One of my favorite memories growing up was when my dad would bring out the juicer. He loved that machine. Whenever our fruits and vegetables started to show any kind of wear, out it came. It fascinated me. I didn’t understand how he could put in a bunch of produce and this machine would sort out the juicy fluids from the clumpy fiber. I would watch in amazement the liquidy goodness came out from one end and all the mushy pulp out the other. It was nutritious and it was fun.
With spring upon us, it’s that time again where you shed the cloud of winter and dawn a new you. It’s also the time of year when fruits and vegetables come back to life. They’re fresher, tastier and we crave them more than ever. We renew our health goals and look for ways to get the nutrients we need. Here are some nutrition tips for you to consider as you welcome in spring.
Produce’s Hidden Gem – Digestive Enzymes
We have been told that fruits and vegetables are good for us because they provide many of the vitamins and minerals our bodies need. While this is true, they also supply us with a vital catalyst that turns the nutrients we ingest into usable substances – enzymes. Without enzymes to transform the nutrients to a substance our bodies can use, we lose the benefit of the good food we eat.
Just like the juicer breaks down the fruits and vegetables and releases the juice and fiber, enzymes are paramount in converting nutrients into substances the body can digest. The nutrients are drawn to the enzyme. The enzyme then uses a chemical reaction to break the nutrient into digestible substances, which then are released back into the body and used as needed.
Nutrition Tips for Maintaining Proper Digestive Enzyme Levels
Although our body naturally produces enzymes, it doesn’t produce the amount we need. This is partially due to an increasingly poorer overall diet. By using these 3 simple nutrition tips, your digestive system can stay right on track and your body will feel happier and healthier.
Stick to your 5 (or more) a day: Include many fruits and vegetables (especially raw) in your daily diet. Pineapple, papaya, and asparagus are leaders in healthy digestive enzymes. Limit other food groups to healthy portions.
Timing matters: Eating fruits during the day is great, but save vegetables for your bigger meals. Fruit may sit on top of foods, especially slow moving meat, and ferment while your other foods digest. This causes bloating and gas. Instead, eat fruits with smaller meals and as a snack to keep your digestive track moving along during the day. Vegetables are better with larger meals because they digest quicker and help your meals stay their course.
Juice it up!: If you do use a juicer, don’t throw out the pulp. It carries plenty of beneficial digestive enzymes, too. Instead use it in clever ways. You can fry it up like a pancake, add it to your homemade bread recipes, add it in soups and stews, or as a marinade, and even sneak it into things like your kid’s macaroni and cheese.
Take advantage of our spring nutrition tips for better digestive help, but remember to step away from the juicer occasionally and come see Dr. Knight at True North Chiropractic and Wellness Center, where we care about your total health. Combine nutritional therapy with AMIT or the OTZ Method and experience the difference for yourself! Call 801-447-1647 to schedule an appointment today!