4 drinks that we highly underestimate, but can actually heal your gut

🍋 Lemon Water

<aside> 💡 Benefits:

• Digestion - Lemon water in the morning is great to stimulate digestion, fight indigestion, heartburn, and bloating. Additionally, lemon is known to stimulate the production of bile and gastric juices and can therefore prevent gas formation.
• Absorption - A 2022 study found that the citric acid in lemon juice can increase gastric acid secretion, which helps the body break down and digest food. The acid in lemons may also be especially helpful for supplementing stomach acid levels, which tend to decline with age.
• Lemon polyphenols A 2019 study suggests that drinking a drink rich in lemon polyphenols over a lifetime may delay age-related changes in the gut, including changes in the balance of beneficial gut bacteria.
• Vitamin C - Warm lemon water can boost your immune system because it's rich in vitamin C, which can help fight infections and the common cold.
• Antibacterial and anti-fungal - Lemon juice has antibacterial and antifungal properties that can inhibit the growth of infections like salmonella, staphylococcus, and candida. </aside>

Simply use 4-6 oz water with juice of 1/2-1 lemon (your taste preference) + ideally a pinch of mineral salt.

🌿 Aloe Vera

<aside> 💡 Benefits

• Digestion - Research suggests that consuming aloe vera juice may help digestion and reduce symptoms of gastrointestinal issues such as acid reflux by calming inflammation. Aloe vera can help with digestion by treating constipation, increasing metabolic rate, and reducing inflammation. It can also help with other digestive issues like diarrhea, abdominal pain, and slow digestion.
• Detoxification - Drinking aloe vera juice on an empty stomach can help remove toxins from the body and cleanse the digestive system.
• Gut flora - The plant compound anthraquinones in aloe vera can help regulate bowel movements and maintain healthy gut flora.
• Immunity - Aloe vera contains antioxidants that can promote a strong immune system.
• Heartburn - Aloe vera can help reduce or prevent irritation in the esophagus caused by stomach acid, and its high water content can coat the throat and soothe burning </aside>

If you are using it for acid reflux: Drinking 1-2 ounces aloe vera juice 20–30 minutes before a meal may help soothe the stomach lining and esophagus, which can help prevent acid reflux symptoms. You can also add it to other drinks like smoothies, cocktails, lemonade, or gelatin.

🥥🍎 ACV or coconut nectar vinegar with water before meals

<aside> 💡 Apple Cider Vinegar benefits:

• Probiotics - ACV contains "the mother," which is a source of beneficial bacteria called probiotics that can help with digestion and nutrient absorption. Probiotics can also promote a healthy gut microbiome.
• Digestion - ACV can help break down food in the digestive tract and reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea. It can also lower inflammation in the gut.
• Detoxification - ACV can help the colon and digestive system eliminate toxins. It also contains digestive enzymes, making it a potential detox drink.
• Indigestion and heartburn - ACV can increase stomach acid levels to help relieve indigestion and heartburn. I find this very helpful for clients as we are weaning off of PPIs to improve their heartburn. Discontinue it if it inflicts heartburn. </aside>

<aside> 💡 Coconut Nectar Vinegar benefits:

• Probiotics - The probiotics in raw coconut vinegar with the mother of vinegar are excellent for gut health. Probiotics can help with diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and lactose intolerance.
• Prebiotics are a food source for good gut bacteria. Coconut vinegar also contains acetic acid, which can help fight off harmful bacteria like E. coli.
• Acid reflux - Drinking 15–30 mL of coconut vinegar with water before meals to help with digestive health.
• Rich in polyphenols and nutrients - Polyphenols and nutrients are the umbrella terms given to the vast range of compounds that you want in your diet. Polyphenols are derived from plants. Coconut sap, and consequently coconut vinegar, is rich in numerous nutrients and polyphenols including potassium, vitamin C, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc and copper. Polyphenols and nutrients bring numerous health benefits.
• Constipation relief Natural bacteria in coconut vinegar can stimulate the neurons that regulate bowel movement in addition to helping the digestive system.
• Nutrient absorption - By improving nutrient absorption, preserving a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria, and aiding in the digestion process, these components can reduce stomach discomfort. </aside>

Add 1tsp-1tbsp (based on tolerance) of apple cider vinegar with 2-8 ounces of water (depending on how much AVC you use/how you want to drink it - shoot it or sip it - if sipping, drink it with a straw. Best to have this right before/during meals to support digestion and blood sugar.

☕️ Cinnamon Tea

<aside> 💡 Benefits:

• Digestive aid - Cinnamon tea can help with indigestion, bloating, heartburn, nausea, stomach cramps, and constipation. It can also help the body digest fatty meals by stimulating saliva and stomach acid production.
• Prebiotic cinnamon is a prebiotic, aka it helps good bacteria grow in the gut.
• Metabolic health - Cinnamon tea's antioxidant properties may help lower glucose levels after a meal.
• Antimicrobial - Cinnamon is also known to have antimicrobial properties, which can help combat harmful bacteria in the gut, promoting a healthy gut microbiome. Cinnamon can also suppress the growth of bad bacteria like listeria and salmonella.
• Anti-inflammatory - According to animal studies, cinnamon extract increases gut barrier function and activates the anti-inflammatory NF-κB pathway to inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines in the gut. It also supports a better balance of the gut microbiota (the healthy vs. disease-promoting bacteria). In the case of an inflamed colon (colitis), cinnamon can reduce inflammation and slow or stop fibrosis (the growth of fibrous connective tissue where it doesn’t belong). Researchers found encouraging results this theory in an animal study to see if these effects might offer patients options other than surgery for intestinal fibrosis and inflammation caused by IBD. </aside>

Can be taken anytime of the day! I personally like it after dinner and love Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea

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