Weight is not a cakewalk. It may prove to be an overwhelming journey for some with no guarantee of instant results. Your diet is only a part of your weight loss efforts. There are many other important aspects that one often rules out or does not take into consideration when it comes to weight loss. For instance, side effect of some medication, prevailing medical conditions, stress are all contributors to weight gain. All of these factors demand your attention too, if you are looking for a sustainable weight loss. Digestion is one such factor that is closely linked to a healthy weight loss. Bad digestion can lead to weight gain, as we are not able to absorb and assimilate our nutrients properly; moreover, it may not be able to eliminate waste from our body efficiently either. This may lead to slowing down of the metabolic rate, which makes it more difficult to burn calories properly.
Here Are 5 Tips To Improve Your Digestion And Metabolism Naturally:
1. Include More Fibre-Rich Foods: Eat fruits, herbs and vegetables that are high on fibre. Fibre adds bulk to the stool and facilitates bowel regularity, thereby aiding digestion. Fibres also take the longest digest, which means they stay in your system for long, thus inducing a sense of satiety. If you feel full for long, you are less likely to binge on other fattening foods. Some of the most fibre-rich fruits and vegetables are apples, pears, oranges, spinach, broccoli and avocados.
2. Strike a Balance Between Cooked Foods And Raw Foods: It is true that raw foods are in vogue these days. Since they are not processed or cooked in fattening ingredients, they definitely pack a bunch of nutrients that are not compromised. But, that does not mean you do not maintain portion control or balance. According to Dr. Shikha Sharma's '100 Weight Loss Tips', it is easier to digest cooked foods as compared to raw foods. She also writes, "Always leave some space in your stomach when eating. Overeating creates imbalances within the body, thus making you uncomfortable."
3. Eat light after 7 PM: It has been well-established by modern science that our metabolism is the least during night. The later you have your dinner in the day, the tougher it gets for your body to break down the food and digest it. Clinical Nutritionist Dr. Rupali Dutta says, "An early dinner is good for digestion, and anything that is good for digestion aids weight loss. It is said that the body is wired to the movement of the sun. The later we eat, more are the chances of the food lying in the intestines, affecting the digestion. On the other hand, if you have your dinner early, you reach the satiety value earlier, the body is able to utilise the food better. The body uses everything we eat. If the calories produced are not put to use, it is stored as fat. It is also advised to cut back on salt for your dinner. This would help you check your water weight.
4. Do not pair incompatible foods: Wrong food combinations may adversely affect the digestive fire, leading to indigestion. According to 'The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies', some of the incompatible combinations are milk and bananas, curd and sour fruits, eggs and milk.
5. Stimulating Digestive Juices: According to Ayurveda, you must ensure the 'agni' or the digestive fire is never put out. If you are facing problems with your tummy or your digestive system, chances are that you need to ignite your digestive fire. One of the best ways to ignite digestive fire is by chewing into a fresh grated piece of ginger, combined with a drop of lime and pinch of salt, advises Dr. Vasant Lad in his book, 'The Complete Book Of Ayurvedic Home Remedies'. Cumin, bay leaf and garlic are also good ingredients to stimulate digestion. Use them in your food in moderate quantities.
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