If you’re looking to lose stubborn belly fat, you’re not alone! Those additional pounds that accumulate around your midsection are common, and you might think they’re impossible to lose. But you don’t have to settle for a flabby belly. You can lose this weight safely and relatively easily, and doing so is more important than you might realize. This extra weight around your middle puts you at higher risk for serious conditions and diseases including:
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Leaky Gut
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
- Heart Disease
- Chronic Fatigue
- Mental Illness
Eliminating this weight (and keeping it off) will reduce your waist size and your risk of life-altering illnesses.
After more than 20 years as a practicing medical doctor, I can confidently tell you that the best way to a slim gut is to achieve and maintain a healthy gut. In fact, I have yet to find one person who hasn’t benefited from adopting healthy habits that support optimal gut health.
Why is gut health so important?
Because your gut is quite literally the core of your entire being and influences everything you do. It’s where good health begins and ends. No matter who you are, when you keep your gut in good shape, you can dramatically improve your quality of life now and in the future.
Are you ready to take that first step?
As you work your way to a slimmer gut, imagine how great it will feel to wear your clothes more confidently, have more energy or just feel more comfortable in your skin. But also keep in mind that you’re doing so much more than that. You’re committing to good nutrition and smart choices that will strengthen your body and help you to live a more joyful life with reduced risk of disease and illness. Β
Here are my Top 10 Slim Gut Foods that will help you blast unwanted belly fat and achieve better health!
Grapefruit
Packed with Vitamin C and free radical fighting bioflavonoids, this low calorie fruit provides impressive health benefits. It’s a “negative calorie” food, which means that you burn more calories digesting it than the fruit itself provides. This makes it an ideal food for weight loss. It also boosts immunity and contains AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an enzyme that encourages the body’s ability to support energy and lose weight. Its water and fiber content even helps prevent constipation and sustain a healthy digestive tract!
Berries
A great source of fiber, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries absorb fat and calories and swiftly remove them through the digestive tract. They make great alternatives to sugary snacks that can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Lean Proteins
Your body uses a lot of energy to digest lean proteins like chicken, turkey and lean beef. This helps boost your metabolism and burn fat and calories more quickly. These foods will also help protect your muscle mass while you’re losing weight.
Garlic
A nutritional powerhouse that increases metabolism, boosts your immune system, fights aging, lowers blood sugar and reduces your risk of disease. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition indicated that garlic may increase the number of calories burned during daily activities while simultaneously decreasing fat production.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens such as kale and spinach contain a specific type of sugar that fuels the growth of healthy gut bacteria. They’re excellent sources of fiber, packed with vitamins C, K and A. Eating them regularly encourages the development of ideal gut microbiome, a key component to your gut health.
Ginger
From treating nausea to fighting infection, this powerful antioxidant provides numerous benefits. It eases digestion, protects against stomach ulcers and contains enzymes that help reduce gut inflammation.
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate lovers, rejoice! This sweet treat tastes great, instantly boosts your mood and – amazingly – can help you to lose weight. Eating small amounts (about 1.4 ounces) a few times a week lowers blood pressure and reduces stress-causing cortisol. It can also promote beneficial gut bacteria and reduce gut inflammation. Go for the darkest organic chocolate you can find.
Broccoli
An excellent prebiotic (foods that encourage healthy bacteria to thrive in your GI tract), broccoli provides exactly what your friendly gut bacteria needs to flourish. It contains glucosinolates, which break down into a compound that regulates your intestinal microbial makeup. It can even reduce inflammation and alleviate digestive discomfort.
Apples
Rich in vitamin C, potassium and pectin (a soluble fiber), apples are often used to alleviate constipation and diarrhea. They can decrease inflammation in the colon and reduce your risk of intestinal infections. Β
Salmon
Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can effectively reduce gut inflammation, particularly helpful for those who suffer with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), ulcerative colitis, leaky gut syndrome and other digestive or inflammatory disorders. Β
Foods/Habits to Avoid
Trans Fats
Too Much Alcohol
Antibiotics
Smoking
Excessive Stress
Lack of Sleep
Sugar
Processed Foods
Gluten-Containing Grains
Dairy
Soy
Corn
GMO Foods
Artificial Sweeteners
Farmed Fish
Factory-Farmed Meat
Soda
Refined Foods
About Dr. Partha Nandi
Dr. Partha Nandi, M.D., FACP, is a practicing gastroenterologist, holistic health practitioner, author, speaker, passionate patient advocate and creator and host of the medical lifestyle show, The Dr. Nandi Show.
Born in Calcutta, India, Dr. Nandi survived rheumatic heart disease as a child and made an everlasting commitment to patient care. Through his health challenges grew the compassion, intrigue and drive to become one of the leading patient advocates in the United States. He has never forgotten his beginnings, and continues to teach and inspire millions to adopt healthy lifestyle habits that lead to living more joyful and fulfilling lives.
Combining the best healing techniques from both Eastern and Western medicine, Dr, Nandi strives to help the sick and healthy alike find the most effective ways to solve and prevent various ailments and diseases. Β
