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Eat your Fruits by themselves!
Eat a high fiber diet. Fiber helps prevent constipation, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive issues. It can help you achieve or maintain a healthy weight. Insoluble fiber, also known as roughage, is just as important. Good sources are: vegetables, oat bran, chia or flax seed, nuts and legumes.
- Limit foods high in fat. Eat the good fats. Pairing high fat foods with high-fiber foods helps with digestion. Make your fat count! Consume good quality oils such as olive, grapeseed cold pressed flax seed oil, or coconut oil in moderation.
- If you eat meat, make it lean, organic and infrequent. Think of consuming animal protein as a condiment…small amounts can go a long way.
- Eat or take probiotics and digestive enzymes. Eat these in “whole food” form when possible. Probiotics are found in cultured foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, or plain Greek style yogurt. Digestive enzymes are abundant in raw fruit and vegetables. When you eat cooked food, digestive enzymes supplements can and should be taken. Try to eat raw foods daily.
- Stay hydrated! Your body depends on it. If you are taking any medication it is even more important. As we age we become more dehydrated. Fatigue, confusion, constipation are just a few results of dehydration. Try to drink clean, filtered water, instead of bottled. Plastic contains estrogenic compounds that mimic estrogen (you don’t want this!).
- Exercise regularly. We have all heard this million time but our bodies were meant to move. Lack of movement contributes to aging and disease. Find something you enjoy…and do it!
- Eat on schedule. Many of us are hypoglycemic and eating small meals/snacks frequently, (every 2 to 3 hours), helps to maintain blood sugar levels. Eat until 80% full, leaving 20% for digestion. You will have more energy and metal clarity. Stay away from the sugar and caffeine!
- Eat real food, not too much, mostly plants. Avoid processed foods when possible. This includes of course hight gructose soda’s and “fitness.” Whole, organic, fresh food contains the nutrients your digestive system needs.
- Decrease or eliminate bad habits. Do your best to let go of bad habits such as smoking, excessive drinking or alcohol or caffeine. Clean house when it comes to your attitude and your thoughts. Gratitude and positivity can go a long way!
- Combine foods properly. ( this is a complex subject so I have listed just a few tips) Try to drink your liquid before you eat. The digestive enzymes in your mouth, stomach and intestines will work better. The typical American meal wreaks havoc on our digestive system.
- Eat protein and not starchy vegies at same meal (no starch with protein)
- Eat melons alone. All fruit should be eaten alone, unless combined with probiotic plain yogurt.
- Eat starchy foods and sugars separately.
- Forget the desserts. Eaten on top of a meal they require no digestion and ferment. Bacteria turn the into alcohols, acetic acid and viniger.
