Gut health controls the vitality of your entire body.
Your digestive system affects everything from your immune response, stress levels, sleep patterns, skin clarity, energy reserves… and the list goes on.
Scientists have even dubbed the GI tract the “second brain.”
So, if this system is so crucial for a thriving body — why do so many people mistreat it?
Perhaps the biggest culprit is a collective blindspot when it comes to food. Many have been desensitized to how their diet affects their body, but this is a big mistake. You have to watch out for pesticides in your produce, refined sugars and grains, excessive alcohol consumption, BPA from plastic products and food allergies… to name a few.
The next step for better digestive health (and the topic of today’s piece) — is to add specific superfoods to your diet…
Here are 3 foods that pave the way for better digestion.
#1 Fermented foods
I know — these foods are pungent and can rock the taste buds. But the fact is that fermented foods like pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha strengthen your digestion via your microbiome.
What is the microbiome? Glad you asked. Your microbiome is the world of organisms that lives in your gut. The health (and number) of these good bacteria can really make or break your digestive function. You see, these 40 trillion bacteria are responsible for changing food into vitamins, minerals, and energy.
Additionally, studies have shown that your immune system and mood are thrown off-kilter if your microbiome is not thriving.
#2 Garlic
Since garlic has sulphuric properties, it becomes one of our best (and most delicious) digestive allies. Garlic is able to help the body create the enzymes it needs to break down food in the first place!
The amino acids present in garlic help to stimulate digestive flow and flush toxins and other clogged up waste out of your inner plumbing.
Poor digestion can also cause weight gain — because you sometimes want to eat more when your body is not breaking down your food properly. Adding garlic to your regular diet can help you lose weight (particularly pesky fat) — by helping to stimulate stronger digestive function.
#3 Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like kale, collard greens, dandelion leaf, turnip greens, and Swiss chard have a solid and lasting impact on your digestive system.
Dark leafy greens detoxify your body from cell to stomach. They calm down inflammation in the gut so that your body can spend its energy processing food rather than calling in the white blood cell cavalry to fight off unwanted toxins. These greens are also dense in fiber — which helps you expel those toxins ASAP.
Packed with necessary nutrients that are sometimes overlooked at mealtime, your dark green veggies provide antioxidants so powerful that some are even being tested as cancer remedies!
There are many more superfoods than the three mapped out here, but they all have that same balancing effect that will have you looking and feeling good in no time.
It’s really that simple — eliminate the common “convenience foods” that are full of filler ingredients, preservatives, and GMOs and replace them with wholesome, organic power foods. Your tastebuds and gut will thank you.
Stay curious,
Nick Polizzi
Host of Remedy: Ancient Medicine for Modern Illness
& Founder of The Sacred Science
14 Responses
Thank you. You always have good, simple, true things to share. I love your generosity.
Hi Nick- From what I understand, an important detail you didn’t mention about fermented foods is- eat them raw, not cooked (or canned, which cooks the ingredients). The heat kills all those wonderful organisms you’re wanting. Thanks, Kathleen
excellent inspiring article.
Thank you.
They are all on my radar. Thanks for the reminder.
Everything Mr Nick Polizzi shares and sends are very useful: the docuseries, the meditation, the poem and all the other emails with many valuable and interesting pieces of information. Thank You very much for them!
I found an herb which helped by digestive problems IMMENSELY.
It is called “Chanca Piedra” ..mostly grown in Peru, I think.
If you go to Amazon and search for “Stonebreaker” . you will find many people telling very encouraging stories about the range of digestive problems it helped with….in my case, Chanca Piedra totally solved my problems which were severe enough that 2 doctors told me I had to take opioids and weird antibiotics (Cipro)
I know not everyone will get the relief I did, but after taking it for just a few days, all my stomach pains and upsets totally disappeared and have never returned ( Started 2 years ago and still take a small dose every day)
Great article! I really appreciate every word. Is there a comprehensive list that you have compiled and where can we access it?
Have begun drinking kefir milk everyday the past two months and have already noticed big changes in my digestion. Hopefully this will be the first step to gut health and goodbye to bloating and feeling tired. Thanks so much.
When recommending that people eat garlic it would be wise to mention that 80% of the garlic sold in the world comes from China & is very toxic. Also, according to Ayurveda garlic has many side effects and is this Not considered to promote good health.
I’m really inspired and thrilled by your pieces of advice. Going forward I’ll stick to them. But the dosages are not stated. For example, how many cloves of garlic per day. Thanks and God bless you.
You people make me laugh.. I am on cumadin and that stuff is a no no
Could you please comment on raw greens vs. cooked greens as far as nutritional value and fighting inflamation and gut health.
Hi Nick,
I wonder if you would have information regarding fermentation effects on the following.
I have been doing my own fermentation over the past few months. Delicious and energizing for sure.
It may be coincidental, but I have also notice a fair development of wrinkles on my cheeks, suddenly so it seems, recently. I wondered if the fair amounts of salt used to make the ferments may have an adverse effect on my skin. Whether it’s an eggplant or fermented vegetables, salt draws water out of these things.
Could it be having the same effect on my skin? I also saw an article which mentioned that ferments
could also damage tooth enamel as they are so acidic. Since I love the ferments and eat them every day,
would you have an insight into these concerns? Many Thanks!
I have heard some pine trees are poisonous, how can we tell which ones are which ?