Simple steps to improve your health and regularity!

Eat more fresh vegetables for better elimination!

Regular bowel movements are crucial to great health. To help improve bowel regularity naturally, be sure to:

• Drink plenty of water – spring/filtered water only, and about three litres daily depending on your activity levels/ amount you sweat/ personal needs. Drinking only caffeinated tea/coffee/juices is not enough. Aim to drink this water in the first part of the day rather than in the evening when you may suffer from broken sleep when you awake to use the bathroom! Making herbal teas/ infusions is a good way to increase water intake, especially in colder months or climates
• Eat more vegetable based meals such as leafy salads, chopped raw vegetables, steamed vegetables
• Eat more home prepared meals that have the main portion being vegetables. Ensure these are made with whole foods – fresh vegetables rather than tinned for example
• Eat more gentle fiber-rich foods such as chia seeds (soaked)- these are better than psyllium jusks which can be too harsh and bulky
• Ensure adequate intake of probiotic-rich foods for healthy gut flora (kefir, raw sauerkraut, yoghurt, kambucha, and/or a good probiotic)
• Exercise regularly – even a fifteen minute walk/ stretch/yoga, chuck on inspired tunes and do a Nia dance/movement session, yoga
• Deep breathing / meditation – even a  few minutes out a few times a day will help enormously to relax the body, improve circulation – take a few minutes out regularly to take deep belly breaths
• Reduce caffeine, processed foods (all packaged foods/ artificially flavoured foods), stress and feelings of resentment.

Note – sometimes you may need to reduce fibre-rich foods such as when you are healing inflamed intestines, such as with the SCD. Be sure to have enough water, continue gentle exercise and deep breathing.