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Soothing Stretches to Ease Digestion

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:00:58 -0800

With Thanksgiving coming up, I'm sure many of you are looking forward to chowing down on some delicious foods. Most of us end up eating way more than usual, and since many of the dishes may be richer or sweeter than you're used to, it can cause some major discomfort in the tummy department. Here are some gentle stretches you can do to ease digestion.

Don't see your favorite yoga pose here? Then write about it in our Yoga Stretch and Tell group. I am sure all of our digestive systems could benefit from a wide variety of stretches.

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What Kind of Stomach Do You Have?

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Some people can eat whatever they want - spicy dishes, fried foods, dairy products, and beans - and their stomachs are like rocks. They hardly ever get upset tummies. Then there are people with sensitive digestive systems, and anything they eat can cause tummy troubles. What about you?

Do You Avoid Foods That Give You Gas?

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Eating spicy foods, green peppers, broccoli, beans, meat, dairy products, high fiber cereal, and apples are a few common foods that can result in gas for some people. I'm sure you know exactly what kinds of foods cause your tummy to gurgle and become bloated. So tell me . . .

Green Peppers and Digestion

FitSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:00:00 -0700

I invited a friend over for dinner the other night, and after eating our salads, I went to clear her plate and saw a big pile of green peppers. "Not a fan, huh?" I said. She patted her belly and said, "They don't agree with me." Apparently, many people share the complaint that green peppers are tough to digest. They say this green veggie makes them gassy. If this sounds familiar, keep reading

Yoga to Help You Digest on T-Day

FitSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:30:00 -0800

With Thanksgiving coming up, I'm sure many of you are looking forward to chowing down. You may end up eating more than usual, and many of the foods may be richer or sweeter than you're used to having. Unfortunately that means you may have some discomfort in the tummy department. Here are some gentle stretches you can do to get some relief.

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Are You "Regular"?

FitSugar — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 03:30:00 -0700

There are many health topics that aren't exactly considered "polite" conversation - things like spitting and sweating. One subject, not often discussed but a health indicator nonetheless, is regularity. If there is enough fiber in your diet, this might be a non-issue for you, but if your digestive health is at all funky this is something you pay attention to. With IBS and abdominal bloating, being popular topics here at FitSugar, I thought I would just cut to the chase and ask a basic question . . .

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Acidophilus Pearls: The Goodness of Yogurt Without the Spoon

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:00:00 -0700

I'm sure you've all heard about how the live active cultures in yogurt are excellent for your digestive tract. If you have a hard time fitting in a cup of yogurt into your diets everyday or if you just don't eat dairy products, then Acidophilus Pearls, a type of probiotic supplement, were made for you then. It offers the benefits of acidophilus without the calories, cholesterol, sugars, or lactose found in yogurt. If you have tummy troubles, taking one capsule a day can help alleviate occasional gas and constipation plus symptoms of lactose intolerance. Plus these Pearls don't need to be refrigerated like other probiotic pills - and they even made the list of the best probiotics for your money.

Want to know what else probiotics are good for? Then read more

When it comes to your belly, probiotics assist the body's naturally occurring gut flora (useful microorganisms that live in the digestive tract) that often get out of whack because of the foods we eat, and they help maintain a balance of healthy bacteria. Not only that but they also support your immune system and benefit your skin. Taking probiotics can also reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improve mineral absorption, prevent yeast infections, and improve symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Colitis. Wow. All I know is that when I take them, I feel so much better.

Who knew they did all that. Do any of you take Acidophilus Pearls or another kind of probiotic?

Belly Aching? Try Some Yoga

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:30:00 -0800

So how are you feeling after that enormous Thanksgiving meal? Not so good? If your belly is feeling less than perfect, try some of these "wind releasing" stretches (that's really what they're called).

Nothing gets things moving along like a great spinal twist. This one is called 1-Legged Seated Spinal Twist or Marichyasana.

Want to see the other stretches? Then

If you're bloated or constipated, bend both knees into your chest and give yourself a big hug. It'll help to massage your abdominal organs.
You can also do this pose by alternately hugging one knee into the chest, holding for five breaths, and then switching sides.

Fit's Tips: Does your body need a little bit more stretching? Why not bring along a gentle yoga DVD and pop it in. Get your family members to do it along with you. It'll help you relax from the stress of traveling and also help with digestion.

Digestion and You: The Thanksgiving Edition

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:00:00 -0800

I have quizzed you about making healthier and lower calorie choices at your Thanksgiving Day feast. I have even quizzed you on the typical caloric load of the meal. But what happens after the food leaves your mouth?

Digesting your T-day meal is a feat unto itself. Take this quiz to see how eating turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, and apple pie affects your belly.

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Melon: Should You Eat it Separately?

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Have you heard of Trophology? It is the study of food combining. Since foods digest at different rates you should avoid certain food combinations and some foods should just simply be eaten on their own. I have a friend who is really into trophology and she insists that melons of all kinds be eaten solo.

Her reasoning about melons goes like this - melons are really easy to digest since they're mostly made of water. Food combiners believe that melon should be eaten separately or only with other fresh fruits. When eating melons with other types of foods, like whole grains, dairy products or meat which all take longer to digest, the melon has to hang out in your stomach while the other food is digested. This holding pattern causes the melon to ferment and then cause gas pain and/or flatulence.

The only info I could find on this is from food combining websites - not so scientific data. So you can believe this and eat your melons on their own, or forget about it and enjoy your cantaloupe and cottage cheese. Personally I've never had a problem, but I guess ever body is different.

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