Every single day there are new discoveries and trends that are gaining popularity in the world of digestive and overall health. There is always a new up-and-coming way to better your digestion and health, it can be hard to keep up! Not to worry, Bloat No More is here to help you understand the latest trends in order to help you decide which ones are more fitting to you and your lifestyle. Today, we are going to discuss milk alternatives, homemade kombucha, and the fall cleanse you may or may not need this season.
The Different Milk Alternatives and Their Potential Benefits
There are tons of different types of milks out there ranging from traditional cow’s milk to the milk alternatives such as:
- almond milk
- cashew milk
- soy milk
In recent times, people have opted to drink milk alternatives rather than traditional cow’s milk, but why? For some, it boils down to a milk sensitivity or intolerance such as lactose intolerance. Lactose is milk sugar that is found in traditional milk products and for those who are intolerant can cause a host of digestive issues such as indigestion, abdominal pain, irregular bowel movements, and constipation.
The absence of lactose in milk alternatives makes it appealing to those with the intolerance. However, these people are not the only ones turning to milk alternatives. Many people find that they prefer the taste, the texture, and the environmentally conscious benefits that milk alternatives have to offer.
Milk alternatives tend to be a healthier choice when it comes to the amount of fat and calories they contribute to your daily intake, but there is a chance you are missing out on crucial nutrients by eliminating your cow’s milk intake. Dairy products contain crucial nutrients such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, and protein. If you are completely eliminating all dairy products including cow’s milk from your diet and not substituting with products that contain these essential nutrients, there is a chance you can develop a deficiency.
Soy milk is the most nutritionally similar milk alternative to cow’s milk. However, increasing your intake of these vitamins in other ways can also make up for a lack of cow’s milk in your diet. In conclusion, as long as you are being cognizant of your nutrient levels, there is no downside to opting for milk alternatives — especially if you are someone who is lactose intolerant.
This being said, if you are not lactose intolerant and enjoy cow’s milk, do not feel pressured into eliminating it from your diet. If you do choose to indulge in cow’s milk as your milk of choice, try and opt for a low fat option to avoid intaking high levels of saturated fats and calories.
Making Kombucha At Home: Does It Give Any Added Benefits?
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that is known to contain many health benefits including digestive aid. Due to the fermentation process that kombucha undergoes, it contains high levels of probiotics which are healthy bacteria needed for a healthy digestive system. Probiotics helps to boost the beneficial bacteria in your gut and minimize the amount of unhealthy bacteria.
Without probiotics in your diet, you might encounter digestive complications like constipation, diarrhea, and bloating — to name a few. This being said, kombucha is a wonderful beverage addition to add to your daily routine. Recently, people have even opted to create their own kombucha at home, but are there any added benefits to this method?
Making kombucha at home is a multi-step process and requires you to facilitate the fermentation process yourself. This can be time consuming and unappealing to those in a time crunch. However, making your own kombucha also means you have full reign over what goes into it. Pre-made kombuchas that can be store bought may contain additives or processed sugars that are not beneficial to one’s digestive process or overall health. When you make your own kombucha, you have the ability to choose the type of sweeteners you use and can even choose the flavoring of your kombucha. There is much more room for creativity and health consciousness.
This being said, if you do not have the time to make kombucha at home, try and find a pre-packaged kombucha that does not contain those additives or processed sugars for the same effect.
What is a Fall Cleanse and Will It Help Your Digestion and Overall Health?
The fall and winter months bring colder weather and a flurry of exciting seasonal fun! With the holidays coming at full speed ahead, it can be easy to lose sight of the health habits that one has dedicated to in the summer. Many have turned to a fall cleanse to try and prep their bodies for the months ahead, but is there any merit to this?
There are a range of different cleanses ranging from relaxed to intensive. Intensive cleanses tend to include laxatives which can do more harm than good for your digestive process. Laxatives can cause a disruption in your normal system leading to irregular bowel movements and an upset stomach.
Other cleanses simply include participating in a more limited diet that eliminates any processed sugars and fats. This can be beneficial to your body, because these extra additives and fats can be disruptive to your digestive process. Eliminating them for a short period of time can prove to be beneficial and give your body the break it needs.
In conclusion, there are a host of different cleanses out there claiming to transform your body in just a number of days, but that is not how health works. Instead, try and incorporate health habits into your daily routine this fall season to better support your immunity and digestive health. This method will prove to give your more consistent results that will precede those of any cleanse you might want to explore.
Maintaining one’s health is not a one or even ten day process. It requires dedication and awareness to one’s own needs. Instead of looking for a quick fix, really try and focus on those areas of your health that need the most attention this season.