Lifestyle
Better digestion to feel better about yourself: Aurélie Canzoneri's naturopathic advice
If there are two elements that naturopaths question when they are consulted for an illness, it is the quality of the diet and, by domino effect, that of the intestinal flora. And to take care of your digestive system, you have to understand it! Aurélie Canzoneri explains how it works and gives us her little tips to facilitate digestion on a daily basis.
Intestinal flora: the key to an effective immune system
If we say "difficult digestion", you immediately think of bloating, stomach aches and other joys... But did you know that other disorders or even diseases could also result from a totally unbalanced intestinal flora? This can be the case, for example, of acne, psoriasis, eczema, chronic fatigue, inflammatory diseases... Thus, for our immune system to act effectively, it will depend on both the balance of our intestinal flora and the state of our intestinal wall. This duo constitutes our first barrier to the entry of bacteria and viruses.
The influence of food on our psychological state
95% of serotonin is manufactured in our intestine, from its precursor, tryptophan. tryptophan. Tryptophan is present in avocado, chicken, turkey, wheat germ, eggs, brown rice, bananas, lettuce, potatoes, etc. This neurotransmitter, precursor of melatonin facilitates the falling asleeprelaxation. The influence of our food on our mind is therefore very important.
How to improve your digestion?
- Chew well! It seems obvious but with our lives going at 300 per hour, we can quickly forget it ;-)
- Avoid eating under stress, in front of the TV... Eat your meals in a calm environment.
- Eat raw food at the beginning of your meal (juice or raw vegetables) according to your tolerance.
- Prefer gentle cooking such as steaming so as not to destroy vitamins and enzymes.
- Avoid refined, ready-made products as much as possible.
- Include fibre in your meals.
- Beware of bad associations: preferably eat fruit outside of meals.
- Avoid drinking water with meals as it dilutes the digestive juices. Drink between 1L and 1.5L of water per day.
- Vary your protein sources.
- Cut down on stimulants like tea and coffee.
- Add sweet spices and herbs to your favorite dishes: thyme, rosemary, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon...
- Take regular exercise.
Plants for a good digestion
- Plants that help the digestive system and therefore the intestines: mallow, marshmallow as well as flax, psyllium, chia.
- To support the liver: desmodium, milk thistle, chrysanthellum americanum.
- To drain the liver: rosemary, dandelion, artichoke, black radish.
- Concerning pre and probiotics, to avoid self-medication, you can contact Aurélie Canzoneri for more information.
Would you like to learn more about your diet? Catch up with our naturopath every Sunday night live on our Instagram account for the duration of the lockdown!
Photo credits: 1. © Marta Bevacqua 2. © The Merrythought. 3. © Golubka Kitchen
