Our eating habits and lifestyle choices positively or negatively impact our gut health. If you regularly suffer from diarrhea, constipation, or bloating, your digestive system likely lacks the healthy gut bacteria it needs! Here are a few of our favorite ways to optimize gut health at The Collective Ritual-

Taking probiotics and other supplements are marketed as an effortless digestive hack. However, these products can be expensive and it can be difficult to understand which ones will have the best effect and quality for your concerns.

The four tips and tricks below will help keep bloating and stomach pains at bay and promote regular bowel movements. Plus, because of the gut-brain connection, the condition of your gut can directly influence your mood. Therefore, the benefits of taking care of your digestion system extend beyond how you feel physically. 

First thing on an empty stomach!

There are many reasons why drinking a glass of water when you get up in the morning is recommended. One benefit of drinking water upon waking up is that it increases your metabolism, which improves your overall digestive functioning.  Another benefit of drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning is that it cleanses your colon to loosen up stools and prevent constipation. A purified colon then helps your digestive system absorb nutrients faster. Hot water acts as a fluid that cleanses your body of all its toxins. Drinking hot water is especially beneficial for you if it is the first thing that you consume in the morning and last thing you consume before you go to bed at night. Bonus points if you add fresh lemon or lime juice. This can help alkaline the body first thing in the morningm, and  the minerals and vitamins found in lemon juice encourages healthy digestion, reduces heartburn and bloating by loosening any toxins trapped in your digestive tract.

Get moving (literally)

Aside from drinking water, the best thing you can do to kick start your metabolism and improve digestion is get some exercise. Exercise increases blood flow to the muscles in the digestive system. This helps to move the food through the digestive tract (a process known as peristalsis). Therefore, working out helps regulate your bowel movements and, thus, is particularly beneficial for those suffering from constipation.  Exercise also boosts your mood and improves mental health by increasing self-esteem and positivity and reducing anxiety, depression, and negative thoughts. As the gut-brain connection goes both ways, enhancing your mood will naturally improve your gut health. 

Chew Your Food

This one might seem like a given, but studies show that the more we choose our food the more satiated we will be in the more or food will get broken down by our saliva and teeth before reaching our digestive track. Your digestion actually starts before the food enters your mouth surprisingly enough! So make sure you’re chewing your food well and take your tim

!#1 TCR DIGESTION RULE- NO COFFEE BEFORE FOOD!

This can be healthy fats fruits, eggs, oatmeal or whatever you would like, but having coffee on an empty stomach is a no-no. The spikes are cortisol levels, affects our metabolism and since the tone for an acidic enviroment for the rest of the day.

For years we have been told that fruits are one of the healthiest foods, so naturally, we look for ways to add more to our diets. Most people do this by adding fruit to their meals, such as topping their granola or porridge with a banana. However, consuming fruit with slow-digesting foods like starches and proteins may be counterproductive as it could actually slow down the digestive process. This then increases the likelihood of feeling bloating after a meal or suffering from feelings of indigestion. Don’t worry, though, as, on its own, fruit is a fast-digesting food. So eating it at least one hour before or after a meal will aid digestion and boost metabolism. This fact might be a little controversial, and we would be lying if we said we always follow this rule… But it is an important thing to remember if you were experiencing chronic bloating after eating, indigestion or irregular bowel movements.

Practice yoga and meditation

Mindful practices like yoga, breathwork, and meditation have a powerful impact on the gut-brain connection. They activate the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” response, which is responsible for stimulating digestion.  People who live a high-stress lifestyle get stuck in the sympathetic nervous system response where functions like digestion are disabled. Therefore, yoga and meditation can help bring the nervous system back into balance, regulate bowel movements, and relieve digestion problems like IBS.

There are tons of beneficial yoga poses that aid in digestion and detox location of the guy in the colon. One of our favorite yoga poses to do in the morning to amplify this would be child’s pose, any twists or upward facing dog.We have some amazing yoga flows within The Collective Ritual dedicated to these concerns under the movement tab in the membership! In addition, specific yoga postures that compress the digestive organs, like twists, can stimulate peristalsis and help food move through the digestive tract.