While many people know how they live their life can affect their health, there are still a good number of people on the planet that are somewhat unconcerned with or unaware of the consequences to their daily habits. People who are around those with these types of attitudes are likely to adopt similar beliefs about health, and while it’s everyone’s right to free will, the reality would probably leave them speechless. The following will be a quick exploration of how you can make lifestyle changes to improve your digestive system.
Don’t Eat Too Late
Many people are guilty of this habit, but it’s an important habit to evaluate. Eating late can be very bad for your digestive tract because if you eat late, your body will think that it’s time to be awake for longer. Your body begins to get ready for rest when you don’t eat because rest periods should only really be for rest and healing of the body. If you also have to digest food, it would put undue stress on the body to be performing extra tasks that it’s not designed to perform simultaneously. Every once in awhile is not a big deal, just avoid making this a habit.
Stick to A Meal Schedule
Now that you know how important it is to avoid eating late, it would be a good idea to get on a solid schedule that works for your body. Most people should avoid eating at least 3-4 hours before bed, so you want to eat and space out breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the appropriate amount of time to be settled. Once you have a routine, your body will begin to expect certain events to take place at similar times each day, making your metabolism run more smoothly.
Eat More Probiotics
Probiotics like yogurt and sauerkraut promote healthy colonies of good bacteria that help to digest foods, and send signals to the body and make sure that everything is working correctly. If colonies of harmful bacteria become too numerous, they can take over part of your body resulting in a myriad of symptoms that can be harmful. Plus, those colonies can be quite a challenge to diminish.
Probiotic supplements contain live bacteria that also counteract the growth of harmful bacteria, and they contain quite a lot more bacteria than probiotic foods. It would probably take 20 cups of yogurt to get the same amount of bacteria as what is in a single probiotic capsule. If you want to improve your gut health or take it to a new level (like myself), by taking the high-quality gut-brain optimizing supplements I take every single day (free coaching included with this), click here.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
One of the most important parts of digestion is hydration. In fact, without hydration, many systems in the body would cease to function entirely. Keeping hydrated helps keep your heart pumping, your stomach working, and your brain operational. Too many of us are going through life in a more dehydrated stage, and it can be quite uncomfortable as well as harmful.
RECIPE
EASY SPICY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER
This is a perfect side dish for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Just toss it all together and pop it in the oven for a flavorful, low carb side that pairs well with everything from poultry to beef and pork roasts.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25-27 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 large head organic cauliflower, rinsed, dried, and separated into florets
- 3 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ c. Parmesan cheese, organic or vegan, freshly grated, divided
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450˚F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add cauliflower florets, olive oil, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes to a large bowl and toss to coat—season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Spread seasoned cauliflower on a prepared baking sheet in a single layer—roast for 20-25 minutes at 450˚F, stirring once to ensure cauliflower cooks evenly.
- Remove from oven and set the broiler to high. Evenly sprinkle cauliflower with ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and place under the broiler until golden brown (approximately 2 minutes).
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Enjoy!
To Your Health,
Patti
