Digestion is an important process and key to excellent health. Good digestion can help speed metabolism while poor digestion causes a sluggish metabolism and weight gain. You can help your body to strengthen this process with a little effort. digestive health

The digestive system’s job is to extract water and nutrients from solid foods and liquids. It is also appointed to fend off microbes and process waste. What you put into your stomach affects whether you feel well, how you avoid certain types of cancers, and how active you are.

If You Consider,

that evolution was so sophisticated and thoughtful in the creation of our bodies, and that food of the earth is what was naturally available to early man, then it makes sense that our systems were created and evolved to digest foods of the earth and would, therefore, have a difficult time with fake processed foods and artificial ingredients.

Keep your digestive system healthy and your stomach happy by eating whole foods on a daily basis.

 How Can Whole Foods Improve Your Health?

1. Whole Foods Contain Enzymes:

Enzymes are required to digest all of the food that you intake, but your body is only able to create so many enzymes itself. The rest of the enzymes that are needed can be obtained through what we eat.

Whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, sprouted grains, and raw & sprouted nuts all contain enzymes to help your digestion. These enzymes will improve your health because a healthy digestive system often means overall health because the body depends on the digestive system to get the nutrition that it needs.

2. It Contains Higher Amounts of Nutrition:

When you are eating foods in their natural, unprocessed form they often contain high amounts of nutrients. These “calorie-dense” foods have vitamins and minerals that are necessary for overall health. They help to strengthen your immune system, promote growth and repair, and provide energy for your body.

3. Living Whole Foods = Less Unhealthy Foods:

When you are filling your stomach with healthy foods, you will be less likely to eat items that are detrimental to your health. As you cut out the fast, processed, and other junk food you will be decreasing your intake of chemicals, preservatives, sodium, sugars, and other artificial ingredients that are added to make the foods taste good. Living Whole foods are naturally flavored and it is not necessary to add the garbage ingredients before you eat them. digestive health

4. Living Whole Foods Prevents Disease:

Numerous studies have shown that a diet high in whole foods, and especially raw foods such as fruits and vegetables, is a great way to prevent disease. Researchers have linked numerous diseases such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, etc. with eating habits. Eating diets full of unhealthy foods will increase your disease risk, and eating foods full of nutrition will reduce your risk of disease.

Natural Whole Foods For Better Digestive System and Health:

1. Fiber:

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that’s naturally a part of plants and helps us to feel full, keeps our bowels working properly and might even bring down the chance of developing of heart disease or diabetes. Most people don’t get enough according to the USDA guidelines. Women should be aiming for 25 grams a day; men 38 grams of fiber a day. digestive health

While most of our fiber should be supplied from whole foods like beans, veggies and whole grains, added fiber found in bread or cereal is a reasonable option, though it’s not clear if this has the same benefits as if it came from the natural sources.

There are two types of fiber, soluble (beans and nuts) which slows digestion and insoluble (veggies and whole grains) that aids food in passing through your body. For overall digestive health, eat fiber. It prevents constipation, certain types of cancers, and keeps you energetic.

Foods like:

• Whole natural grains.
• Spinach.
• Cauliflower.
• Wheat Bran.
• Apples.
• Carrots plus beans.
• Figs and broccoli are great sources of fiber.

Start slowly and add more fiber every week. Drink as much water as you can. Drinking water with fiber prevents the gas, cramping and bloating that can happen if you eat fiber alone.

If your digestive system is irregular and you are feeling bloated, eat whole grain foods like brown rice and steel-cut oatmeal. Ignore the white rice dishes and bread.

2. Fresh Vegetables:

Fresh vegetables almost all fresh vegetables are great. Besides being fibrous and therefore good for your digestive system, they boost many functions in other parts of your body. These include the brain, the heart, eyes, lungs, bones, and skin. Cucumbers, peppers, radishes, scallions, peas, spinach, beets, asparagus, and broccoli are among the best vegetables in your fight against constipation.

• Eat organic light green and dark green vegetables to keep your stomach healthy.
• Yellow-colored vegetables help your stomach stay comfortable, too.
• These types of vegetables are rich in carotene, vitamins C and E plus folate that protects the stomach from cancers.

