5 Easy Ways to Improve Digestion and Boost Metabolism Today Sweat Equity Magazine, Sept 2016, page 28 by Grace Van Berkum, R.H.N.
Little tricks to bring more awareness to your eating style and how you are digesting your food. These tips are easy and can be implemented right at your next meal! Of course there may be some other important things that may need to be addressed with your health professional as to why your metabolism may be sluggish, but these tips are so easy and have a big impact on not only how you are digesting your food, but also how you are assimilating your nutrients, and eliminating toxins. Try them out and pay attention to how they make you feel. Pay attention to your energy levels after eating. Digestion should be effortless and if it is not, it needs to be looked at right away, because you are not only what you eat, but you are what you digest. Without good digestion, our health, and also our ease through life, becomes compromised. Good digestion = good metabolism!
1) Don’t drink liquids with meals. For optimal digestion, drink your hydrating liquids before your meals, ideally at least 15 min. Do not drink water for at least an hour after your meal. Let your body focus on digesting the meal with full power rather than having your digestive juices be diluted, which compromises your digestion. It is also not recommended to ever drink coffee after a meal as it impedes digestion greatly. Drink liquids away from eating = better metabolism!
2) Chew your food thoroughly. Digestion starts in your mouth, not in your belly! Liquify your food by chewing well for maximum enzyme release in your mouth to help boost your metabolism. Good news is the more time you spend on focused chewing, the slower you will eat, and most likely you will eat less foods, too. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that it has had enough food. Pre-digestion in the mouth and less food = better metabolism. Chew on that!
3) Eat more raw food. Try implementing more live food and raw food into your meal plans. Superfood smoothies, fresh juices, rainbow salads, raw dips, raw soups, raw desserts…these are all delicious and filled with live, raw food! If you are eating cooked foods, make sure to eat something raw with your meal, and even better yet, eat it first! The enzymes of the uncooked food will help you digest your food better (not to mention the high water content from your raw veggies, plus the fibre, will help keep you full). Enzyme rich food = better digestion = better metabolism!
4) Don’t eat sugar, or even fruits after a meal. Although many people, try to eat fruits after a meal as a healthier choice to avoid sweets, it can actually slow down your metabolism. Fruit after a meal (especially a heavy meal) tends to ferment in the belly causing gas. Any sign (or smell) of gas after a meal is an indication that your metabolism is not working efficiently. Best bet for best health is to wean yourself off of all sweets after a meal. Focus on eating more veggies and protein at your meal so that you do not even want something sweet. Eating something sweet after a meal is just a habit we have created and it is not ideal for a fast metabolism. Drink a sweet herbal tea if you really must have something. No sweets after a meal = better metabolism!
5) Eat more throughout the day, eat less in 1 sitting. Eating smaller amounts of food throughout the day, instead of not eating for long periods of time and then having a much bigger meal in 1 sitting, will help keep your metabolism revved up, burning calories and fat all day long. Not only that, but your appetite will be smaller because it will become used to eating smaller meals. Consistency through consistent, regular eating and eating moderately (not over-eating) are keys to a better metabolism. Smaller meals =better metabolism!
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