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INTERVIEW
It goes without saying that a balanced diet and regular exercise routine contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Keeping a happy digestive system goes hand in hand with both – queue in kombucha, the beverage that has been praised for its gut supporting benefits. We speak with Lisa and Patricia, founders of Hong Kong's pioneering kombucha brand, Taboocha, on their top five tips to keep your gut healthy. The homegrown brand not only actively supports local artists and communities and strives to achieve sustainable growth but its primary concern is to improve your health.
1) Try To Consume Fermented Food & Drink On A Daily Basis
Patricia: I include yoghurt in my breakfast, drink a lot of kombucha at the brewery and when possible try to include delicious foods such as kimchi and miso in our meal dishes. Kombucha and other fermented foods are full of antioxidants and probiotics that boost the health of intestinal cells, improve immune function and aid in food digestion. Research and studies suggest that probiotics slow "gut transit time" by 12.4 hours, increase the number of weekly bowel movements by 1.3, and help to soften stools, making them easier to pass.
2) Daily Exercise
Patricia: I have a dog and a young toddler and both of them motivate me to take daily morning walks up a little hill near my home every day. I think any kind of exercise daily is important – be it jogging, a 20-30 minute HIIT or yoga workout at home or a walk in the neighbourhood! During the cooler months of the year, Lisa and I love to take our dogs on hikes so they can run around. Hong Kong has some of the most accessible and beautiful trails so make full use of them! Exercise regulates bowel movement, improves gut microbiome health and in turn helps boost immunity and mood, which has been suggested to help reduce stress. Trust me, it’s the same for young children and dogs!
3) Drink Plenty Of Water!
Lisa: As much as I love kombucha, water is indispensable to a healthy diet and I always drink loads of it every day (at least 10 cups!). Apart from preventing constipation, drinking plenty of water can also help increase the diversity of bacteria in the gut, and prevent gastrointestinal infections.
4) Watch Your Diet – Try To Eat Clean (MOST Of The Time!)
Lisa: I love spicy food, but try to avoid consuming too much of it since it can irritate my digestive system. Eating cleaner (low in fat/sugar content) on most days of the week helps maintain a healthy happy gut and I also like to include high fibre foods in my meals – vegetables, oats, nuts, beans, fruits. Add plenty of these to your soups, salads and warm dishes and you’ll see a huge difference!
5) Get Enough Sleep
Patricia: I know some people can function on 5-6 hours of sleep (or less) but I definitely need at least 7-8! And feeling rested is so important to my physical and mental well-being – lack of sleep can cause stress, which may then lead to intestinal permeability issues and poor food choices. In addition, at nighttime, our bodies make more of the hormone melatonin which helps regulate gastrointestinal mobility. In any event, we all know that sleep is an important part of overall health. Not only can it help the digestive system, it can sustain the immune system, heart and brain.
Imageries provided by Taboocha.
Website: taboocha.com | Instagram: @taboocha | Facebook: @taboocha
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