Having problems digesting life?

I know at times, I have. In fact, at one point or another most of us have. Think about it: Major break up, loss of a job, high-stakes deal with timelines due yesterday and you hear the gurgles. And Lord knows, we all know what follows the gurgles. Or there’s the bloating, the constipation, the pellet poop or the pencil-thin skinny poop that has you wondering what caused it. I mean geez, you only ate an apple. Which is when I have to turn the tables and ask you a question you may not have thought about:

Have you been having problems digesting life?

The digestive system and stress are related. In fact, the digestive system is also touted as the second brain. The second many of us get nervous, anxious, sad or angry, we feel it in our tummies. I know this feeling all too well and have counseled many patients on this and have had great results. But still many of you out there suffer year after year without any resolve. So what can you do when digesting life seems like a never-ending challenge?

Magnesium & green foods

Roughly 70% of the population is deficient in magnesium and food sources of magnesium are greens – the one thing we’re always told to eat more of (check out my Killer Kale Salad recipe!). A lack of magnesium will give you pellet poops, constipation and pencil poops. Plus it will cause you to wear your shoulders as earrings, yell at your partner when he leaves the toilet seat up and wish sweet misery on your boss when he’s at you again. Yep, you’ll lose your shit easily – well almost.

Reduce the sugar and put in the sour

Sounds weird? Well, I’m actually referring to one of my favourite things, apple cider vinegar. It’s sour as all heck, but amazing in water and will help to facilitate the liver and keep sugar cravings at bay. Excessive sugar on the other hand, will increase yeast culture in the digestive system, decrease immunity and promote anxiety. But damn it, you NEED sugar, right? I get it, so try to decrease the amounts with honey, coconut sugar and stevia. A little goes a long way to not growing a third butt cheek. (Try my Almond Coco-Cacao Love Cookie)

 Agua

Seriously, that simple? It’s the one thing that we fail to do and the one thing that is, you guessed it, FREE. A lack of water will increase stress hormones, create constipation and make us irritable as all heck. On a side note, I’ve been able to reduce blood pressure with many of my patients by simple getting them to drink the stuff. Keeping hydrated is incredibly helpful for all bodily processes, especially when our bodies are made up of up to 70% of water. And if you’re still not convinced, ask yourself this, would you rather look like a grape or a raisin. Um ya…I thought so.

Healthy digestion is so underrated and the diagnosis of IBS is so overdone. With healthy working pipes, you can lose weight, feel happier, become pain-free and glow. So if you struggle with digestion, then make it a body transformation that’s a priority for 2013. 

Oh and pssst…

…something BIG is coming tomorrow…so stay tuned!