Frustrated with your gut’s performance?
Hippocrates was adamant in his belief 2,000 years ago when he said; “All dis-ease begins in the gut.”
Although experts have begged to differ with him…
the consensus still remains that… our health is influenced by the condition of our gut.
There is relief!
Yes! We can amp up our digestion without a doctor’s visit or prescription.
Today you will learn 4 simple tips you can implement ASAP to improve & ignite your digestion while amping up your overall health.
What is digestion?
Simply put “digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller components that can be absorbed
in the bloodstream.”
Absorption is HUGE!
Unless the food is broken down sufficiently it can cause havoc in our gut.
No matter its health perks, food not absorbed, can create a roadblock on your digestion highway.
No alarm though. There are simple remedies. Read on.
Choose to CHEW!!
Can you believe it? This simple action is a gut game changer!
How many times did your parents reprimand you for “wolfing down” your meal…bolting through your breakfast so you wouldn’t miss the school bus? “Don’t eat so fast! Slow down!” they would bark out.
“Let the mouth do the work,” was one of my dad’s favorite sayings. He knew the power of the chew.
All the rush of eating…in a hurry to shovel it down to proceed to the next event.
I always loathed our “30-minute” lunch times back in my classroom teaching days.
You had to devise a meal that could easily sit on your stomach…one you could “get down” without having gastric disturbances during silent reading time!! Teachers out there…can you relate?
Honor it!
Yes! I decree we look at the way we eat our food in a new light…slow the meal time down…
and honor the “miracle work” of digestion!
For it to work its magic, we must cooperate and put these tips into action:
Create a P.A.C.T.
Pact = an agreement, an arrangement between people.
Make a PACT with yourself to ignite your gut health & boost up your digestion:
P = Pace A = Ambiance C = Chew T = Take Enzymes
DO THIS:
1. Pace yourself:
Welcome to the “P” of your P.A.C.T. = Pace.
Set your phone timer or put your watch at the table with you.
Deliberately keep track of how long it takes you to eat a meal.
Ideally give yourself 30 minutes.
“People should take more than 20 minutes to eat a meal — ideally about 30 minutes — so that you can have an opportunity for your brain to catch up with your stomach,” Dr. Heinberg says. “It takes the brain about 20 minutes to shut off the eating urge.”
Fast Eating = Weight Gain!
Yes!! Eating quickly attributes to weight gain.
A faster you eat, the more you consume.
It just makes sense.
Take it from Dr. Duck!
Back in the day, my digestive health was running rampant.
I grabbed any remedy I could to get relief from gas and bloating.
You name it…all of the digestive ails.
Co-workers referred me to a Dr. Duck…No…he’s not a quack!
I went expecting profound miracles. He was an acupuncturist after all!
As I poured out my health woes to him…he thoughtfully responded…”Why don’t you just slow down when you eat? Enjoy your food!”
No needles of his were needed for that simple wisdom.
I pass it on to you.
Unhand your fork & spoon!
Deliberately put down your fork or spoon after each bite to slow your pace.
You will be surprised how doing that halts the eating rush. Try it!
2. Ambience…Create it:
Moving on with the “A” in our P.A.C.T. = Ambience.
“The atmosphere of an environment.”
What’s the ambience at your mealtimes?
Loud & noisy? Bright lights? TV blaring?
Fine tune your eating atmosphere:
Squelch TV watching at mealtime…your phone too.
Put all electronics away as you set the stage for enjoyable eating & healthy digestion.
Set the Stage:
If music is a “must” for you at mealtime, choose something soothing & relaxing…non-vocal even.
Let the music be an enhancement as you eat, not a disturbance.
Monitor the lighting. Keep it bright enough to see, but not overbearing.
You want to create an environment that diffuses peace…enjoyment…
Make your mealtime pleasurable. Your digestive system will thank you!
3. Chew thoroughly:
Here’s the “C” of our P.A.C.T. …a powerful one at that = Chew.
Grab hold of this one and your digestive system will be in hog heaven!
“Chew?” you ask. YES!
Your entire digestive system begins in …your MOUTH…with…CHEWING!
What happens when you chew thoroughly? Your food is crunched into smaller pieces which are easier to digest.
