Written by D.E. Love*
How I Transformed My Digestion
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced world, many of us struggle with digestive issues due to various reasons that are intertwined with our daily living, stress, nutrition, and the makeup of our microbiome.
I used to be one of those people who had difficulty maintaining regular bowel movements. In fact, when I was a child, I thought it was normal to have a bowel movement once a week or even once every two weeks. I would struggle “pushing it out,” thinking that was normal. I sat on the toilet for at least 45 minutes to find a little relief to push out a log. I just thought that was the way it was; you had to push to get it out.
And I certainly never went at school—that was profane for me. Besides, recess wasn’t long enough, and teachers wouldn’t let me leave for that long. Let alone the little girls knowing that the girl, moaning to push out a bowel in the bathroom, was me. I wouldn’t go there, and if I did, I was faced with bullying that made it even harder to go.
My transformational journey happened while I was traveling where I met an assortment of people discovering how to shift their health, mindset and lives. Some friends who I was traveling with found out I wasn’t able to go to the bathroom, and different ones helped me in different ways. The biggest change in my life was when I went on a gluten and sugar free, plant-based diet where the cornerstone was the daily 50 billion probiotics I would take (supplement link below). On the road, I connected with nature and myself, I began to learn to listen to my body, and discover a rhythm of connection to life, the life of myself, and, I had the freedom to.
I went from being unable to release my bowels to having great intestinal flora and daily bowel movements, with no problem. This has been a transformative experience where I learned a lot about my body’s needs. My lack of bowel movements, along with a few other health challenges, has made this a lifelong discovery to release stress, and find harmonic balance and graceful rhythm in my life.
Here’s how discovering my rhythm, alleviating stress, and mindfulness practices created harmony and ease in my life.
I chose to do a deep dive into my physical challenges with connecting to nature, learning everything I could about diet, meditation, breathwork, my natural rhythm, and my body’s needs.
Living at my own farm and telecommuting for digital innovation incubators and startups played a significant role in improving my digestion as I could find my own time and space to take care of my needs — literally, not needing to tell anyone that I need a “bio-break” just doing it, because my body called it, made all the difference for me when I was shifting my microbiome to a natural rhythm I was born to live.
Everybody has a unique way to attune to their own equilibrium. It’s about finding your way, and I found mine. Perhaps it can inspire you too.
Be sure to give your body what it’s asking for. Learn to give your body what works for it. Know the difference between nourishing, energizing inputs versus addictive attachments to satisfying cravings that don’t nourish.
You are unique; let yourself be that. Experiment with what energizes and makes you happy, and also, listen to the experience and knowledge of experts to discover your own life kit that nourishes you. You can discover your balance. Here are some tools for your life kit and supplement links at the end.
Discovering My Unique Dietary Needs and Choosing Wisely
Avoiding Processed Food and Gluten
I realized that processed foods and gluten negatively impacted my digestion. By avoiding these, I noticed a significant improvement in my bowel movements and overall gut health.
Using Supplements
I went on a deep dive with probiotics to change my intestinal flora. I had a bout of eating more probiotics and then having a wonderful accident that was embarrassing, yet it was also the moment my gut flipped to the place of being able to handle going, rather than sitting on the toilet for an hour wherever I go, without going, and struggling with traveling, because I just wouldn’t go. I ate probiotics daily for a couple of years.
Being Smart and Aware of My Diet
Paying close attention to what I eat and how it affects my body has been crucial. Eating probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut and yoghurt helps me daily along with the probiotics, green foods, and green juices has made all the difference.
Alkaline Diet
Looking at what I eat and being sure, I’m not overburdened with acidic food, nor foods that will sit in my gut and to get fetid due to food combining, off rhythm, and toxic food compositions, and fake food.
Not Eating Before Bed
Avoiding meals right before bedtime prevents food from sitting undigested in my stomach overnight, reducing the risk of it causing issues like bloating, constipation, and even more serious health problems from undigested food causing digestive dysfunction due to delay in digestion. When the food sits in our stomach overnight, digestion is slowed down, and may get fetid and cause gas, bloating, irregular movements from the toxicity of not being properly broken down before it gets to the intestines, where the nutrients are absorbed.
No Need for the “Farmer Diet”
The farmer diet of breakfast, lunch, and dinner was exactly that—made for farmers. If we work on the computer, or at a desk, or something less physical, we may not need as much food. Listen to your body’s needs. I eat one meal per day and some snacks and experiment with fasting. It all depends on your metabolism, age, and needs.
Food Combining
Watching what food I eat when and how it affects me was also something. I noticed what was happening to my digestion, my energy, and my mood. Was I burping up or passing gas? Was I low energy or conked out? Some foods may not agree with us, yet more so some food combining does not work in our digestion. For instance, eating the solid foods first and then the light foods or the dessert after, is bad for digestion, because it takes time to process the solid food, and the light foods do night, they may get fetid in the stomach during enzymatic breakdown.
Chew-Chew-Chew!
Staying conscious with how you chew, whether you chew or not makes a big difference, because the salivation has several purposes including the first release of enzymes that begin the breakdown of food preparing it for the stomach.
Fasting & Detoxification
I fast regularly to give my digestion a break. When I was a child I used to love the feeling of hunger and feel my stomach growl, apparently that’s healthy! We give our bodies the chance to reset. We often don’t need to eat as much as we think we do, unless our metabolism is extra high or we’re not receiving nutrition from what we do eat, which happens in the intestines. A good clean out several times a year is great. I have done several kinds of detoxification from parasite cleanses to bowel cleanses.
