You feeling that chill in the air? It’s FALL, and things are only gonna get chillier. With colder weather, digestion slows down, so giving your belly a kick start with warming foods can keep you from feeling sluggish and frigid.

Exercise, sauna, and warm epsom salt baths can help too, but let’s start with these 3 warming beverages for good digestion, with my favorite recipes.

Fire Cider

Fire cider is a traditional folk recipe that contains ingredients known to support immune function, decrease inflammation, and aid in digestion. It is made by combining aromatic superfoods with apple cider vinegar and allowing it to stew for about a month, before straining it for use. It can be taken as needed with a little bit of water or used in recipes in place of vinegar.

Fire cider gets its medicinal properties from:

• anti-inflammatory ingredients like garlic, turmeric, and ginger.
• circulation boosting ingredients like peppers and horseradish.
• digestive tract stimulation with bitter apple cider vinegar and citrus.

Two recipes to try:

• The Kitchn Fire Cider
• Mountain Rose Herbs Fire Cider

*Unfortunately, if you are someone who suffers from acid reflux, it may be best to avoid fire cider all together. Consult with your provider about what is best for you! 

Golden Milk

If you are looking for a delicious and nourishing tonic to enjoy this fall, look no further than golden milk. Golden milk is made with turmeric, an anti-inflammatory superfood that is soothing to the digestive tract and aids in improved  circulation, which is especially nice on cold autumn nights. 

Recipe to try: Downshiftology’s Dairy-Free Golden Milk

Bone Broth

Learning how to make homemade bone broth will elevate your fall cooking game. It is made by simmering bones with filtered water and vegetables/herbs of your choosing, along with a splash of vinegar to help extract the collagen from the bones. Bone broth is rich in protein, including the amino acid glycine, which is very healing to the gut lining. 

There are countless ways to use bone broth, but these are a few of my favorites:

• Pour bone broth over quinoa and top with avocado and a pasture raised egg as a savory way to include a warming breakfast to your routine.
• Use bone broth instead of water when cooking grains to boost up the protein content and add flavor.
• Sip a cup before bed as a protein rich snack to keep blood sugar stable throughout the night.

Here’s my favorite simple recipe on how to cook bone broth either on the stove top, crock pot or instant pot: Wholefully’s Bone Broth.

Have you tried these go-to drinks for healthy digestion?

Dr. April Jones

Dr. Jones graduated from the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon as a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and with a Master of Science in Nutrition degree. She believes that the most important part of any treatment plan is first establishing a solid foundation of health. This looks different for each patient and changes over time, and Dr. Jones’ guidance on your health journey will depend on your needs.