BANISH THE BLOAT
Lifehouse Country Spa Resort’s Resident Naturopath, Sue Davis, provides us with tips on banishing the bloat, an increasingly common problem for the modern day man and woman.
Bloating normally relates to a number of possible digestive imbalances:
The importance of saliva
Digestion starts in the mouth. Salivary amylase, a digestive enzyme, is released when we see, smell or think about food. This produces saliva in the mouth which starts to break down carbohydrates. If you leave a piece of bread in your mouth for 5 minutes it will start to taste sweet. This is glucose and fuel that creates energy. Chewing food thoroughly initiates the whole digestive process.
prepare food from scratch to fire up the digestive juices
eat bitter foods prior to meals to help initiate saliva production (lemon or apple cider vinegar in warm water, rocket, olives)
chew food thoroughly
eat in a relaxed state
Low stomach acid
Good levels are required to break down protein such as eggs, poultry, fish and meat. Partly broken down protein can irritate the bowel wall causing inflammation. Symptoms of low stomach acid are very common including burping when eating and feeling full after eating very little.
take time to relax and eat, don’t eat on the go
eat bitter foods prior to meal ie, olives, rocket, lemon, lime or apple cider vinegar in warm water 10 mins prior to meals
ensure you chew food thoroughly
Low digestive enzymes
Required to break down all food group. Age, stress and intestinal inflammation can affect production.
smoothies, soups and lightly cooked or steamed food are easier on the digestion. Raw food can be more difficult to digest if enzymes are deficient
take a digestive enzyme supplement half way through each meal
Food intolerances
Not to be confused with food allergies. An allergy is life threatening with very severe symptoms which can happen immediately. Food intolerances are much more subtle and symptoms can
develop over a 3 day period. Food intolerances can be caused by low stomach acid, low digestive enzymes, stress or simply eating the same type of foods on a daily basis.
add more variety to your daily diet ie, eat seasonally
supplement with Slippery Elm, Glutamine, Aloe Vera to heal the intestine wall and reduce inflammation.
book a Food Intolerance Consultation at Lifehouse to establish any food intolerances
Good vs Bad Bacteria
The bowel contains mostly beneficial bacteria however some of the micro-organisms are less friendly such as yeasts and parasites which can create bowel toxicity and quickly proliferate especially with poor diet, stress or antibiotic use. A healthy bowel is populated with good bacteria known as ‘pro-biotics’.
eat natural bio-yoghurt 3-4 times a week
eliminate sugar rich foods which encourage the overgrowth of bad bacteria, yeasts and parasites
Constipation
A stagnant bowel can reduce optimal levels of probiotics and encourage bad bacteria to proliferate. Bloating, pain and constipation predominate along with feelings of toxicity, frequent headaches and a coated tongue. Constipation can occur from stress, overuse of laxatives, lack of fibre or dehydration.
- increase water intake to 2 litres a day
- Soak 1 tbspn linseeds in water for 4 hours then drink before bed
- increase daily soluble fibre ie, fruits, vegetables, pulses, wholegrains
- reduce ‘sticky’ foods such as eggs, bananas, dairy products from cow, white flour products
- increase magnesium rich foods to improve gut muscle function - green leafy vegetables, nuts and sunflower seeds.
- take magnesium supplements
Tips To Improve Digestion
drink ginger, chamomile and peppermint teas to reduce bloating
eat fruit away from protein (except papaya (papain) & pineapple (bromelain). These fruits are beneficial for digestion
opt for live yogurt to boost beneficial bacteria
do not drink lots of water with meals. This dilutes the digestive enzymes and stomach acid so food cannot be broken down efficiently
have bitter foods prior to meals to stimulate digestive juices
Ends
For more information please contact:
Harriet or Lucy at The Spa PR Company harriet@thespaprcompany.com / lucy@thespaprcompany.com T: 0207 100 7018
Note to Editors:
About Lifehouse Country Spa Resort:
Only 80 minutes fromLondon, Lifehouse Country Spa Resort will help you revitalise and relax in beautiful surroundings. With a wide selection of day and residential packages to choose from, guests can indulge for a day of pampering or an overnight stay and truly get away from it all.
With 89 bedrooms, 35 treatment rooms, a gym, exercise studio, swimming pool, sauna & steam room, thermal spa area with salt-inhalation room, relaxation area, manicure and pedicure stations and our exclusive Oriental Bathing Experience, you can do as much or as little as you like!
Lifehouse uses BABOR products and treatments. The fantastic range BABOR products, made from plant-based ingredients to enhance natural beauty. BABOR offers a unique concept to offer both male and female guests effective results in harmony with nature. None of the products or ingredients are tested on animals.
If you want to get fit, Lifehouse have an excellent fitness team here who can guide you from mild exercise such as meditation and yoga through to Latin dancing and Nordic walking. You can also experience a tailor-made workout with one of our personal trainers.
If you enjoy your food then you will love the British cuisine Lifehouse serve here where you can experience fine-dining in our Water lilies restaurant, or enjoy a smoothie in our Strawberry Tree bar.
We have 12 acres of listed gardens that you can explore whilst you are here. The gardens are steeped in history and the perfect place to unwind if you have a love of gardens and horticulture. You may also want to take advantage of our bikes you can hire or simply relax on a bench overlooking our beautiful lakes.
Winner of Best Large Hotel, voted by the Essex Tourism Awards 2011, Lifehouse is sure to give you the space and light you need to relax completely.
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