Major mistake most people make with their stomach: they don't 'speak' with it, meaning they don't listen, check in, or respect it.
Essentially, they lack a good and healthy relationship with it. Here's how you can change that.
Being kind to your stomach involves adopting habits and practices that promote digestive health and overall well-being.
Here are some examples how I started to be kind to my stomach:
- Eat a Balanced Diet: Today I consume a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats to provide essential nutrients and promote digestive health.
- I stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water and our MOJO & MELO herbal teas throughout the day to keep my digestive system functioning properly, and prevent constipation, stomach pain and gut inflammation.
- Limit Processed Foods: I minimised my intake of processed and high-fat foods, as they can be harder to digest and may irritate the stomach lining. These days I only consume dairy products and oat milk.
- Chew my Food Thoroughly: I am taking my time to chew my food well, as this helps with digestion and nutrient absorption, while also reducing the risk of indigestion and bloating. I never want to go back to the stomach pains and gut inflammations I suffered for 3 1/2 years.
- Manage Stress: I learned the hard way to manage my daily stress. And though I can't avoid it all, I have managed to reduce it.I avoid people who don't contribute positively to my life and who don't make me feel good, as stress can negatively impact my stomach health and digestion.
- Exercise Regularly: Today, I go on daily walks with my dogs and engage in various activities such as Pilates, weight training, strength training, yoga, and running. I also play Padel regularly and spend as much time as I can in nature. Engaging in regular physical activities helps improve my digestion by keeping my mind and gut happy. Additionally, it helps maintain a healthy weight, which is key for vitality
- I had to learn that everyone has different types of foods that trigger their gastritis, acid reflux, GERD, bloating, constipation, and gut issues. So, it was really a process of learning by doing. But in general, I would suggest avoiding carbonated beverages (e.g., sports drinks, Coca-Cola, champagne), any spicy food, fatty foods (bacon, sausages, fatty cheeses, anything fried), avoiding preservatives, and limiting your intake of processed foods.
- Get Adequate Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night, as insufficient sleep can disrupt digestion and contribute to digestive problems. I didn't expect that this would make such a big difference, but it is true. You feel more rested and calmer, which means you feel less hungry and don't crave 'comfort' food, but instead prefer healthy, nutritious food. Also, make sure you do not eat 3-4 hours before bedtime, as this is just a recipe for acid reflux.
- Consider Probiotics: Incorporate probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi into your diet to support a healthy balance of gut bacteria. It made a big difference for me, and they are now a staple of my daily diet
- Listen to Your Body: A significant life lesson was learning to listen to my body instead of ignoring its signals. Today, I pay attention to how different foods and lifestyle factors affect my digestion and make adjustments accordingly to promote optimal stomach health. As I mentioned, everyone is different, but I've also learned that some days my stomach doesn't tolerate certain foods that might have been fine two weeks before. Instead of convincing myself to eat them and ignoring my body's signals, I stop eating what it doesn't like and choose something else.
So, my tip here for a healthy stomach and gut is to stay in constant communication with your stomach and never ignore what it has to say.
