Over on this blog post, I outlined some ways to show your gut some love. In today’s blog post, I thought I would dive a little deeper into ways to keep your digestive tract running smoothly.

When menopause began for me, my digestion started “acting the fool!”. Foods that I ate without a care in the world were no longer my friends. I had to figure stuff out and quick! Through trial and error, I came up with a protocol for myself that I thought I’d share with you.

To help keep my digestive system humming along smoothly, I’ve created a three-pronged approach that I follow which includes:

  • Detoxification
  • Adding probiotics to build healthy gut flora
  • Eating alkalinizing foods to balance blood pH

Detoxification

With all the chemicals and pollutants we are exposed to through the food we eat, the water we drink, the products we use and the air we breathe, the question is no longer IF we are toxic. The real question is HOW toxic we are? Removing toxins from the digestive tract, especially the colon, can facilitate digestion, absorption, nutrient assimilation and elimination. 

A detox can be viewed two ways:

Elimination Diet

When people think of a detox or a cleanse, they usually think of an elimination diet during which you eliminate certain foods from your diet and add them back in after a week or two, one by one, to see if you are allergic or react to certain foods – some of these sensitivities can irritate and damage intestinal linings, causing leaky gut or other digestive ailments.

Whole Food Detox

A detox, however, doesn’t have to mean “going without”. I tend to view detoxing as replacing the foods and additives that don’t serve you, such as excess sugar, salt and preservatives (read toxins) often found in processed foods with whole, wholesome foods in their natural state. Think shopping around the perimeter of the grocery store where all the fresh vegetables and fruit are located, rather than in the aisles where you’ll find food in a can.

In addition, “detoxing” doesn’t have to be a big thing. It is as simple as incorporating daily actions to ensure your digestion is optimally healthy.

At home, you can try starting your day with a cup of warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, together with ACV – apple cider vinegar (supports liver). In addition, you can try fresh carrot and apple juice (aids colon detox). These are also “detox protocols” that can keep you healthy on a daily basis.

Healthy Gut Flora

Incorporating probiotics into your diet is a great way to maintain healthy gut flora.

What do probiotics do? They balance the friendly bacteria in your digestion. Yes, you have good bacteria in your body. The issue arises when there is an imbalance of good bacteria with bad bacteria due to illness, medication such as antibiotics or other medication and a poor diet. The consequences of this imbalance can include digestive issues, allergies, mental health problems, obesity and more.

Cultured and fermented foods are rich in probiotics and examples include:

  • Yogurt and kefir
  • Kimchi
  • Sauerkraut
  • Natto
  • Kombucha

You can of course add a probiotic supplement if you can’t get your probiotic requirement from food alone.

Keeping The Body Alkaline

In this blog post, I outlined the advantages of an anti-inflammatory or alkaline diet, especially as we get older.

Creating an alkaline internal environment is particularly great for facilitating elimination. Adding foods such as leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower) can help balance you pH level. The following can also help:

  • “Green juice” made from algae, spirulina, leafy greens etc. (You can get them in powder form in canisters or packets). This can be part of your daily shake!
  • Lemon juice in warm water, most effective when taken in the morning on an empty stomach (this one again!).
  • Fruits and vegetables – besides the alkalinizing properties, the fiber can aid elimination while the enzyme from raw fruits and vegetables can aid digestion and absorption.

By incorporating this three-pronged approach, i.e. detox, adding probiotics and keeping my internal environment alkaline, I ensure that my gut is happy and healthy!

If you’d like some more information on my three-pronged approach, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. My contact information is below!

Yours in health and wellness,

Francine Alleyne (RHNP™)

Holistic Nutritionist, Registered Holistic Nutrition Practitioner™

Email: fran@francinealleyne.com

Website: http://www.midlifehealthy.com

Join my Facebook Group, Midlife Healthy Daily!

Instagram: @wellness.with.fran

DISCLAIMER: Please consult your healthcare practitioner if you are experiencing any symptoms.  I am not a doctor. This post and anything else you find on my website is intended for informational, educational and self-empowerment purposes ONLY and is not intended to treat or diagnose any condition or disease.