Trust your gut
It’s time to take the old adage seriously, and care for the organ that takes such care of our intuition. With all the noise in the gut wellness market lately, here’s five simple, natural at-home hacks to heal your gut and beat the bloat.
1. Eat more fibre
The easiest way to better gut health is by eating more fibre. Aim for 14 grams of fibre for every 1000 calories you consume, and don’t go overboard. High fibre foods that are easy to work into your everyday diet are chia seeds, oats, lentils, black beans, and broccoli. Work these into a goal diet of 30-plus plant foods per week.
2. Chew slower
Chewing physically breaks down the food we consume, and the slower you do it, the more digestive enzymes (from our saliva) can do their job. Aim to chew each mouthful 18 times or more for better digestion and nutrient absorption; this also leads to more mindful, intuitive consumption and less over-eating.
3. Walk after each meal
Wait 15 minutes after eating, and then head out on a brisk stroll – anything from 10 to 30 minutes will do. Beyond the benefits to heart health, blood sugar, and sleep, movement stimulates the stomach and aids in digestion, while helping to pass trapped gas.
4. Choose cooked over raw
Cooking your food breaks down tough cellulose walls, so nutrients like antioxidants are easier digested. Harmful bacteria that block mineral absorption and lead to a sore stomach are also eliminated.
5. Incorporate fermented foods
If you’re hearing about how important pre and probiotics are, it doesn’t mean you need to rush to the pharmacy to source them through supplements. Find the necessary probiotics (live cultures or bacteria) in fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso, while prebiotics (food/fuel for the good bacteria) can be found in plant foods including onions, garlic, oats and bananas.
