My Top 5 Gut-Supportive Habits (That Take Less Than 5 Minutes)

Let’s be real.
Most days, you're not waking up like Gwyneth Paltrow.
You're waking up like, “Do I have time to poop, make breakfast, do my skincare, get some sunlight, do a workout and get to work on time for 9AM?”

Same.

So instead of a 47-step morning routine that involves meditating on a Himalayan cliffside, I want to give you 5 simple, time-saving, gut-supportive habits that actually make a difference — and take less time than stalking your ex’s new girlfriend.

These aren’t cute wellness trends.
They’re root-cause-based, bloat-reducing, poop-improving, nervous-system-loving practices I use with real clients.

🚽 1. Tongue scrape + warm water first thing

No, not just for TikTok clout.

Why: Overnight, your body detoxes through the tongue. If you skip this and chug water or coffee first, you just swallow the gunk back down.
Bonus: It gently signals your digestive system to wake up.

⏱ Time: 30 seconds
🛠 Tools: Copper or stainless steel scraper (skip plastic), warm water with optional pinch of sea salt

P.S. if you really want to go the extra mile, start the day with oil pulling - keep a jar of coconut oil and a teaspoon on your bathroom sink - first thing, before brushing or anything else, pop a fat teaspoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swish it around for 2 minutes ++ while bouncing on the balls of your feet (rebounding to kick the lymph system into work), then spit (in the bin!!! not the sink, that can clog) then continue with tongue scraping and the rest of your routine

🧠 2. 3 deep belly breaths before eating

Think of this as pressing the "on" button for digestion.

Why: If you eat while stressed, your body is in fight-or-flight — and digestion shuts down.
Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (aka “rest and digest”) so you actually absorb your food.

⏱ Time: 20 seconds
🔥 Tip: Do it even when grabbing a quick snack. Yes, even in your car. Yes, even standing in front of your fridge.

🌿 3. Bitter before you bite

This is one of my most underrated hacks.

Why: Bitters (like dandelion, arugula, artichoke, gentian, turnip greens) trigger your body to release stomach acid, bile, and enzymes — the trifecta of good digestion.
Especially helpful if you’re bloated, constipated, or feel heavy after meals.

⏱ Time: 10 seconds
💡 Try: A squirt of Swedish bitters or digestive bitters before meals. If not, a few bites of bitter greens like arugula or radicchio help too. I try to include a bitter green at the beginning of every lunch and dinner.

💩 4. Sit + squat to poop properly

Modern toilets are cute but not functional. We’re biologically meant to squat.

Why: Squatting aligns your colon, relaxes pelvic muscles, and reduces straining (which means less bloat, gas, and constipation).
No more scrolling on the toilet praying to the poop gods.

⏱ Time: 0 seconds to add — just get a squatty potty
🛠 Tip: No stool? A trash can, stack of books, yoga blocks, or anything else to elevate your feet so you imitate the squatting position.

💆‍♀️ 5. One nervous system reset during the day

Choose your moment: stuck in traffic, between calls, in line at the grocery store.

Why: Chronic stress is the real gut disruptor. It tightens the gut lining, slows motility, and flares symptoms. One tiny reset a day makes a massive difference over time.

⏱ Time: 60 seconds
🧘‍♀️ Try:

• Legs up the wall for 2–5 minutes

• Box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4)

• Gentle humming (stimulates your vagus nerve!)

• Lymph brushing or a quick tap on the 6 main lymph cluster areas (behind the ears, collar bone, armpits, stomach, groin, behind the knees)

🚀 The takeaway:

Healing your gut doesn’t require a major lifestyle overhaul (most of the time, depending on your current lifestyle of course).
But it does require consistency — and a nervous system that isn’t low-key panicking all the time.

These 5 little habits are how you show your gut, “Hey, I got you.”
And in return, your gut starts showing up for you — with better digestion, more energy, and less bloating.

May your gut bugs be balanced and your jeans fit by dinner,

Ksenia