1. Eat high fibre -
Think high fibre! High fibre diets are (for most people) not only beneficial for your digestive health but your overall health too. They also keep you fuller for longer and facilitate regular bowel movements so waste doesn't stay in your digestive tract for longer than necessary. Fibre also provides food to your gut microbes - they play a big role in your ability to digest and the in the efficacy of your metabolism.
If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) then it varies whether a high fibre diet works well for you, no diet is a "one size fits all" so do what you feels best (and according to your doctor's/dietician's recommendation).
2. Drink a glass of water if you're undecided whether to reach for that snack -
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between thirst and hunger. Most of us don't drink as much water as
we should, and when we feel that hunger pang it is often due to signals from our brain indicating we are thirsty. Test this out next time you're feeling peckish, and perhaps you find out you still are hungry - so grab a bite!
3. Try intermittent fasting -
Intermittent fasting is also known as time-restricted eating which means eating within a window of 8 to 10 hours (or less) every day. This type of eating has been shown to have beneficial effects on weight, body fat composition and metabolism - even without reducing your daily calorie intake!
The main aim of this type of eating is to harness the benefits we see with night fasting (when asleep). For example, our Head of Science has her meals between midday and 8 PM every day, so that her body experiences fasting for 16 hours. If you're a keen breakfast person then you can have an earlier window from 10 AM to 6 PM, or if you find it difficult to fast for that long you can extend your eating window to 10 hours.
So why do this?
During fasting, your body switches from using carbs to fats as fuel, and this stimulates a process called ketosis. This improves your circadian rhythm (resulting in better sleep at night and improved energy during the day), reduces oxidative stress, reduces inflammation, improves blood pressure, promotes more lean than fat mass, improves gut health, and has numerous other benefits depending on the person. Today, we are seeing the trend of constant snacking (including late-night snacking) which prevents us from benefiting from night fasting - and our bodies are not programmed to cope with elevated blood sugar levels for such extended periods of time.
Why not give this a go, and if you already do this then let us know your thoughts and experiences!
Co-written by Luhv Drinks Head of Science and Lead Nutritionist.
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