Boosting Your Body’s Gut Health

Holiday happenings are back in action in most places and while I’m all for ALL the cookies, my gut health, not so much. By the end of the month I end up feeling kind of poopy and need all my tried and true digestive support friends. 

Here are a few fun foods and tips for boosting your body’s gut health this holiday season:

1. Eat fermented foods. Why fermented foods? They help you digest your food better, extract more nutrients from what you’re eating, help with bloating, plus they’re delicious! Check out this blog post for more on WHY fermented foods are so important, plus some ideas for how to incorporate them into your diet: Why eat fermented foods?
   
2. Build your plate according to my Good Gut Rule of Five. The purpose of this formula is to get you eating those good for your gut ferments, but also to eat more during actual meal times. Most of us diet through our meals and eat through our days. When instead you focus on eating plenty of gut friendly, nourishing foods, you’re not reaching for as many snacks or quick sugar hits because your body is satisfied. This allows you to understand your body better, when you’ve had enough food and when you’re actually hungry versus tired, bored or stressed. Plus, giving your body a real break between meals allows your body to better digest the food you are eating. What’s the Good Gut Rule of Five? Check out this blog post for the formula: The Good Gut Rule of Five
   
3. Hydrate, but not during your meals. You should not be drinking water with meals, as it dilutes your gastric juices and messes with your digestion of food. When you can, stick to water before and after meals — I try to give myself a 30-minute buffer on either side. If you must have something with the meal itself, try hot water with lemon, hot tea, or room temperature water.
   
4. Bonus: Soothe your gut with aloe. Aloe vera is soothing, calming and cooling – there is a reason they call it “The Plant of Immortality,” it is a master healer. In traditional Chinese herbal medicine aloe vera is used to promote a healthy stomach, help heal ulcers, and treat constipation. Read more about aloe + a few different ways you can incorporate it into your diet here: Aloe for Gut Health

What’s your favorite way to boost your gut health? Have you tried any of these? Let me know over on Instagram! 

P.S. Have you signed up for the Guided Grounding Virtual Retreat on Wednesday, December 15? REGISTER HERE! We have just 4 spots left!