Introduction
Gut health is often referred to as the “second brain” and plays a critical role in overall well-being. All diseases of the digestive system are caused by irregular living and eating habits, taking strong medicines, and eating without properly chewing food. When your gut health is compromised, one of the most effective steps you can take is to stop eating temporarily. This simple practice can reduce the intensity of gut-related issues by one-third.
In Naturopathy, maintaining good gut health revolves around two basic principles that you should follow daily:
- What not to do after eating?
- What to do when gut health is not good?
What not to do after eating food?
After eating, you should not introduce anything in the stomach for at least three hours. The reason is that gastric juice – hydrochloric acid is mixed in the food by the churning process in the stomach. If some fresh food or drink is put in the stomach it would certainly have tylene of saliva in it. Tylene is alkaline while gastric juice is acidic. Therefore, the action of gastric juice is stopped or hindered when Tylene enters the stomach along with fresh food and interrupts the digestion process.
What to do when gut health is not good?
If your gut health is in bad condition, you should live on milk or buttermilk for a few days. If milk cannot be digested, some water can be mixed. If milk causes constipation, resin, and some juicy fruits should be taken between meals.
Symptoms of an Unhealthy Gut
Signs that indicate poor gut health include:
- Pain after meals.
- Gas and bloating.
- Irregular bowel movements.
- Constant fatigue.
- Loss of appetite.
- Digestive issues like constipation, IBS, vomiting, and nausea.
Main Causes of an Unhealthy Gut
Most gut-related issues arise from unhealthy habits, including:
- Irregular living and eating habits.
- Eating fried and junk food.
- High-sugar diet.
- Overuse of strong medications.
- Lack of regular exercise.
- Not fasting periodically.
Best Ways to Improve Gut Health Naturally
In Naturopathy, several simple yet effective guidelines can help restore and maintain gut health:
Food as a medicine
In Naturopathy and Ayurveda, food is considered a powerful tool to maintain gut health and overall well-being. Eating nutrient-dense foods helps prevent illnesses, balance hormones, and improve digestion. There are certain foods that you should include in your diet for a healthy gut.
Ginger – It has digestive and anti-inflammation properties, that help with digestion, and inflammation-related issues.
Roughage – It provides vitamin A, and it helps to remove constipation and bloating.
Flaxseed – They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, they help to support digestion, making them beneficial for gut health.
Lemon – It has alkaline properties and helps to digestion process.
Yogurt (with Probiotics) – It helps to promote good gut bacteria, that support digestion and help to cure IBS problem.
Buttermilk – It is very good for gut health, daily consumption of buttermilk helps to remove the diseases like constipation, loose motions, dysentery, etc.
Food Combinations
Some principles about food combinations are good for gut health and overall well-being. These principles should be followed by everyone.
Protein-Rich Food – If you are eating protein-rich food then you must include bitter items in your diet, they help in digesting the protein-rich food. The combinations are:
- Gram bread with tomato or any sour fruit.
- Gram bread with curd or pulses.
- Curd with vegetables.
- Soyabean with sour fruits.
- Pulses with sour fruits.
- Hyacinth bean and cow bean.
Starch-Rich Food – That kind of food has a good combination with uncooked or raw vegetables or salad, fresh sweet fruits, dry fruits, and sugar. The combinations are:
- Whole meal bread and salad.
- Whole meal bread and honey or loaf sugar.
- Rice and sweet mango juice.
- Whole meal bread and dates
- Rice and raisins.
Fatty Foods – Fatty foods are not digested in the stomach; they are digested in the intestine. Therefore, they should be taken with protein-rich food or starch-rich food.
- Whole meal bread with butter or ghee.
- Pulses with ghee or butter.
- Soyabean with coconut or peanut.
- Rice with cream.
Fasting
The main purpose of fasting is to give complete rest to the digestive system, it not only removes the impurities of the body but also purifies the mind and soul. It is a powerful tool to get rid of toxins and foreign matter from the body, which is the root cause of sickness, during this period all vital forces are engaged in curing disease and the body’s power for self-treatment is at work. Fasting once a week is a powerful practice to maintain gut health and overall wellness.
Asanas
Regular practice of certain yoga poses can improve gut health. Performing these asanas on an empty stomach for 15-20 minutes each morning can significantly support digestion, these are the best asanas to improve and maintain gut health:
- Chakrasana (Wheel Pose).
- Mayurasana (Peacock Pose).
- Moolbandh (Root Lock).
- Dhanurasana (Bow Pose).
Leave a Reply