Plant Based Comfort Food for Digestive Health
Do you think plant based eating means forcing yourself to eat things that you really don’t like or crave? Instead, perhaps eating for optimal digestive health begins with the foods we love and that our body enjoys. Starting with your early childhood, try listing all the plant based whole foods that you loved eating and work your way up to the present time. For me, some of the earliest foods I enjoyed eating, like the black olives at Thanksgiving, the carrots my mom was chopping up before dinner time, or the raspberries we found wild in the forest, are still some of my favorite foods. Since becoming an adult and “knowing better,” or when trying to force myself to quickly convert to a certain “diet,” I have gone through times where I am eating more for the “shoulds” than listening to my own body. While I have greatly expanded my palette and I do want to incorporate all sorts of plant foods - from the dark green leafies to the exotic mushrooms, tangy fermented foods, and all sorts of sprouts and interesting legumes - I find that keeping to some of these basic foods I have always loved and have more recently found I love, makes my body sing! And also my belly, aiding in my digestive healing.
For some ideas when making your own, here’s my list of simple “snackable” plant based foods that I just plain LOVE:
Cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, black olives, romaine hearts, and sliced celery (sometimes with a little nut butter)
Raspberries, plums, apple slices, frozen bananas, strawberries, and golden kiwi
Sliced ripe plantains with oats, soy milk and vanilla/cardamom/cinnamon powder
Dates with nut butter (sometimes a small chunk of dark chocolate)
Sourdough bread with sliced avocado
Cubes of tofu cooked with salt and/or coconut aminos
My list of plant based “comfort” recipes:
Minestrone soup
Kiwi and dragonfruit sliced into a “smoothie bowl” with oats
Oat, cassava or buckwheat pancakes with blueberries and/or bananas
Red lentil crepes
Air fried potato wedges
Why Eliminating Snacks Supports Optimal Health
It all begins with an idea.
Not snacking between meals supports your digestive system in several key ways, primarily by allowing your body to activate and complete the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC)
C) is a series of contractions that occur in the digestive system during the fasting state, acting as a "housekeeper" to clear out leftover food particles, bacteria, and other debris. This cyclic pattern of contractions helps move undigested matter from the stomach and small intestine into the large intestine.
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Here's how:
MMC Activation and Cleaning: The MMC, your gut's "housekeeper," needs time to activate and sweep through your small intestine. This sweeping action removes leftover food particles, bacteria, and debris, keeping your gut clean and healthy.
Preventing Bacterial Overgrowth: If the MMC is constantly disrupted by snacking, it can't effectively clear bacteria, potentially leading to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine (SIBO). This overgrowth can cause digestive issues like bloating, gas, and discomfort.
Optimal Digestion: Giving your digestive system a break between meals allows it to focus on fully digesting and absorbing the nutrients from your meals. Constantly grazing can hinder this process, potentially leading to incomplete digestion.
Improved Gut Motility: Regular breaks between meals can support healthy gut motility, the movement of food through your digestive tract. This helps prevent constipation and ensures efficient waste elimination.
Reduced Bloating and Discomfort: By allowing the MMC to function effectively, you can reduce the accumulation of gas-producing bacteria in the small intestine, potentially alleviating bloating and discomfort.
In essence, by not snacking frequently, you provide your digestive system with the necessary downtime to activate its natural cleansing mechanisms, which contributes to a healthier gut and better overall digestion.
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It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
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Blog Post Title Four
It all begins with an idea.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.