Now I can have my cake and actually, you know, eat it too.

The older I get the more I suffer from digestive health issues. When I was younger I’d get a stomach ache here and there when I ate dried fruit, drank white wine and ate too much dairy but now, a few years later and my reactions are way more severe.

I don’t want to give up any of my favourite foods and I thankfully I don’t have to. There are so many remedies you can use to improve your digestive health. One amazing trick is apple cider vinegar.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Go Vita. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100 per cent authentic and written in their own words.

Apple cider vinegar has long been suggested as a weight loss aid which isn’t why I plan to use it regularly, but it’s certainly an added bonus! It helps to keep blood sugar and insulin levels lower, helps reduce cravings and increases your level of fullness after eating. That’s according to a 2009 study reported in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, not some fad diet. It also neutralises stomach acid and helps to improve sleep. It also removes lint from clothes and is excellent for cleaning, but that’s another story for another time.

Back to my love of cheese, chocolate and all things sugar and sweet.

So here’s what happens when I accidentally eat dried fruit and white wine with a preservative that my body does not like. First I get sharp pains in my stomach. Then I start to bloat. The only way to relieve the bloat is to pass gas but that doesn’t happen for hours. I wish it would. I pray for it just so I can experience some relief. And when it comes it’s powerful enough to fling me across the room.

Charming, right? So why don’t I just stop eating dried fruit and drinking white wine?

Because sometimes it doesn’t affect me that badly. Sometimes for no reason at all I can tolerate it in small amounts. Other times I’m left in so much pain I’m seeing stars.

You think that’s tough? Here’s what happens to me when I eat too much dairy.

I can tolerate milk in my coffee and some yoghurts, however after eating some yoghurts and delicious cheeses I am left with a dull ache, horrible heartburn, bloating and then walk hunched over until I have to rush to the toilet with moments to spare. Once again, it doesn’t happen every time. I’m sure it has something to do with what I’m eating it with, something about the food combining that I haven’t quite figured out.

Is that why we eat cheese with crackers, drink wine with cheese and eat dried fruit with nuts?

We eat 3-5 times each day, sometimes more so making sure our bodies can digest food properly is important for our ability to live a good life. Otherwise it can be incapacitating.

So aside from combining your foods correctly and sipping on apple cider vinegar, what else can you do? Plenty, it turns out:

• Reduce stress.
  Stress is a known cause of digestive issues. Even if you’re tired, busy and stressed, try and relax during meal times. Even if you have to eat your lunch while you work, do something less difficult.
• Slow down.
  Don’t rush through your meals. Eat mindfully, chew slowly, enjoy what you are eating. Chew each mouthful thoroughly and really relish that amazing food you are putting into your body.
• Use a probiotic.
  Most of us have foods that upset our digestive health. A good probiotic is essential to the health of your intestines to make sure you have all the healthy bacteria you need to digest your food properly.
• Use digestive enzymes.
  Apparently lots of people are lactose intolerant like me. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been told to take a digestive enzyme to aid digestion of lactose. Imagine being able to eat a piece of cheesecake while sipping tea without intense suffering for the rest of the evening? It’s easily done with digestive enzymes, so get some.

• Coffee.
  Don’t freak out. You don’t have to cut coffee out, but how many are you having each day? Is it 4 or 5? That’s way too much for someone with digestive health issues. Have 1 or 2 and make sure you don’t drink your coffee on an empty stomach. Also, consider cutting coffee out all together on days you are eating rich foods that can upset your belly. Drink water or herbal tea instead. You’ll be happy you did.
• Slippery elm powder.
  For centuries people have been using slippery elm powder to assist with digestive health issues. If you’re wanting to cleanse or repair after a few days of eating rich foods, then use slippery elm powder. It will help with stomach problems and also it’s packed with antioxidants.
• Flaxseeds.
  When I was little I remember a family who would sprinkle flaxseeds on everything. Their little girl had terrible digestive health issues so they just incorporated flaxseeds into all their meals as it really seemed to help her. Flaxseeds, can be ground to make them easier to digest and then can be used in soups, salads, sandwiches and even cakes and biscuits. They also contain omega 3s so are very important for good health.

Okay, so there you have it. I’ve just explained how you can have your cake (cheese, wine, dried fruit) and eat it too. All these amazing products are at your local health food store. Stock up and enjoy your food without the usual suffering afterwards.

What do you do to help digestion when you eat rich foods?

NutriVital Apple Cider Vinegar is raw and unpasteurised it comes from the juice of organic apples fermented to form cider vinegar. You can purchase a bottle of NutriVital Organic Apple Cider Vinegar at your local Go Vita health shop. Whether you are making a dressing, cleaning the fridge, treating indigestion or cleansing your face there are many different uses of apple cider vinegar.

Go Vita health shops: At Go Vita, we are passionate about your health and vitality because we know, if you are healthy and well, you can enjoy your life to the full! Visit any one of our 147 health shops across Australia and you will find a diverse range of products to help meet your winter health needs. At every Go Vita health shop there are trained health specialists that can give personalised health advice for your own specific needs.

www.govita.com.au

Present this coupon at your local Go Vita health shop for 20% off RRP of NutriVital Organic Apple Cider Vinegar