6 Steps to a Morning Routine for Better Digestion
Do you ever notice that some days you feel amazing, with zero bloat and no uncomfortable gas, and digestion seems to be top notch, and then other days you can feel totally off even though you’re eating close to the same thing every day?
It’s not in your head!
This is something I speak in depth with my 1-on-1 clients about, but I wanted to touch on it here too, because it is such an important topic, that is easily overlooked!
Nourishing from the inside out, is about more than just what we put into our body (which is of course important as well) but our thoughts, feelings and stress levels play an important role as well. How we set up our day is SO important for setting up a foundation for optimal health.
Does this sound familiar to you?
👉🏼hitting snooze a few too many times, leading to you rushing out the door to get to work on time
👉🏼you skip breakfast or eat it in the car on the way to starting your day
👉🏼you scroll through your phone as soon as you wake up
👉🏼you rarely take time for yourself in the morning
👉🏼sip on coffee before anything else
If this sounds like you, and better digestion is your goal, I definitely encourage you to keep reading.
6 Steps to a Morning Routine for Better Digestion
Wake Up As Naturally As Possible
Waking up the the harsh buzz of an alarm clock, and hitting snooze time after time, can start your day on a stressful note! You could open your blinds so that you wake up with the sun or invest in an alarm clock that wakes you up with light first, followed by calming sounds that slowly lift you from slumber! This is the alarm clock that I invested in!
If you need to wake up extra early, make sure you’re getting to bed at a good time as well!
Start Your Day on a Hydrating Note (Water Before Coffee)
Hands cup if you’re guilty of starting your day with coffee first thing?🙌🏼
If you raised your hand, know that you’re not alone, but that this might not be the best way to start your day. It could leave you feeling jittery, with acid reflux, and imbalanced blood sugar, but having breakfast FIRST might alleviate some of these symptoms.
Instead, let’s try starting your day on a hydrating note! Water is involved in several bodily functions, like carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, lubricating joints, regulating body temperature, and preventing constipation.
Adding a little lemon juice to your morning cup of water is a fantastic way to get your digestive system moving in the morning. Lemon juice stimulates digestion, is hydrating, promotes bowel movements, balances pH and is liver supportive.
Set Aside 10 Minutes of “Me Time” In The Morning
Set aside some time for a relaxing activity for YOU. This might mean some simple stretching, journalling, meditation, or going for a short walk.
Slowing down to enjoy these simple, but relaxing activities helps to stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system- also known as your "rest and digest" nervous system. The more we tap into this nervous system, the more our bodies will thank us.
Eat Breakfast Without Distractions
Are you guilty of grabbing breakfast on the go? Or not even making the time for breakfast at all?
The goal is to eat a nourishing breakfast while sitting at the table, without the distractions of the tv, or your phone.
When you're not mindful on mealtime, you're missing out on sensory cues like the sight, smell, and taste of your food. This is important in supporting healthy digestion.
When we're not paying attention at meal time, we're more likely to overeat, not chew thoroughly and our stomach isn't primed for incoming food.
Meal Prep Breakfasts if You Have Limited Time In The Morning (Bonus Points for Prebiotic Rich Foods!)
If you find mornings stressful, and you just never seem to have enough time, try meal prepping your breakfast the night before! My favourite way to do this is with some overnight oats! This is one of my favourite recipes! Prebiotics are a form of dietary fibre that FEED our good gut bacteria! This includes oats, barley, bananas, apples, flaxseeds etc. So that morning overnight oat recipe will not only give you energy, but will also help feed those good gut bacteria that we need to thrive!
Be Prepared For It To Not Always Work Out, But Don’t Give Up!
Maybe you've got a sick child on your hands, or you have an unusually early commitment that you can't cancel. Either way, things come up! I am a firm beleiver that something is better than nothing, and GO EASY ON YOURSELF! Did you have time for a lemon water and thats it? GREAT! Were you able to have a nutritious breakfast while sitting at the table? AMAZING! Can you carve out some time in the morning just for you? UNREAL! Do what you can, because it's all we can do!
If you’ve tried it all to improve your digestion, but you’re still left feeling bloated, uncomfortable, gassy and not sure what to do about it, let’s chat! I help my clients get to the ROOT of their digestive woes, and I do it in a way that doesn’t feel restrictive! Book a discovery call so we can chat about your health goals and see if we would be a good fit for one another.