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7 ways to spark your digestion

To be able to feel at peace, it is important your body is a well-oiled engine. Like me, you may have had issues with your digestion in recent times, with food intolerances, nutritional deficiencies, eating in a rush and overindulging play a big part in making us feel sluggish and lazy. Let’s fire up your internal organs to help you absorb nutrients and move through accumulated matter, that will otherwise ferment and cause discomfort, bloating and slow down waste removal.

There are different ways to do this, and it’s about trial and error to see what works for your individual makeup. Here are my top

1. DRINK WARM LEMON WATER
First thing in the morning, it stimulates the production of stomach juices and hence aids digestion. Simply squeeze half a lemon in a 400ml glass and fill half with boiled and half with cold filtered water. If it’s a little too zingy for you, add a tiny bit of honey or rice malt syrup (if you’re fructose intolerant like me).

2. THE POWER OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Try organic apple cider vinegar in warm water on an empty stomach. Just a splash
is enough, but make sure you buy the one with the ‘mother’ in it and shake well before using it. I’m currently experimenting with coconut cider vinegar, but am yet to give any useful insight.

3. LIQUID CHLOROPHYLL
Add a few drops of liquid chlorophyll in your water to sip during the day. It is alkaline and draws water into your intestines (rather than your bladder) which will assist in moving your bowels.

4. USE PROBIOTICS
Use daily probiotics in powder or liquid format (careful if you’re lactose intolerant like me or milk sensitive, as many products are made of lactobacillus that is derived from cow’s milk).

5. DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
In general, drink lots and lots of water, 2 litres a day minimum. Add some frozen berries or a couple of slices of orange for taste if you struggle to drink that much. Drink in little sips all day.

6. HERBAL TEAS ARE YOUR FRIEND
There are specific digestive or detox teas that are made of a combination of herbal ingredients. Otherwise, peppermint tea is known to improve the flow of bile, which you need for digesting fat. Licorice, cinnamon and fennel teas are delicious and work well especially after dinner.

7. MOVE YOUR BODY
Exercise speeds up our digestion by increasing our blood flow to the organs and stimulating the muscles in the intestines, helping them to process waste more quickly. There are certain yoga moves, such as twists and forward folds that are particularly good at stimulating your digestion after a meal. However, refrain from exercising too rigorously directly after a meal or you run the risk of feeling sick and drawing the body’s power to the muscles instead of the digestive tract. Make exercise a routine – set your alarm 30 to 60 minutes earlier, phone a friend the night before and make an appointment to go for a walk, swim or yoga class together, first thing in the morning is best as during the day excuses may come up.

Sign up for our next 30 days of movement, starting on 1 June! Details are in our Facebook group “Luxe Movement“.