How to Improve Your Digestion On a Raw Food Diet
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 12:25 am
(above: This was a recent meal I had at Borrowed Earth in Chicago. To be easiest on my digestion, I ate the salads first one at a time and then at the YUMMY “Chili-rito”)
I don’t think I’ve shared any insights on how to improve your digestion and assimilation of food, even on a raw food diet, yet on this blog. I love sharing about this because it’s possible to loose 5 lbs of gunk and gain some incredible energy just by doing this alone! (I’m not promising though.) The quicker and more efficiently you digest everything you eat, the cleaner your body will feel and run. I really got into most of this after reading Natalia Rose’s book The Raw Food Detox Diet and her points on food combining. But I’ve added some other pointers her as well. These are just suggestions to free up your body with more energy. If you don’t have a problem with digestion then I suggest you keep doing what you’re doing ☺ I don’t follow all these suggestions everyday myself but I do notice an amazing difference when I do!
- Uncooked foods digest in 1/3 to ½ the time of cooked foods so you have a big head start here already with your raw food meals!
- It’s best to eat fruit alone and at least 30 minutes before meals and always eat melons alone–or leave them alone, as the saying goes.
- It’s best to keep sprouted grains and nuts separate because different enzymes are required to digest the foods and the enzymes basically work against each other out in your stomach.
- If you’re eating cooked foods and meat, it’s best to eat only one type of cooked food or animal protein at each meal and always have raw salad vegetables and salad fruits (cucumbers, tomatoes, avos, bell pepper, etc.) with it.
- Soaking nuts and seeds to deactivate enzyme inhibitors make them much easier to digest. Hemp seeds don’t need to be soaked though.
- It’s ideal for your energy and digestion to start out the day with lighter foods and move towards heavier foods later in the day. For example—juice, fruit or a green smoothie later, salad with some avocado for lunch, and salad or raw food entrée with some nuts and/or seeds for dinner.
- Try to eat your juiciest foods first and then more towards heavier foods. For example—cucumbers to carrots to avocado.
- Chew slowly and thoroughly–into liquid form if possible. Here are two sayings you may have already heard: “Drink your food, chew your juice,” and “Chew your food well for your stomach has no teeth.”
- Drink water or juices minimally before and after meals and try to not drink during meals. Liquids wash down the food before the enzymes in the saliva can break down the food so it can really hinder digestion. It also dilutes the gastric juices. (I know this can be a toughie. I usually drink too soon after a meal but I do find it’s best for me to wait at least 30 minutes after.)
- This is an simple but not always easy one to improve your digestion: eat only when hungry. Wait until stomach is empty. Aim for 4 to 5 hours between each meal.
- Keep your quantity of food to 2-3 cups of food per meal –imagine if your meal was blended with a little water in a Vita-Mix to figure this one out. I heard this one recommended by Viktoras Kulvinskas once.
- Build up your stomach’s hydrochloric acid by adding in natural salts and acidic foods such as Celery Juice, Lemon Juice, ginger, ACV, sea salt, etc.
- Digestive enzymes or apple cider vinegar before meals(sip ½ tsp. ACV before meals to activate digestive juices.) are also very helpful. I take a digestive enzyme before most meals (unless it’s just fruit or a green smoothie).
Question: What are some ways you’ve discovered to improve your digestion? Or maybe some things you’ve discovered definitely hindered your digestion? I’d love to hear from you!
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