There is a reason why people often say: “listen to your gut,” as the gut is our second brain. The food we eat affects our guts and our gut has a major effect on our bodies and how we feel.
Without proper digestion, our guts are not happy or healthy, and therefore the rest of our body may suffer because of it.
If you’ve read my Instagram or blog posts, you’ve probably noticed a theme in the food recipes I post: dairy free and gluten free.
Now I’ve never been one to totally restrict myself from any foods, and I don’t have any real food allergies (none that I know of at least), but I’ve been leaning more and more towards a gluten free and dairy free diet.
Ever since I’ve cut down on gluten and dairy, I’ve noticed that I no longer get as bloated after I eat. I still love the occasional yogurt in the morning and some good cheese (continue reading on to learn why) but I now see food as nourishing instead of using it to comfort me.
With the right foods, my body feels energized and happy. I also have noticed a significant change in my digestion from the food choices I am making. But it all starts with my gut and listening to what it needs to feel it’s best.
Here are some other things I’ve been doing that have helped with my digestion in creating a healthier gut:
- Eating probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods
- Consuming medium-chain fatty acids such as coconut and omega-3’s
- Having Collagen daily
- Eliminating processed foods
Probiotics
One of the very first blog posts I wrote was about Probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that are known as good bacteria. Our bodies already have some good bacteria in them but a lot of today’s medicine such as antibiotics and processed foods that we are consuming, are killing many of the good bacteria in our stomachs, and therefor allowing bad bacteria to crowd in and make us sick. Healthy bacteria help to reduce or prevent the growth of harmful bacteria as well as aid in digestion.
There are two particular strains of bacteria that are great for digestion such as Lactobacillus (L.) bulgaricus and L. acidophilus. L. bulgaricus is a probiotic strain that has shown to fight harmful bacteria that invade the digestive system. It also helps with stomach acid and neutralizes toxins in the stomach, while naturally producing antibiotics. L. acidophilus helps relieve gas and bloating, improves lactose intolerance, and may even help to lower cholesterol levels.
So now that you know of a couple of good strains of bacteria, you can look for these live active cultured bacteria in foods such as yogurt, fermented drinks such as kefir and kombucha, and fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut.
Another great thing about fermented foods and beverages is that they contain natural enzymes. Drinks like Apple Cider Vinegar (mixed with water) and kombucha are great to drink as they are high in lactic acid as well as enzymes. All of which help aid in digestion. Digestive enzymes also help to break down proteins (including gluten), fatty acids, complex sugars, and starches, and even lactose.
Some people can’t stand the taste or thought of having kombucha or ACV, but there are enzyme supplements on the market which I have yet to try but may start bringing them with me when I travel or eat out a lot. As always, be sure to do your own research before deciding to take a supplement.
For more information on probiotics, check out this guide: www.draxe.com/probitioc-guide-bonus
Prebiotics
Consuming fiber-rich*, prebiotic foods can also help with digestion. Prebiotics feed good bacteria to enable them to thrive in the stomach. Foods such as bananas, strawberries, and honey are all great prebiotic food choices. So adding fresh cut up strawberries to yogurt is a great way to help keep your gut healthy and digestive system on track.
*When consuming a lot of fiber-rich foods, always make sure to drink enough water to ensure proper digestion (help move things along).
Coconut
Coconut products have been used for many years due to their array of nutrient dense foods and beverages like coconut oil, coconut flour, coconut milk, coconut butter, and coconut water, all of which are great for the gut. Coconut acts as a natural healer for the stomach, especially those who suffer from “leaky gut”. Coconuts are made up of medium-chain fatty acids which are easier to digest. They also contain lauric acid, known to fight off bad bacteria in the gut.
BONUS TIP: Coconut kefir is particularly high in probiotics and helps support a healthy digestive system.
Another great fatty food to eat which contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids is wild caught salmon. Omega 3’s may help the gut “cool down” any inflammation in the stomach. Wild caught salmon tends to be better than farm raised salmon as it has higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids given the natural diet it’s fed. The same goes for meat, grass-fed meat has higher omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed meat.
