognize the food’s texture any more.
Focus on eating to avoid excess gas. If you can wolf down a burger meal (with side fries and a large drink) in less than 10 minutes, slow down. According to the book 101 Optimal Life Foods by dietitian David Grotto, if you focus on chewing you food, the lesser the chance you’ll swallow air. And the less air you have in your tummy, the lesser the resulting gas.
Train your tummy. You are most likely to overeat if you’re trying to go through the day in three big meals alone and an overloaded digestive tract can be such a pain in the ass, literally. Train your tummy to process small but frequent batches of food on a regular basis. Settle for 5-6 healthy meal options every 2-3 hours to keep you feeling satisfied.
Eat fresh fruits 30 minutes before meals. Most people associate fruits with desserts and desserts come after each meal. However, simple science tells us that when you eat raw fruits with a full stomach, the fruits’ juices with turn the food into acid that can lead to digestive disasters like constipation. On the other hand, raw fruits in an empty stomach break down easily in 30 minutes, cleaning the digestive tract as well as distributing the nutrients faster.
Call in reinforcements. We all know that good bacteria is good for the digestive challenge. Check the labels in your yogurt and other probiotic products to see if they contain “live and active cultures.” Today, Kefir grains are considered the healthiest probiotic option that can be made into yogurt-like beverages, soups and even cheese. Kefir grains look like small cauliflowers wherein a good bacteria and yeast symbiotically combine to provide great health benefits.
Love prunes. I remember eating prunes when I was a kid. Whenever I open our fridge, I’d always find an open box with these sticky, tasty, “giant raisins” inside. I can finish an entire box in two days and my mother would go ballistic because those prunes were for my grandfather who was always suffering from constipation. Needless to say, I never had tummy problems when I was kid. Ironically, as an adult, a huge, ripe papaya is my cheap but really effective remedy for tummy troubles.