3. Fruits And Juices:

Natural juices like cranberry and raspberry juices contain phenols that prevent GI pathogens, such as salmonella. An antioxidant found in red wine, resveratrol, keeps away the stomach pathogens and leaves healthy bacteria alone to do its job.

Fruits Like:

• Avocados, papaya, and watermelons are respected colon cleaners. But so are many other fruits.
• If you live in an area where you can get them straight from the garden, whatever is in a season is good.
• If you can get a mix of many fruits, the better.
• Like the birds of the air who survive on fruits, you can fly a long way in your life with a consistent intake of fruits.

4. Probiotics:

Keep the good bacteria working overtime in your digestive system. Eat plenty of natural yogurts, miso, bananas, sauerkraut, garlic, asparagus, and onions. There are trillions and trillions of bacteria working in your stomach. digestive health

To improve the ratios of bacteria in your digestive system, you need to,

• Eat foods that contain probiotics.
• These keep the lining of your colon healthy and improve digestion.
• Stick with plain yogurt that does not have added sugar or preservatives.
• There are also special probiotic yogurt products that are quite useful.

5. Spices:

Spices that add flavor to your foods and soothe the digestive system include cinnamon, cumin, fennel, oatmeal, nutmeg, caraway, and ginger. This helps prevents or relieve gas and help with the digestive process.

• Ginger is a nausea remedy.
• The ginger tends to quell nausea due to pregnancy, the flu, chemotherapy, and surgery. Ginger is also useful for treating the gastroparesis or digestive side effects of diabetes.
• Peppermint leaf and oils have been used to relieve digestive disorders.
• Peppermint eases stomach muscles.
• However, if you have heartburn, you might want to avoid peppermint.

6. Other Important Foods:

Natural foods that give you lots of nutrition and digestive care include whole grains, vegetables, legumes, olive oils and a small amount of fish and eggs. Eat smaller quantities of fatty meats, and look for natural varieties, like free-range chicken and turkey and grass-fed beef. digestive health 

7. Avoid Belly Fat:

There are foods that target your tummy fat. In recent Diabetes Care studies, it was revealed that a diet rich in monounsaturated fats prevented fat from accumulating around the abdomen. You can get this same curing effect by eating: avocados, olives, dark chocolate, nuts, and seeds.

Super Healthy Nutritious Whole Foods That You Can And Should Be Eating:

Essential Keys to Optimum Health:

First Group:

Fresh, Organic Raw Fruits Berries: 

Go to the produce market or farmer’s market and pick out any fruits and berries that appeal to you. try something new every week as well. Here’s a partial list of some of the foods in this category:

apples, pineapples, grapefruit, bananas, pears, peaches, papayas, tangerines, watermelon, grapes, apricots, cherries, blackberries, oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, apricots, limes, lemons, raspberries, noni fruit, mangosteen, wolfberry-goji, acai berries, black currants, blueberries, pomegranates, bilberries, elderberries, cranberries, prunes, plums, guavas, mangos, etc.

Second Group:

Organic Green And Vegetables:

(preferably raw or lightly steamed) Here’s a partial list of some of the foods in this category that you get to enjoy eating:

spinach, watercress, kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnip greens, collards, cauliflower, mustard greens, mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, parsley, green leaf lettuce, green peas, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers.

Dandelion Greens,

green and red bell peppers, artichokes, celery, cabbage, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, beets, pumpkin, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, garlic, cayenne peppers, jalapeno peppers, asparagus, ginger, spring onions, leeks, etc.

Third Group:

Organic  Grains, Legumes, Beans, Seeds, And Nuts:

This is a very powerful category of foods that you can choose from every day. You can make all kinds of dishes and meals from this group that is delicious and healthy. Avoid at all costs buying genetically modified (GMO) products. You want to look for these foods that were grown with organic farming methods that don’t use toxic chemical pesticides and herbicides. Here’s the partial list of foods in this category: digestive health digestive health 

Brown Rice,

barley, millet, oatmeal, buckwheat, wild rice, 100% whole wheat flour, rye, wheat germ, soybean sprouts, lentils, split peas, kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans, garbanzo beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, sesame seeds, almonds, cashews, macadamias, flaxseed, oat bran, wheat sprouts, quinoa and quinoa sprouts, amaranth sprouts, chia seeds, etc.