More nutrients with…
Saliva!!
Yes! Adding saliva to the mix, chewing allows your body to extract the greatest possible amount of nutrients from the food you eat.
To get the most nutrition from the food you eat, it is vital to chew well!
Do this:
A good rule of thumb to assure healthy digestion: Chew each bite until it’s like liquid.
You can be assured the saliva has done its job. Your digestion will be one of ease!
Follow the Old Folks!
My dad was notorious for his chewing prowess. “Let the mouth do the work,” was his motto.
Long after we all had left the table, Dad was still there “chumbling” his food…letting the mouth do its work!
Vern…”The Champ of the Chomp!”
My friend’s grandpa, Vern, was the master of the healthy chomp!
He chewed each bite 30 times before swallowing. Can you imagine?
His daughter laughingly recalls: “No wonder we never made it out of the restaurant!”
Both of these precious men adhered to this healthy strategy.
Beneficial to overall health…
The benefits of chewing stretch beyond digestion.
Not chewing your food well can lead to digestive ailments.
And other dilemmas: choking, aspiration, malnutrition, dehydration.
Value its importance.
Choose to chew!!
4. Take Digestive Enzymes!
And finally…the “T” of our P.A.C.T. = Take Digestive Enzymes.
Millions suffer from digestive issues…bloating, gas, nausea, acid reflux, heartburn…
Are you one of them?
Watch the Culprits…
Aging…stress…eating when angry or in a hurry…
These rascals knock on the door of our digestive abode… causing havoc and upset.
How often have you refrained from certain foods to avoid the discomfort?
Help is on the way…
Fighting with the gas and bloat after a meal? Even tolerating heartburn or upset stomach?
Consider supplementing with digestive enzymes!
Taking these before or after a meal (depending on the directions) can boost your digestion!
My favorite!
Over the years, I could write a book on the different digestive enzymes I have used.
Many expensive ones that didn’t do me a lick of good. They ended up in the trash.
Finally a winner!!
After MUCH search, I found one that is consistent and delivers what it says it will:
Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Enzymes…Organic Digest+
This gem is organic…chewable (easier to digest!)…
with a whopping +120,000 units of papain, an enzyme found in papaya!
Whole Food-based too!
Organic Digest+ contains 29 organic fruits & veggies…just what our bodies recognize & will assimilate.
In fact anything NON-food…the body doesn’t know what to do with it & cannot process it.
Avoid artificial, chemical ingredients in ANY supplement you take!
And choose capsule over tablet…better assimilation.
Your body will thank you!
Don’t forget the ACV!
Keep apple cider vinegar (with the mother) on hand too.
Wrap Up and Takeaway!
Wow to honoring our digestive system…
Make the P.A.C.T. with yourself:
P = Pace yourself while you eat. Carve out 30 minutes for your meal.
A = Ambience. Set the stage for your eating atmosphere. Make it enjoyable & peaceful.
C = Chew. Purpose to chew your food thoroughly to an almost liquid state.
T = Take Enzymes. Use enzymes after each meal to enhance your digestion:
Keeping this P.A.C.T. will ignite your digestion and boost your health!
Put it to work!
Mental Digestion
Watch what you digest in your mind. Keep a guard over your thoughts.
Hire a “bouncer” at the door of your thought house.
Don’t allow any unhealthy, negative thinking to enter.
Spiritual Digestion
The best food for your spirit is the Word of God. God’s Word is living!
“God’s Word is alive and powerful! It is sharper than any double-edged sword.
His Word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow,
until it discovers the desires & thoughts of our hearts.” Hebrews 4:12
Feed on His Word daily. It will digest into every fiber and cell of your being!
You will learn too of the extravagant love your Creator has for you!
Check out my newsletter “Balanced in the Journey” for more on our mental & spiritual “digestion.”
Stir up the JOY!
Keep your eyes lifted. Stay in an attitude of gratitude. Breathe deeply. Get outside. Sing! Have fun!
More than ever, we must purpose to stoke JOY!
Want more weekly inspiration? Sign up below for my newsletter on “Joy in the Journey.”
We are all in this life together…to help & support each other!
Until next week…Sunny Thoughts!!
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