The last weekend in May marks the beginning of summer barbequing season. Longer days and warmer evenings bring us outside with friends, and while the extra sunlight may give us a boost of Vitamin D, exposure to air pollution and a seemingly endless supply of sweet summer drinks and potluck brownies will bog down the digestive system and leave the body full of toxins.

It is far too easy, on a Friday evening picnicking with friends, to have just a few too many barbecued ribs as they come off the grill, and a little too difficult to say no to a second (or even third) round of Aunt Becky’s famous cookies.  Poor diet choices can wreak havoc on our bodies, leaving behind toxins and waste. Our digestive tract is a complex system made up of many organs that perform a plethora of jobs, from disposing of the pollutants that have plagued the body to making sure nutrients end up in the right places. Maintaining proper digestive tract health is an essential part of staying healthy this summer.

If, like many of us, you are feeling like that second bratwurst, though delicious, left traces of its mystery ingredients in your digestive  tract, you may want to check out the following tips for detoxifying your system and cleansing your gastrointestinal tract.

A natural digestive boost to maintain a clean stomach

The stomach is a dumping zone for everything we put in our bodies. Every meal we have, healthy or not, must make a visit to the stomach for digestion. One of the first steps in detoxifying the digestive tract is maintaining a healthy and clean stomach. Papain, a protein found in Papaya, breaks down peptide bonds found in tough meat fibers and may help clean your stomach naturally. Get a dose of papain by popping a Papaya chewable, available at Hanna’s Herb Shop, with each meal. The tropical fruit supplement is easy to carry around, and will help your body process whatever happens to be on the grill. Even more robust, try Enzymes, a capsule of herbs from Hanna’s set of remedies. Drinking tea with ginger, cinnamon, or turmeric, may promote the body’s natural production of digestive enzymes.

Rid your intestines of toxic debris

In the next step of digestion, food enters the intestines. The intestines, or gut, are long tubular organs that absorb nutrients from food. Villi, folds, and wrinkles cover the internal surface of the intestines, where toxic waste and debris can become trapped. In order to maximize the body’s ability to excrete toxic waste, it is important to keep waste moving and cleanse the intestines of any buildup. Keep your intestines in top shape with Hanna’s Mover, a natural supplement that will help clear out any toxins and debris sitting in the intestinal tract (note that Mover is designed to provide relief from temporary constipation and should not be used daily as a digestive aide).  #9 Intestinal Cleanse by Sonne’s Organic Foods is a product that will help cleanse your intestines while promoting toxin elimination, and can be taken on a daily basis. Use it in combination with Sonne’s #7 Detoxification liquid, which will bind to toxins in your body and allow you to eliminate them from your system. Aloe Vera is also known as a healing tonic with intestinal cleansing properties.

Remember that in addition to keeping your intestines clear of debris, it is important to keep the gut populated with beneficial flora. Eat cultured vegetables with your lunch or sip on a glass of homemade milk kefir with breakfast.

Don’t forget that drinking water is a vital part of any cleanse, and staying hydrated is essential to excreting toxins in your body. Add stomach cleansing to your routine and recover from summer cookout overeating! Further information about cleanses can be found on our blog. Take a look at advice for home stomach cleansing remedies or cleansing and detoxification.