How cleaning out the inside helps you get outside this spring!

(NC)—Yes, it's warming up, spring is here and many of us can't wait to feel the sun on our faces. Still, after a long, less-than-active winter, eating heavy, starchy foods and lack of sunshine, many of us are feeling sluggish and bulky.

“Enjoying a high energy level is due in part to having a 'fit' digestive system,” says Helen Sherrard, president, Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA). “Digesting, absorbing and just as importantly, eliminating what your body doesn't need helps support increased energy levels.”

CHFA suggests that if you're looking to boost your energy and get outside to be active this spring, here are its top three digestive tips that can help:

Chew your food: Remember when our parents would say “take your time and chew your food”? Well, it wasn't just to make sure you had good manners. Chewing your food is the start of a good digestive process. Saliva contains digestive enzymes to help food break down. Taking small bites and chewing food completely will make it easier for your stomach to digest and help move food through your digestive tract more easily while supporting the elimination process.

Include foods and supplements that aid in digestion: Pineapple, for example, contains active enzymes that help with digestion. Your stomach will also greatly benefit from safe and effective natural health products like probiotics, B vitamins and chromium which regulate the bacteria in the digestive tract and make it function more effectively. Visiting a natural health food retailer in your area can provide you with useful information and options. Find a natural health food retailer at chfa.ca.

Move it, move it: Regular exercise improves digestion and elimination. So, while having a well- functioning digestive system will motivate you to be active; being active will help also promote a healthy digestive system. They are mutually beneficial.

“Good health often begins in the 'gut',” says Sherrard. “Spring is a great time to cleanse, helping to rid the body of possible toxins and leaving you feeling more energetic.”

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