Bowel Cleanses
I tried multiple bowel cleanses. I used to eat psyllium and bentonite regularly. I have done a few colonics, coffee enemas, and have even had nervous system massage that seemed to release years of plaque from my intestinal walls. For me, the bowels were held inside with repeated stress and distrust of my own body, discomfort in my life and a microbiome that was toxic rather than healthful. I did all I can to change it, and it worked!
Connecting with my Body’s Rhythms & Rhymes
Listening to My Body
Listening to our bodies can be a deep lesson for us when we are challenged with physical ailments, yet that’s the first thing that would benefit us. Each of our bodies is unique in its needs, so knowing when we’re hungry, and when we’re not, will help us discover our own rhythm and needs.
Being Physical
Engaging in physical activities, such as farming, gardening, and exercise, kept my body moving and my digestive system functioning optimally. Regular movement is essential for maintaining healthy bowel movements.
Grounding and Stretching
Practices like grounding, breathing exercises, movement, and stretching are vital components of a healthy lifestyle.
Flexible Schedule
Telecommuting allowed me the flexibility to listen to my body’s signals and take care of my needs without the constraints of a rigid schedule. This meant I could go to the bathroom when I needed to, rather than holding it in.
Discovering My Rhythm
Understanding and respecting my body’s natural rhythms, including my circadian rhythm, eating schedule, and work routine, helped me align my lifestyle with my body’s needs.
Connecting with Nature
Getting Out in the Sun
Sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D, which is crucial for gut health. Regular exposure to sunlight helped me boost my mood, improve my immune system, and support healthy digestion.
Feet on the Ground
Connecting with the earth through grounding or earthing has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being. Walking barefoot on grass or soil helped me feel more grounded and connected to my body.
Swimming in Rivers and Seas
Swimming in natural bodies of water not only provided great physical exercise but also exposed me to beneficial microorganisms that can improve gut flora.
Overall
Understanding My Body’s Needs
Listening to my body and understanding its unique needs, from diet to exercise to sleep, has been vital in maintaining good digestion.
Listening to My Body
Most of us are taught to pay attention to external cues, but listening to our own bodies is key. Understanding and responding to my body’s signals has been a game-changer for my health.
Choosing What’s Good for Me
Making conscious choices about what’s good for me, rather than mimicking others, has helped me rise above common health issues.
Evolving and Knowing Myself
Self-awareness and taking action based on that knowledge have been essential steps in my journey toward better health.
Enjoying Being Me
Learning to enjoy and appreciate my own body and its unique needs has brought me joy and improved my overall well-being.
Mindful Living
Connecting Gut, Heart, and Mind
Recognizing the connection between the gut, heart, and mind has been enlightening. Many neurotransmitters that affect mood are produced in the gut, highlighting the importance of gut health for mental well-being.
Embracing Meditation and Movement
Meditation, chanting, music, and dance helped me tune into my body and address long-term issues like eczema, showing that health is holistic and interconnected.
It’s All Related
Diet, exercise, and sleep are all interconnected and essential for maintaining good digestion and overall health.
Supplement Recommendations
Here are some products that have helped me on my journey. When I started, I would eat the Probiotics several times per day, and I would have Enzymes with every meal. Then, I would eat the probiotics nightly well after my last meal and before bedtime with whole yoghurt with no sugar, additives or fakery, just straight up, plain yoghurt, probiotics and flax or borage oil. I enjoy the calming powder supplements in my daily morning smoothies.
Probiotics & Enzymes (Daily!)
- 50 Billion Probiotics from Garden of Life: These high-potency probiotics help restore and maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, supporting overall digestive health and enhancing the microbiome.
- Digestive Enzymes: Digestive enzymes aid in breaking down food more efficiently, improving nutrient absorption, reducing bloating, and supporting overall digestive function.
Healthy Oils (add to plain whole yoghurt)
- Borage Oil: Borage oil also lubricates the intestinal tract, facilitating easier bowel movements. It is rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce gut inflammation and support immune function.
- Flax Oil: Flax oil helps lubricate the intestinal tract, aiding in smoother bowel movements and reducing constipation. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation in the gut and support overall digestive health.
- Omega Twin: Flax oil and Borage Oil combined
Powders (add to smoothies)
- L-Glutamine: L-Glutamine supports gut health by strengthening the gut lining, which helps to reduce inflammation and improve the gut-brain connection.
- L-Theanine: L-Theanine promotes relaxation and reduces stress by calming the nervous system without causing drowsiness, supporting overall mental and physical well-being.
- Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is crucial for reducing stress, boosting energy levels, and enhancing immune function by supporting healthy red blood cell production and nervous system health.
- Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that helps the body manage stress, improve energy levels, and enhance overall resilience to physical and mental stressors.
- GABA: GABA is a neurotransmitter that helps reduce stress and anxiety by promoting relaxation and calming the nervous system.
Conclusion
Improving my digestion has been a multifaceted journey, involving changes in lifestyle, diet, and mindset. By embracing my body’s needs, listening in, and having the freedom to live a life on my own schedule with telecommuting, living close to the land, and a holistic approach to health, I’ve been able to achieve regular and healthy bowel movements.
Now it’s your turn to notice the difference in your health. If some of this resonates, see how it works for you. Giving yourself a trial of two of doing your favorite tips here, will likely help you see a difference in your digestive movement.
Remember to listen to your body, make mindful choices, and enjoy the process of becoming the best version of yourself.
I’m currently taking on a few clients as a lifestyle coach, you may reach out to me here.
*Thank you to ChatGPT for helping me edit, though this is thoroughly my material and years of my personal experience.