Feeling sluggish, bloated, puffy and unfocused? What you're eating (or not eating) often plays are role in these symptoms. The good news: it's easy to add foods that will help reduce all four. Read more on which foods to eat to reduce inflammation, support your mental health and focus, reduce bloating and keep your energy levels up.
If you're struggling with bloating, constipation, skin breakouts, and experiencing other physical symptoms like inflammation/swelling and headaches, your body might need some digestive support and a little help clearing toxins and eliminating waste. Below are some of our fave foods for supporting the body's natural functions:
Constipation often brings bloating & gas along with it. A potassium-pumped food, pureed pure pumpkin serves up a hefty dose of fibre to help get/keep things moving through your digestive tract. You’ll also get a whopping 14,000 IU of vitamin A to help soothe inflammation.
One of the liver's primary functions is to remove and break down toxins in the blood. It also helps to process nutrients from the blood.
Dandelion is rich in chlorophyll, which helps to eliminate toxins from the liver. Both the leaves and root have detoxifying properties. It also helps Try adding the leaves to a salad or lightly steam them and drizzle with lemon, olive oil and freshly minced garlic.
The kidneys filter waste from the blood to be excreted in the urine. They help keep the blood clean and regulate bodily fluids, blood pressure and pH.
Parsley helps to flush out toxins via the urine and is effective in the treatment and prevention of kidney stones, thanks to its diuretic properties. Also try: ginger, nettle and/or basil.
The colon carries a heavy load when it comes to toxin removal. Even mild consipation (e.g. less than one bowel movement per day) can lead to toxins being recycled and reabsorbed into the bloodstream.
Hemp, chia & flax seeds expand in your intestines with water and add bulk to stool to aid in its passage. They are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation of the intestinal tract.
5. Probiotics for your healthy gut...
Probiotics are a combination of live beneficial bacteria and/or yeasts that naturally live in your body. You have two kinds of bacteria constantly in and on your body — good bacteria and bad bacteria. Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that helps keep your gut healthy.
Keep your good bacteria levels up with fermented foods (kimchi, pickles), yogurt (plant-based coconut or dairy), tempeh and sourdough.
6. Lemon water for your stomach...
Acid helps break down food, which is why there's a lot of it in our stomachs. The acid in lemons can be helpful with supplementing stomach acid levels, which can decline with age, and support digestion. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water per day is one of the best ways to keep your moves smooth.
Stay tuned for next week's Blog, we're diving into the what & why of doing an Elimination Diet (don't let the name scare you!).
Our top blend picks for keeping your gut health in check with:
Questions about which blends are right for your taste buds and maintaining a healthy gut & digestive tract? Email us anytime.
Sources: cbc.ca, harvard.edu, healthline
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