Sue Watkins Nutritional Therapist & Wellness Coach, based in Hertfordshire

Nutritional Therapy

07773 689441
Hint of Spring - time for that internal springclean?
March is already hinting at the arrival of Spring, daffodils, snowdrops and catkins starting to peep through, just a reminder though of Winter at our heels with the advent of snow!
 
Springtime is the opportunity to have a clean through and what a great idea to do this for our bodies too; in particular, the chance to clear the digestive system of the backlog that have accumulated over the last couple of months.
 
A sluggish bowel can impact our mood making us feel tired and worn out.  But, it doesn’t have to be that way, we just need to pep up our disgestion.
 
What does good digestion look like?
The body ideally should be clearing out the rubbish on a regular basis.  Ideally a bowel movement once a day (or even 2-3 times – without experiencing diarrhoea) helps to clear the backlog.  The bowel movement should be a straight forward performance with little paperwork.  If your bathroom visit consists of too much drama and strain these are hints that your digestion needs more support.
 
So what if that is not happening for you?  There are some simple things to try that might make a huge difference, let’s look at some top tips:
 
  • Keep hydrated-Centrally heated houses and wrapping up to keep out the cold means that we are likely to perspire more and lose fluids.Our digestion, just like our skin, can lose water and so drinking 6-8 glasses of water each day can keep us hydrated.It’s a good idea to cut down on caffeine drinks (coffee/cola) as these can leach water out of our body.
  • Activity-Maintaining movement such as walking briskly for 15-20 minutes, taking the stairs rather than the lift/escalator, standing up to take phone calls – they all amount to keeping your body moving.If your body is moving, your digestion is moving too – helping move the waste along.
  • Fibre-Adding more soluble and insoluble fibre to your diet will feed the good bacteria and help extract nutrients to feed your energy system as well as bulking the stool making it softer and easier to pass.Fibre comes from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes (beans and lentils), most of us eat 18grams per day ideally we need 30g-35g per day for a healthy bowel.Examples of high fibre foods:
    • Avocado (half) – 6.7g
    • Barley (per cup) – 6g
    • Bowl of porridge – 4g
    • Lentils (cup) – 15.6g
    • Peas (cup) – 8.8g
    • Broccoli (cup of cooked) – 5.1g
    • Raspberries (cup) - 8g
    • Fresh pear – 5.5g
    • Build fibre slowly to avoid overloading the system
  • Regular stooling  -  schedule your bathroom visit on a regular basis so that your system gets the cues that it is time to clear the rubbish.
  • Colonics  -  for those who feel that a complete clearance is order of the day then a colonic may well be the answer. 
     
If your digestion does not respond to the above just get in touch for a review.