5 Easy Ways to Improve Your Digestion
Tummy issues..ugh! They strike without notice in this Momma’s aging body. And when mom is down with stomach issues, things come to a screeching halt around here. Lately I have been having more issues than I am comfortable with and have started working on ways to reduce and limit the issues as much as possible. Here are my five easy ways to improve digestion that are making a huge difference for me.
One of the harder things to cope with as you age is not being able to eat like I used to do when I was younger. Between the age issues and my other health issues; my internal processing track is beginning to show signs of being well worn over the years!
My quarterly physical was last week. I had to smile when the doctor looked over my weight, blood pressure, sugars, and other labs. He asked me what I been doing for the last three months. You see, at the last office visit, I had several medicines increased and two more were added to my daily regimen.
Since I have physical limitations, and can’t spend hours a day at the gym, I needed to find other small ways that would have a large impact. Apparently even these five easy changes have started to make major changes in my physical and chemical panels.
#1 Stay Hydrated
Everyone that knows me knows that I live on coffee and tea. I drink both all day every day. Well I did… now I rotate a cup of coffee or a glass of tea with a glass of water. I think this is the change that has had the biggest impact. It was also the hardest – I say hardest but really it just meant being aware and yes, at times holding my coffee hostage until I finished my glass of water.
I have always been told that you needed eight glasses of water a day but I never could find supporting documentation as to where the “eight glasses” came from until I was reading about “normal” weight ranges for women being 115-130 (yeah that isn’t happening with this aging body). So the “eight glasses” is equal to about half your weight in ounces. Someone that weighs 150 pounds would need around 75 ounces or 9 glasses. Let’s just say that it is a good thing that I don’t require a lot of sleep to allow for all the glasses of water I need!
#2 Get Moving
Yes this means physical movement and not just from my coffee pot to my desk! I love working from home (the commute is awesome) but unless I keep up with the time; I can sit at my desk for hours without moving. Now I set a timer and get up every 45 minutes and head to the porch and walk 10 laps back and forth the length of the walkway. May not seem like much, but it is quite a bit more movement than I had been exerting.
Now that the weather is changing, I will be heading to the gym in the mornings to ride a bike or walk on the treadmill. I have stability issues and the gym is a lot safer for me than trying to walk on a path at the park. My new workout buddies have made the commitment to go with me so I have no option but to get up and get moving.
Physical movement also triggers movement inside your body. With the increase in water, along with the additional physical movement; you will see more “movements” in your day!
#3 Make Better Food Choices
Yes this means eating smarter. Even little changes in choices can make a big impact on your systems. Grab an apple instead of chips, order the fruit or salad instead of fries..gasp.. skip the dessert!
On days that I am home, I find it easier to stay focused and on track if I plan and schedule my meals and snacks. Just like at the office or packing for school. Planning ahead saves the stress of having to make a choice when you are starving! I know I run for the crunchy/salty snacks when I am starving.
Eating smaller portions and more often has helped me a lot. I enjoy smoothies and protein shakes most days when working at home, but when I am out running I like to grab a couple of smaller “mini meals” that I can enjoy and not have to stop my list of errands. Recently I was introduced to ProNourish™ and I have to say I was surprised at how much I liked it.
ProNourish™ contains 15g of high quality protein, 25 essential vitamins and minerals, and only 170 calories per 8 fl oz bottle. It also contains only 6g of sugars and is gluten-free.
ProNourish™ is a nutritional drink that not only can your feel good about drinking and it won’t throw your system out of whack. It is available in french vanilla or strawberry/banana flavors and is a great nutritional option that make following an exclusion or a low FODMAP diet easier.
Don’t tell anyone but I like to use the french vanilla in my coffee as a creamer.
#4 Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
Just sing along with me… “Let it go, Let it go”. There are very few things in life that we really..as in really, have control over in our lives. Being the mom to seven, I try to pick my battles. Otherwise the stress just builds until you either lash out or the pressure starts affecting your physical body.
No, things won’t always be calm and smooth, but you can’t let the little things build up. Deal with the day to day stress as things come up. Then..let it go!
#5 Live and Love Like There is No Tomorrow
I think that living each day to the fullest and loving like there is no tomorrow is the best thing that you can do to stay healthy and maintain your balance. I mean just look around, we all have those that make life worth living.
Yes we can all do things to help keep our physical bodies healthy like I mentioned above, but our emotional health also plays such a major role in how much enjoyment we get out of life. There are no promises of tomorrow. We need to make sure those we love KNOW IT! Don’t put off those things that are important to you and your family.
Taking care of ourselves doesn’t have to mean making major changes. Just these five easy changes can have a huge impact on our health inside and out.
If you live with food sensitivities, grab your $2.00 coupon and head to your local Kroger location to pick up ProNourish™.
Oh yes, they would be perfect in coffee. Thank you for the information.