From The Straits Times    |

1 SHE WAKES UP TO…
The juice of half a lemon and a glass of warm water. “I drink this on an empty stomach every morning,” says Cheng Guat.
     Acidic lemon juice turns alkaline in the stomach, neutralising acids – which, in excess, may cause you to fall ill. Avoid using hot water, which destroys the beneficial enzymes in the juice.  

2 EAT SUPER GREENS
Vegetable sprouts, the tender shoots of plants, contain live enzymes to help digestion and are full of vitamins and minerals. Try alfalfa, sunflower, black bean and wasabi sprouts. Eat them raw, in salads or use them as toppings for stir-fries or steamed and deep-fried fish.

These greens are available at supermarkets and www.greennatureeco.com.

3 EASY DETOX DRINKS
Boil four stalks of lemongrass, two green apples and 1.2 litres of water for 35 minutes, until the water is reduced by half. This antioxidant drink gets rid of free radicals in the body. “I drink it throughout the day, three times a week,” says Cheng Guat. Or steep dried bittergourd (a friend bought it for her from Korea; we are waiting for this to hit our health stores) in hot water for a refreshing drink. 

4 MUST-HAVE SPICE
Turmeric has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits. Cheng Guat sprinkles it over buns, risotto, pastas and salads.

5 TO HELP DIGESTION
Add 1/2 tsp ginger powder and 3/4 tsp jaggery to 1 cup warm water.
     Ginger fires up enzymes that aid digestion, and is more potent as a powder. Jaggery is a type of raw sugar that comes in a block you shave off to add to your drink. Its goodness is not stripped away by a refining process, and it’s great for boiled desserts too.

Ginger powder and jaggery are available at Indian provision stores in Little India in Singapore.

6 A SUPER JUICE
Juice beetroot with carrots and apples – the two ingredients cut down the sandy taste of the dark red vegetable that’s rich in iron and antioxidants.

TIP: “Avoid cold drinks during and right after meals; have them two hours after instead. Digestive enzymes need heat to break down food. They don’t work as well when it’s cold, resulting in indigestion, a bloated tummy and even headaches.”

This article was originally published in Simply Her December 2013.