How I Survived A Crisis and Kept My Gut Happy

Last week, I mentioned that during a recent crisis, I had no time or energy to uphold the standards of my specialized diet. But by giving it up, I learned that:

• HOW we feed our body is just as important as WHAT we feed it, and
• TARGETING specific foods has greater impact on gut health than AVOIDING foods.

Well, there’s the first secret –>
HOW we feed ourselves is AS important as WHAT we eat!

Take note. We are talking about a seriously effective gut hack here and for once, we are NOT TALKING ABOUT FOOD! Yippee! (This would a great place for back flip emojis, ha ha)

So, what does this look like?

• ​At our desk
• Over the kitchen counter
• On the run
• In front of the TV
• While reading (how many books have you christened with your lunch? lol)

Sound or look familiar?

I know, because I have done it too and so have ALL of my clients!

And now let’s recall how our digestive system works best – that’s right – under the governance of the parasympathetic nervous system. IE: relaxed.

Good digestion - regardless of what we are eating – requires some serenading, a warm-up if you will.

If we are constantly on the go – in mind or body – and not paying attention to how we eat, our brain does not register "RELAX" and so our organs are not prepared for food to arrive.

Unprepared organs = bloating, gas, heartburn, stomach aches, nausea, etc

So, here is how you set yourself up for good digestion when under pressure or on the run:

1.    Make Calm Happen

​Since our digestive system requires us to slow down and relax in order to function correctly, it makes sense for us to place priority on creating a nourishing environment.

​Where do you eat? Can you create a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy your meal? Do you take care to protect your meal time from interruptions and demands? Why not?

Take a few moments for YOU. Honestly, the world can wait 15 minutes (or longer!)

2.    Take a Pill
If you can’t calm down, taking digestive enzymes with your meals helps break down food in your stomach and intestine, therefore reducing gas, bloating and stomach aches as a minimum.​ This is the product I recommend most often.

3.    Count to 10, 20 or….
Try observing how many times you chew each bite. The more your chew, the more you coat your food in alkalizing saliva – the most critical step for the rest of the digestive process!

So, if you are always stressed – or just always on the go – try one or more of these steps. You'll:

• enhance the nutrition you get from your food (increased resilience),
• lessen the workload for other digestive organs (more vitality),
• and reduce the amount of undigested food in your gut that may be triggering an immune response or feeding pathogenic microbes (better energy).

I know these steps seem overly simple… but so is a hug! And that makes you feel pretty good too, right?

Healing doesn’t have to be complicated!

I’m here to remind and empower you with more simple ways to get your gut and health back on track.​

Learn more in the It Takes Guts Community Facebook group or send me an email at katherine@takesguts.ca for help.