When the weather cools and calms, so can our digestive systems. We begin to crave warm stews, roasts, and soups, and those root veggies with an earthiness to them. The body has a difficult time transitioning seasons. This happens to most people and there is nothing wrong with your body. We go from a hot summer, where we want nothing but fresh, raw foods and transition to colder weather where that food won’t work anymore. But you can take the ques it is sending you; work with them, explore them, and feed them. There have been a lot more hot baths, hot packs, sweaters, wool socks, and the needing to keep warmth happening. The same thing you are feeling on the outside may need to be taking place on the inside. That warm and fiery stomach, may need a little bit of help to keep warm too. Stoke the fire. Tend the flame.
Some of my favorite ways to help your digestion are listed below for fall and winter seasons.
A couple of tea drinking options:
- Drink 4-6 ounces of digestive tea with your meals. Do not be drinking cold or iced beverages.
- Sip on warm digestive teas all day that boost your digestion and detoxification. This technique is especially helpful if you are feeling dried out or thirsty.
You could also snack on ginger chews, crystalized ginger, or make your own ginger paste to warm up a cold digestive system.
Castor Oil Pack with heating pad applied for one hour. Place the pack over the area that bothers and can do this every 3 days or so. If you don’t have instructions on how to do this, we have some for you. We also usually carry an organic castor oil on our shelves.
Infrared Sauna, Sauna, Hot tub, Hot bath with Epsom Salt– do you see a theme? 🙂
Warm food, slightly steamed or cooked food, warming spices like turmeric, curry, ginger, cardamom, pepper, red pepper flakes, soups, stews, roasts, food in the crockpot….anything but cold cereal and salads!
Stewed Apples or Warm Applesauce especially for breakfast or with some oatmeal may be a great way to start the day.
Aloe Vera Juice– 4 ounces right away in the morning without food may be beneficial for some with constipation.
A couple of my favorite digestive teas listed below:
Banyan Botanicals: CCF: Digest and Detox Tea https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/detox-digest/?product_sizes=292
or the orginal CCF tea: https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/ccf-tea/?product_sizes=75
Other Self Care Options:
Massage– a great therapist can work on your belly too!! And imagine hot stones and essential oils on your tummy, yes please! We have a lot of talented therapists in the area, massage is a necessity sometimes, not a treat nor selfish. Ask if you need to find a therapist!
Chiropractic Adjustments– the midback and low back can often be achy and painful when digestion isn’t strong. Often people become aware their midback gets tight almost before the stomach pain sets in. We’ve also been utilizing Cupping with Infrared Red Light Therapy for this pain! See a Chiropractor or let us help you find one!
Acupuncture (may need to be weekly for a few weeks to allow your organs to get an energy flow going the right way). Dr. Christine uses acupuncture with her chiropractic patients. The feedback has been great. We can also help you find an acupuncturist near you!
Some Supplement Ideas for Digestive Health
When the above self care and home options may not be quite cutting it, there are several herbs and supplemental options available. The trick is getting to know your body, what it is off balance, and feeding or nourishing it with the things it is asking for. Ask us at the clinic, and we will do our best to help you. But sometimes with humans being so different individually, it can be a little trial and error for you to learn what works for you.
Some options we have for supplementation at the clinic:
Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummies:
- These delicious gummies are made with apple cider vinegar as well as other ingredients that promote healthy digestion. Even the kids love them!
Lipo-Flow:
- This supplement promotes support for healthy fat metabolism through its specialized blend of lipotropic compounds. Is generally good for people that have a hard time breaking down fats or have gallbladder troubles.
Spectrum BR:
- The Spectrum BR is a herbal support supplement that promotes healthy function for the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. This is a fantastic option for those people with trouble digesting or eliminating foods high in histamine or have trouble with bacteria. The usual response is a stuffy nose or bloating after eating. Check out all the foods that may be high in histamine, but also the foods that help it clear. We have a great handout at the clinic if you want to learn more.
HCl Support:
- This supplement contains Betaine HCl (hydrochloric acid) and Pepsin which when combined is considered a proteolytic enzyme that works synergistically to support healthy digestive function, especially before consuming a protein-containing meal. Improves the fire of the stomach to break down your foods, helping with bloating or gassiness, and even elimination of the bowel.
Digestive Vegetarian:
- The Digestive Vegetarian provides 11 non-animal derived enzymes that support proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. This is a gentler version of the Digestive Complete, to help with fats, proteins, and carbs. Improves the fire of the stomach to break down your foods, helping with bloating or gassiness, and even elimination of the bowel.
Digestive Complete:
- Digestive Complete is considered a comprehensive enzyme complex that helps support healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients. Helps break down fats, proteins, and carbs. Improves the fire of the stomach to break down your foods, helping with bloating or gassiness, and even elimination of the bowel.
I Travel Well Tincture:
- This supplement works to maintain digestion and eliminate natural toxins that can accumulate due to an irregular diet and schedule. The I Travel Well support supplement also contains ginger, ashwagandha, bacopa, holy basil, fennel and others which has been said to help the body adjust to new time zones and environmental rhythms. Great option for the nervous feeling tummy.
Easy Digest Tincture:
- Easy Digest is a blend of herbs that supports the digestive process by promoting proper digestion, absorption, and assimilation which is needed for the body to supply energy, and heal and function properly. Can be taken before or after meals, a warming sensation if the belly is having trouble feeling settled or relaxed with eating. Coriander, Fennel, anise, cardamom, peppermint, celery, ginger. Warms your belly.
Swedish Bitters:
- Swedish Bitters is a digestive supplement that provides the bitterness that is needed in a diet which stimulates the bile production, breaks down fats, lessens feeling of fullness or gas, and promotes regularity. This is a liquid form, alcohol free base, so often useful for people who are sick of taking pills or can’t swallow them.
Take care of yourselves as the weather continues to cool and our bodies need a little more nourishment.
As always, we will do our best to help you. You are welcome to call or email your questions, but some are complex and may require an appointment. It doesn’t hurt to ask, so we can help guide you once we know more.
**And thank you to those of you asking,**
Does my online supplement order through Nutri Dyn or Standard Process still support your small business?
YES.
It helps tremendously. Thank you.
It helps support all the hours outside of clinic hours it takes to provide this information to you, the hours of reading and studying, the emails and phone calls, the YouTube videos, and the little things that it takes to make it go. THANK YOU for your in office and online orders, your support is appreciated. – Dr. Christine