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Healthy Digestion during the Holidays

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Turkey Dinner

It is challenging to stay healthy during the busy holidays. The stresses of holiday preparation, the entertaining of guests, and the cooking and partaking of often rich and heavy holiday meals can lead to a condition called “food stagnation” in Chinese medicine.

So what is food stagnation?
According to traditional Chinese medicine, most acute digestive difficulties, such as indigestion, involve some element of “food stagnation” (literally food stuck and unable to be processed) due to what are termed “irregular eating habits.” Irregular eating habits can range from things like eating at irregular times, eating late at night, eating food that has gone bad, or simply eating too much, to eating while working, stressed or on the go, and eating poor food combinations and fast foods.

The first sign of which is a feeling of being overly full and uncomfortable!

What we can do about it
One of the most important things we can do is to be regular and peaceful when eating. Eat meals around the same time each day, and eat slowly and calmly while not doing anything else. This means we should avoid driving, walking, working at our desks, checking our phones or watching television while eating. It is also important to avoid disturbing conversations or thinking about things that are upsetting while eating. Think peaceful thoughts!

The other most important thing to do is to eat warm, nourishing foods. One fundamental concept in traditional Chinese medical theory is that the stomach is like a pot over the fire of our digestive energy. If the food we put into the pot is cold, excessive amounts of our energy is expended to bring it up to temperature. Warm food digests more quickly and easily, and requires less energy, and is why eating warm cooked foods is strongly recommended in Chinese medicine. Warm nourishing foods include soup, cooked whole grains, cooked vegetables, and small amounts of meat. Soup is considered one of the most perfect foods for the digestive system.

In the western medical viewpoint, digestion starts in the mouth with digestive enzymes in our saliva that begin to break down food. Interestingly, these enzymes, as well as the ones in our stomach and small intestine are most effective in an optimum temperature range close to internal body temperature, or around 98.6 F. As such, one way to promote healthy digestion is to optimize the healthy function of our digestive enzymes by either reducing the consumption of iced, cold and raw foods, or by combining them with warming spices such as ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and cardamom. Traditional Japanese understood this concept as well, and that’s why sushi is served with spicy wasabi and pickled ginger!

Bamboo Pharmacy’s Digestive Support Formula
Digestive Support formula is an amazing treatment for “food stagnation.” Usually within about half an hour, the full and uncomfortable sensation starts to disappear. One interesting herb in our Digestive Support formula is Massa Fermenta, a fermented grain mixed with many different herbs that creates a powerful probiotic effect. Although it contains wheat, because it is fermented and combined with other digestive herbs, many with slight intolerances to wheat or gluten have actually benefited from its strong balancing and harmonizing actions.