As autumn approaches, you may be starting to think about creating some new rhythms and routines. The transition of seasons is a wonderful time to reassess where you’re out of balance and create healthier habits moving forward.
Supporting digestion is a great way to amp up your healing and get on track for a healthy fall. As the colder months arrive, it’s common to crave heavier food, so your digestion must be working well.
Optimize Hydration
You probably know that much of your body is water, and hydration is incredibly important. Water lubricates your joints and tissues, flushes out waste products, helps transmit signals in the nervous system, aids in the metabolism of food, and helps regulate your body temperature. Dehydration can contribute to low energy, sore or cramping muscles, reduced mental clarity, constipation, and an increased sensitivity to toxins.
Foods that are high in water, like vegetables and fruits, have the right amount of water for digestion and assimilation. Processed and packaged foods, on the other hand, are drying and dehydrating. Especially if you drink coffee, black or green tea, alcohol, or caffeinated drinks, you need to focus on hydration for optimal digestive function.
Getting hydrated doesn’t mean you have to keep a water bottle with you at all times. In fact, try not to drink water with meals, and avoid cold water. Instead, drink room-temperature water and drink between meals. Consuming cold drinks or lots of water with meals will dampen your digestive fire, leading to weak digestion. If you feel hungry between meals, try drinking a glass of room-temperature water before reaching for a snack.
Learn more here: More than Water: The Art of Deep Hydration
Prepare Grains and Beans the Right Way
When prepared correctly, grains, beans, and legumes are an important part of a healthy, whole-foods diet. It may be necessary to cut out grains or beans from your diet temporarily due to specific health concerns. Still, the majority of people will benefit from the nutrients and energy these foods provide if they’re prepared and cooked in a way that makes them more digestible.
One way to improve digestibility is to soak or ferment. Learn more about how to prepare beans and grains here:
Increase Fibrous Food
The health of your digestion relies very heavily on your ability to eliminate waste and the health of your gut microbiome. Good bacteria in your microbiome keep bad bacteria in check, support your immune system, produce essential vitamins, decrease inflammation, help to break down food, and even contribute to a healthy metabolism.
Include fibre in your diet in the form of fresh vegetables, whole grains, seeds, beans, and legumes. This will both support healthy elimination and feed the good bacteria in your gut. Try the recipe below for stewed apples (I like it with my morning oatmeal).
Stewed Apples with Prunes Recipe
- Heat 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan.
- When the water comes to a boil, add 1-2 apples (cored and chopped) and 1/4 cup chopped prunes
- Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon and optionally 1/4 tsp cardamom and 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
- Cook until the fruit is soft and the mixture is slightly thickened.
Do a Kitchari Cleanse
If you’d like to cleanse in the fall, consider a program that involves slightly heavier food. One way to accomplish this is by eating a traditional Ayurvedic monodiet. During this cleanse, kitchari is eaten at all three meals. This diet can be followed for just one day or multiple days in a row.
Eating the same food every day creates stability and very gently invites the body to remove toxins. It also helps to cleanse and reset your sense of taste. Kitchari can be constipating for some people. If that’s the case, try adding fresh juices and vegetable soups to the cleanse.
Traditional Kitchari Monodiet Recipe
- Soak 1 cup split mung beans and 1 cup white basmati rice overnight.
- Wash until the water runs clear.
- Heat a large pot on medium heat. Melt one tablespoon of ghee.
- Add one tablespoon fresh ginger and spices (1 teaspoon black mustard seeds, coriander, cumin, fennel, fenugreek seeds, turmeric and a pinch of asafetida) and roast for a few minutes.
- Add beans and rice and stir again.
- Add 6-8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes on medium heat. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot and continue to cook until the beans and rice become soft (30-40minutes).
- Add salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro and lemon or yogurt.
Healing your digestion is such an essential part of overall health and well-being. As you create new fall routines, I hope you try some of these tips!
Want to learn more about digestion? Read this article: Feeling sluggish, heavy and bloated? Support your Spleen!
