It’s time to look after your tummy

Tags

apple cider vinega, beans, bike, bitter leaf salad, bloated, body, brown rice, brush, burgers, cabbage, carbon footprint, celery, cleanse, coffee, cramps constipation, cucumber, diet, digestive juices, ease cramps, emon juice, endorphins, enzymes, faces, farmers markets, fennel seeds, fibre, fish, fresh, fruit, fruit juice, gas, ginger, ginger biscuits, ginger tea, glass of mineral water, greasy chips, hot water, hydrating, important, kale, lean meat, lemon, mint, morning sickness, peeling, plate, refreshing, rocket, seasonal food, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed, sluggish, sour, spinach, stainless steel bottle, stimulate, sugary squashes, supermarkets, tea, teeth, thumb-sized piece of ginger, tummy, two litres of water, upset stomach, water, wax, winter, yoga

We cleanse our faces, brush our teeth and wax our legs, but when was the last time you looked after your tummy?

We might not be able to see them, but tummies are a massively important part of your body, take care of it and it’ll be your best friend, let things slip then you might find you feel sluggish, bloated and suffering with cramps and constipation.

None of us want to feel like this, so we have had a look at how to take care of your tummy, so you get on better than ever.

Take on water
If you do nothing else to help your tummy, it is important to drink plenty of water. As well as preventing constipation, water is needed because it helps to produce the clever digestive juices which break down your food and keep you gas-free. We know it isn’t always easy in the winter, but aim to drink at least two litres of water every day and remember that tea, coffee, fruit juice and water-based foods like cabbage, celery and tomato can top your water levels up, so add some of those to your daily diet too. If you find it hard to drink enough water, buy yourself a pretty stainless steel bottle, fill it with water before you leave home, and if you want a bit flavour, add lemon, mint or cucumber, rather than sugary squashes.

It’s on your plate
While a diet that is rich in fibre can help keep digestion on track and constipation, away, many of us don’t eat the recommended 30g of fibre a day. To keep things flowing, a diet that is packed with beans, brown rice, fruit and veg as well as oats and wholemeal bread, is a good idea. With supermarkets and farmers markets offering a huge range of fresh, seasonal food, it isn’t hard to hit the mark and this will help to keep your carbon footprint down too. Go easy on greasy chips, burgers and fried doughnuts, as these tend to be harder to digest, consider grilling lean meat and fish as well as drinking skimmed or semi-skimmed milk instead of full fat options.

Eat something sour
Enzymes help to breakdown and absorb food, and sour and bitter foods will naturally stimulate your digestive juices and get them really working. Rocket, kale or spinach served with a simple squeeze of lemon juice is one way to add this into your diet and is pretty tasty too. You can also drink a glass of mineral water with the juice of half a lemon, or half a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar half an hour before you eat a meal, and not only is this refreshing and hydrating, it will also give your digestion a boost.

Go ginger
We all know that ginger tea and ginger biscuits are good for pregnant women suffering with morning sickness, but this handy root could help you too. Make your own cup of goodness by peeling a thumb-sized piece of ginger, thinly slicing it, and then let it steep in hot water with a slice of lemon for around five minutes. This can help soothe an upset stomach, ease cramps and nausea and also work on bloating. If you really can’t bear ginger, fennel seeds are worth a try. Using the seeds to make tea, or chew them as they come, and both can help deal with cramping and bloating, and they also come in handy when your eyes are bigger than your belly at the dinner table.

Jump up
If you sit down all day, then the chances are, you and your digestive system will be slow and sluggish. By taking regular exercise, not only are you helping stay fit and healthy, but it can also stimulate your intestinal muscles, and this will helping move your food through your digestive system more smoothly and prevent any congestion! Whether you walk the dog, jump on your bike, go to a yoga class or do a little kick boxing, not only will your tunny thank you, but you will also benefit from a burst of feel good endorphins and a leaner body.

Team Pure Beauty

A banana isn’t just yellow

Tags

banana skin, bananas, bites, blood pressure, calm, constipation, cure, depression, energy, exam, exercise, fibre, hangover, heartburn, mood, morning sickness, mothers, PMS, smooth, ulcers, vitamin b, workout

We all have them sitting in the fruit bowl, calling out to be eaten as they get a little browner everyday.

Bananas, the fruit we all love.

Bananas gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy thanks to a combination of three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose as well as a hit of fibre.

Two provide enough energy for a 90-minute workout and this yellow wonder fruit has 4 times the protein, vitamin A and iron of an apple, twice the carbohydrates and three times the phosphorus and is super rich in potassium.

Wow!

We tend to say an apple a day keeps the doctor away but maybe it has been the banana all along?

Anaemia
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and can help ease anaemia.

Bites
Rather than going for strong creams when you’re bitten by an insect, try rubbing the bite with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation and less toxic than over the counter products.

Blood Pressure
Bananas are high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to help keep blood pressure levels healthy.

Body Temperature
Many cultures use the simple banana as a ‘cooling’ fruit to lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. Bet you didn’t know that?

Constipation
Not an obvious but because bananas are high in fibre they can help ensure you have regular bowel movements if included in a healthy diet.

Depression
Bananas contain tryptophan, a protein that the body converts into serotonin which is known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS
Swap pills for bananas if you want a healthier way to deal with PMS. The Vitamin B6 found in the fruit regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood so eat bananas as you relax with a hot water bottle and you will feel more cheery in no time.

Hangover Cure
One of the quickest ways to cure a hangover is by blending a banana with milk, ice and honey. The banana calms the stomach, the honey evens out your blood sugar levels and the milk soothes and re-hydrates you.

Heartburn
Bananas offer a natural antacid effect and can help sooth heartburn.

Morning Sickness
We know many people rave about ginger being good for morning sickness, but so are bananas. They help keep blood sugar levels stable and because they are low in fat so make a great, healthy on the go snack.

Stress
Bananas are high in B vitamins which are excellent at helping to keep us calm, so before an exam or big meeting, munch on a bunch and keep your cool.

Stomach Ulcers
Bananas can really help deal with intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases and it also neutralises acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

What are you waiting for, peel one today and feel tip top.