One of my clients said something in her check in last week that made me giggle and first, and then gave me a serious pause into something so many woman donât allow themselves time to do :
POOP. Hi happy Sunday, Sarah here just talking about my favorite topics again :)
Think about your morning routine for a second. Are you:
- Rushing out the door to train ?
- Diving into coffee three minutes after waking ?
- Checking your email before you brush your teeth ?
- Scrolling in bed til itâs 3 minutes before your first Zoom meeting of the work day ?
In all of those cases, your body is basically running from a tiger which sends you into fight or flight mode ( or sympathetic dominance )
Back to my client, who mind you was dealing with painful bloating to the point where she couldnât eat, constipated more days than not and dealing with acne and PMS that had to be medicated. Which if you didnât know, pooping is how you detox. Not going ? We often see recirculation of toxins, including hormones like estrogen leading to those symptoms .
She was watching her boyfriendâs leisurely morning , and thought it was insane he was waking up two hours before he had to leave the house , âbecause he hates rushingâ but in doing that, â he always had time to go to the restroom before workâ
BINGO.
So I told her to take his lead (with adjustments because 2 hours is amazing but it doesnât need to be that luxurious ) and start lasering in on her mornings .
And what do you know:
â I did allow myself to have more time to go have a bowel movement before work, and you're right. I was able to go a few times before work on the days that I was working from home in the morning. â
We got her from this to this :
this is client who checks in biweekly, the change is 2 weeks of consistency with her habits and protocols. Which starts with a better morning. If you want to learn more about Coaching offerings you can HERE
Stress and anxiety are highly correlated with digestion issues like IBS , stomach pain and discomfort . And I find the body responds in one of two ways:
A) âclenchingâ , freezing up and diverting resources away from processes like digestion , leading to bloat and constipation )
B) Speeding up which leads to an increase in GI motility and diarrhea
In either case, we need to get your body to realize there is no tiger.
Now I get it, a lot of you reading this have kiddos , or need to be out the door early . A leisurely morning sipping your coffee and some âpersonal timeâ on the toilet may not be super practical . But Iâm telling you, 15 minutes of a little you time can go a long way for your system as well whole
I will often start with creating a morning routine with a client struggling with bloating, diarrhea, reflux or constipation as a foundational part of their plan.
- Hydration
- Movement
- First Meal Strategy
- Personal Time
These are 4 must have ingredients for optimal gut health and digestion.
I was also someone who struggled with gut health FOR YEARS. And I was also guilty of a morning routine that looked like what I described above. Now, you bet I wake up 30 minutes earlier than I need to be on any one elseâs schedule . Not only does that go a long way for my digestion , but also my sanity. Theyâre highly correlated in case you didnât know ;)
Hydration
I suggest at least 12 ounces with a little pinch of sea salt to hydrate before coffee. Your body is about 70% water, and after a night of sleep, itâs in need of hydration (which is about minerals too , hence the salt ) . Back to my client, she told me she didnât drink water some days til 9 am when she got to the office . YIKES! But, guess who starting pooping once she started sipping fluids first thing ?
Play around with this :
- For constipation, warm water with fresh lemon juice can stimulate a bowel movement.
- If you have diarrhea or bloating, opt for room temperature water. Your gut just woke upâit doesnât need the shock of ice-cold water!
Pro tip- Leave a glass/shaker bottle out the night before so you donât forget to start the day right!
Movement
A 10-20 minute walk first thing can help stimulate peristalsis (the wave-like contractions that move food through your gut). Bonus points if you get sunlight in your eyes to support your circadian rhythm.
Canât walk outside? Doing some chores around the house or a little mobility or yoga flow (again 10 minutes goes a long way) is super helpful for those who tend to be more constipated to help massage those digestive organs.
My clients know Iâm a big fan of Yoga with Kassandra
First Meal Strategy
Coffee maybe giving you bubble guts and sending you running to the bathroom or triggering reflux? Try having a small snack, like half a banana with a little nut butter, before your coffee. Alternatively, add healthy fats and protein to your coffee with coconut oil and bone broth protein powder. You may also want to experiment with a low acid coffee brand. Purity and Lifeboost are two brands we like that are sold online (no affiliation!) .
For those of you who train first thing, if you find youâre experiencing GI issues at the gym you might want to play around with your pre workout meal. A smaller snack higher in carbs and lower in fat, fiber and protein 30 minutes before you train and intra workout carbs are easier to tolerate.
- Energy Bites
- A lower fat bar such Nature Valley or Bobos bites
- Banana or another piece of fruit
- Rice cakes or a Waffle with a protein shake or a little nut butter
- Low FODMAP pumpkin muffins
Intra workout carbs can also be an option if you canât stomach anything before training.
Youâll need to experiment with your nutrition strategy and the type of training you're doing. (A 60-minute lift vs. a 60-minute run requires different approaches.)
Personal Time
Bathroom Time
Take time for yourself⌠on the toilet. Itâs crucial to allow your body the chance to go in the morning, even if youâre not currently experiencing GI issues. If necessary, go to bed 30 minutes earlier to ensure you have enough time. When you feel the urge : go! Ignoring it can weaken those signals over time
Investing in a squatty potty might be something to look into for proper posture to help align the colon for optimal elimination.
Mental Grounding
A gratitude practice, your morning walk, breath work, reading or journaling may fall into this category. Take a little time to set a calm tone for the day before diving into work, scrolling Instagram or making your kids breakfast can help your nervous system and in turn , digestion.
Breath work in the morning stimulates the vagus nerve , which connects your brain and digestive system, ensuring your stomach produces the right amount of acid when you need it, as well as regulates peristalsis, It's a beautifully coordinated system that helps your body efficiently process and absorb nutrients from your food.
Breath work can be as simple as making your exhales longer than your inhales. Or you can try box breathing or a free breath work meditation through an App such as Insight timer.
You might not always have time for it, but Iâm sure you can multi-task and do some breath work in car line or do your affirmations while you get your morning movement !
A Supplement for Digestion and your Nervous System
A favorite "multi tasking" nutrient of ours is magnesium. Magnesium is a key mineral that helps regulate the nervous system, I recommend taking it before bed to support sleep, promote a calm morning and digestion in the morning. Magnesium glycinate is a great all-around option ( my clients, use Fullscript for the brands we like or Legion is my go-to for a trusted supplement source - code FORD ) while magnesium citrate can support motility for those with slower digestion. It's important to be mindful of how we use magnesium citrate, and view it as support, not a band-aid that ignores the root cause of slow digestion.
Supporting Your Gut Starts in the Morning
Remember, this doesn't need to be a whole Pinterest worthy ritual!! Find what works for you and consider that digestion being off could be a sign your current routine isn't working.
The body loves consistency, and high stress(lack of routine falling in that category) often drives GI issues.
Itâs not about being perfect or striving for âoptimal.â Itâs about finding simple ways to support your body and improve your health
I get it, weâre all busy, but take some control over how you spend your first 30 minutes ! Again, it goes a long way.
Try leaving out that glass of water each night this week. Let me know how it goes.
And if your bowel movements are still a "no go" or you can't stop going , let's set up a strategy sesion. Sometimes lifestyle isn't enough of an intervention and I'm here to help you stop spinning your wheels and start implemeting what your body actually needs.
Yours in health,
Sarah and Mere
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