Collagen
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies. It makes up our conntective tissue, bone mass and skin. It also helps to improve hydrochloric acid production in the stomach, which makes it easier to digest foods. By attracting and absorbing water efficiently, collagen can help breakdown food in the stomach, allowing for better digestion. It also helps draw water into the intestinal tract, allowing food to move along more easily.
Since taking collagen peptides with meals may help aid in digestion, I’ve been adding it to my morning matcha or smoothie. The collagen I take is Further Food’s Grass Fed Bovine Collagen Peptides. Use code “FITGREENGAL10” to get 10% at furtherfood.com
Read more about why I choose to incorporate collagen in my diet on daily basis here: C O L L A G E N – Why you may want to consider including it in your diet
Foods I try and avoid:
Wheat, peanuts, and soy contain anti-nutrients like gluten, phytic acid, and lectins that may damage the intestinal lining. Anti-nutrients naturally exist in a plant (or seed) to help protect them and ward off pests and insects and may interfere with our ability to digest vitamins and minerals from those plants. Consuming foods with anti-nutrients may cause an allergic or inflammatory response, which in turn causes bloating. It’s no wonder so many people have allergies to these types of foods.
Dairy is another food that I tend to avoid. Most dairy products are pasteurized and therefore, they are stripped of their vital enzymes and nutrients, making lactose difficult to digest.
Processed Foods that contain hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and food colorings are among some of the most toxic to our bodies and can alter the microbial composition in the gut. Also, pesticides found on many fruits and vegetables such as berries, apples, potatoes, and leafy greens are dangerous to the intestinal walls, causing damage to the gut. Check out the “Dirty Dozen” list to see which foods are high in pesticides.
This all may seem overwhelming, but there are a lot of ways to still enjoy foods that I love such as bread and dairy. Bread that has sprouted grains (Ezekiel Sprouted Grains Bread is one of my favorites), is easier to digest as the sprouting process helps to decrease the anti-nutrients from the grains. Raw* cow’s milk or goat and sheep’s milk has tons of great enzymes and nutrients and may even be easier to digest for those who are lactose intolerant. Also, yogurt is a great way to have dairy as it’s fermented, also helping with easier digestion. But there are also many other great alternatives to yogurt such as coconut yogurt or almond and cashew milk yogurt. I always check to make sure they have live active cultures (bacteria) listed in the ingredients when buying.
*Consuming raw products may not be safe, especially when pregnant
There are other many great foods that can help in digestion and calm down inflammation such as flaxseeds, bone broth, turmeric (with black pepper), and incorporating more fiber can never hurt. Also, eliminating foods high in sugar is a good idea for many reasons aside from having a healthy gut. A good way to tell if your gut is healthy is mostly based on your bowel movements. If you are having daily, normal bowel movements then you most likely have a healthy gut and digestive system.
Most importantly, always listen to your body. If you find that any of the above mentioned foods don’t cause you issues, then you may be fine consuming them. Not all bodies are created equally and we all have different reactions to different things. I find the best way to know if my body is having an inflammatory response to something is to just avoid something altogether for a couple of weeks to see if I feel any different. That’s not to say that you should start to avoid all of the above mentioned foods immediately. Maybe limit one or two things at a time first and then introduce one of them back after having eliminated it for a while to see how your body responds.
As always, everything in moderation
Still having digestion issues…
If you are finding that you are doing all of the above mentioned things and still have digestion issues, you may have an allergy to a certain food you are having regularly and may need to see an allergists. Another thing that may trigger bloat and issues with digestion is from not chewing food properly, eating too much in one sitting, or taking too much air into the belly (inhaling your food, using a straw, and chewing gum). I have been making my smoothies extra thick lately so that I am forced to eat it with a spoon instead of a straw. By using a spoon, I am not swallowing air from the straw and also not drinking my smoothie too quickly, giving my body enough time to digest properly.
Here are some of my favorite digestion-friendly recipes:
Cherry Almond Smoothie
Overnight Chia Seed Pudding