Remember,

Only buy fresh RAW seeds & nuts. Do not buy roasted and salted seeds and nuts. Buy them raw and keep them in glass jars in your refrigerator to preserve them; otherwise, they will turn rancid very quickly.

Fourth Group:

Other Healthy Foods:

This group is last because it is not as important as the first three groups. It contains some very healthy foods that should be eaten in moderation. Other healthy foods include:

Raw milk (unpasteurized & unhomogenized), raw butter, raw yogurt, raw cheese, raw kefir, wild deep-water ocean fish that have fins and scales, organic natural-fed lamb, turkey, chicken, and beef, organic fermented foods like sauerkraut. digestive health digestive health digestive health 

Bragg’s organic apple cider vinegar,

Raw unheated & unfiltered honey, raw agave nectar, extra virgin coconut oil, and olive oil, sesame oil, Himalayan Krystal Salt, green drinks such as live whole food-based InstaFresh juice called “The Feast,” high-quality whole food nutritional supplements, and plenty of natural spring water.

Fix And Strengthen Your Digestive System: 

Try these secret tips to help your body manufacture more of its own enzymes, which will naturally lead to excellent digestion.

1. Chew Your Food Completely: 

Always chew your food until it is completely dissolved This really sounds easier than it is. Most of us eat on the run, only partially chewing our food. This can cause heartburn, stomach upset and bloating, among other things. Paying attention to chewing your food can have numerous health benefits.

2. Don’t Overeat:

Overeating is the main cause of digestive problems. The body can only digest a certain amount of protein at one time. What isn’t digested gets stored as waste and creates toxins. In addition, your body can only digest a few types of food in one sitting. Too many different types of food will require more enzymes than your body can produce at one time. This will lead to digestive problems.

3. Relax Before Eating:

This might sound like a new-age thing, but there is scientific evidence that relaxing helps strengthen digestion. Studies showed that the saliva of a relaxed person is thinner and full of enzymes. This makes for stronger digestion. The same studies show that the saliva of a stressed or hurried person is thick and devoid of enzymes. This may be one reason why stress can interfere with digestive health.

4. Strengthen Your Natural Digestion: 

You can strengthen your natural digestion and help your body produce more of its own natural digestive enzymes. How can you do this without taking external enzymes?

Eat according to digestive cycles. Your body has natural, circadian rhythms like the sleeping cycle and hormonal cycle. Digestion is also a rhythm, or cycle, that is stronger at some points of the day than others. Here’s how it works. digestive health digestive health digestive health 

A. Morning:

• The morning is your body’s natural cleansing or flushing time.
• This is when your liver is supposed to dump toxins and fat for release.
• It should stimulate your intestines and colon to work.
• To work with this part of the cycle, eat fruits which are natural cleansers of the body.

B. Mid-Day:

• Mid-day is the time when your digestive enzymes peak and are at their strongest.
• This is the best time to eat raw vegetables which are more difficult for most people to digest.
• Eating a large, raw vegetable salad with protein will strengthen your natural enzymes over a short period of time.
• As your body begins to expect your daily salad, it gets more enzymes ready to digest the raw veggies.
• Be sure to chew your salad well.

C. Evening: 

• The evening is when your natural digestive enzymes are slowing down.
• To strengthen digestion, start your meal with a small, green salad.
• This will get your enzymes revving.
• Then complete your meal with steamed veggies and a protein serving.
• This is an easier food combination for your body to digest.
• It will not interfere with your natural enzymes but work with them.

5. Eat Yogurt For The Good Bacteria:

Good bacteria must thrive throughout your digestive system. It keeps the bad bacteria and other pathogens in check, which in turn strengthens not only your digestion but your immune system as well. Be sure to eat yogurt that lists the available probiotics on the label.

It might seem like a difficult cycle when trying to correct poor digestion. You need proteins and raw veggies to add enzymes and to stimulate and create your own enzymes. But it might be difficult to break down these proteins and raw veggies if your digestion is out of whack. Try these simple tips for starters.

Conclusion: 

Digestive health is best achieved by eating whole foods and staying away from processed junk that is full of foreign substances the body does not need to or wants to digest. Stay strong, stay healthy and feel well for life!

 

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Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment for any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

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