Digestive health for your overall health

4 Apr 2011

5 Comments

Healthy Living

by Anne

Hey, Attune Foods readers!

Anne from fANNEtastic food here. Since you all have heard a lot from me in the past few months, I thought for this month’s blog post I’d let my blog readers do the talking! I asked them the following question – and here’s what they said

“What does digestive health for overall health mean to you?”

Gretchen @ Honey, I Shrunk the Gretchen!:

“It probably sounds gross to talk about, but I think that your digestive health is a HUGE indicator of your overall health. When I started losing weight, I was still consisting on a diet of fat-free frozen dinners and diet sodas, and my digestive health was as bad as ever. Even though I was losing weight and “getting healthier” in that respect, my body still wasn’t happy with all the sodium-laden, processed junk I was eating. It was leaving me in a vicious cycle of constipation and, er, you know, the other thing. (Gross.)

It wasn’t until I started embracing whole, clean eating (and increasing my fiber intake, too) that my body really started to be able to function normally – including my digestive track! Now I have regular “flow” and I feel better than ever “down there,” knowing that my body is regularly getting rid of both literal and figurative crap!”

chelsey @ clean eating chelsey:

Digestive health means everything to me (seriously). I have had digestive troubles since I was 18, only to find out I have many food intolerances. Even though I have gotten those under control, my intestines still remain the most sensitive organ in my body. I try to combat it by:

1. Eating a lot of whole, raw foods (hello, fiber!)
2. Drinking lemon ginger tea in the morning when I wake up
3. Eating every 3-4 hours to avoid getting bloated/gassy
4. Avoiding sugar
5. Drinking detox tea every other night
6. Taking digestive enzymes before each meal

As silly as it sounds, the quality of my life is so much better when my digestive system is happy. I find when my digestive system is feeling “sluggish”, I am too! I’m cranky, irritable, and nobody wants to be around me. Thankfully, I took the bull by the horns and got invested in my own health!

Sarah @ going on goals:

Digestive health is a major component to healthy living. Recently, when on vacation I splurged 100%. I ate plain bagels for breakfast, drank diet soda and ignored fruits and vegetables. When I returned my body felt awful!! As soon as I started eating properly (oatmeal with flax, lots of water, fruits, veggies and beans) my body felt 1,000 times better. It is amazing what a little fiber and water can do to your mood!

Erin @ The Grass Skirt:

Poor digestive health runs in my family. My sister has missed parties and social events and even work due to both constipation and IBS. My mom takes medication for her digestion. A few years ago, I suffered from terrible bloating and constipation, and it was so painful and uncomfortable. I went to a GI specialist who prescribed medication to regulate me. Well, the medicine worked, but it had horrible side effects (such as dizziness, nausea, and headaches). Finally, I decided to take control of my health the natural way and not long after, learned that I am lactose intolerant. Since cutting dairy from my life, my digestive health is wonderful. It has made such a tremendous difference in my life. I strongly believe that poor digestive health can lead to a wealth of other issues. I’m glad to be issue free.

Lisa @ Fit in the Midwest:

I have ulcerative colitis, so I think about digestive health every day (especially on days like today when I feel bloated and constipated). Up until a couple of years ago, I really ate whatever I wanted and started realizing what my “trigger” foods were, such as dark meat and soda. I cut those out of my diet and felt better. Then, I transitioned to eating more whole foods, made exercise a priority in my life and I instantly felt better. Also, digestive health for me means eating lots of yogurt for the probiotics! I tried the attune bars and they work well too!

Christine @ Merf In Progress:

I was on several courses of antibiotics in November, December, January, and February. It messed up my digestive health SO BAD. I started taking probiotics and couldn’t believe how much better everything was. I needed to supplement probiotics since I was on so many antibiotics, but now I just get them via yogurt. The difference in my digestive health is remarkable, and I believe fully that it impacts my overall health too.

Gavi @ Gavi Gets Going!:

For me, digestive health means flexibility and awareness. About four years ago, I started a journey towards health by changing my diet and exercise patterns for good. Today, I am 55 pounds lighter than when I started and I am able to do things that I never thought possible when I was heavier. Over the last few years, I have become so much more aware of the foods that I eat and how my choices affect my overall health, and I have become much more comfortable with making change. Before I started on my journey towards health, I paid little attention to what I was eating and how much of it I consumed. As a result, my body, mind, and overall health suffered. Now, I understand the direct connection between the choices I make and my wellbeing.

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Join the conversation! What does digestive health for overall health mean to you?

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