Nutritious and packed with vitamins and minerals, this all-season salad is sure to satisfy your snacking cravings while helping to relieve some of your digestive discomforts.

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Beans, which include chickpeas and lentils, are rich in fiber and protein, and are renowned for the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals they contain. They are therefore ideal for providing us with the energy we need on a daily basis, protecting our bodies from external factors harmful to our health, while relieving occasional constipation and regulating our intestinal transit.

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Also recognized as a good source of fiber, beets and apples are packed with vitamins and minerals, and also have antioxidant properties. Did you know that a deficiency or absence of antioxidant enzyme production in our bodies can lead, in the long term, to oxidative stress that can damage or destroy our cells? Under the influence of external factors (UV rays, tobacco, stress, pollution, poor diet, artificial light, etc.), the production of free radicals in our bodies is increased, which can lead to premature cell aging and the development of certain diseases. Eating more antioxidant foods can therefore prevent the oxidation of fats harmful to blood vessels and protect our bodies from premature aging by opposing the action of free radicals.

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Now that we've demystified how antioxidants play a key role in our bodies, let's talk about a digestive disorder that a lot of people suffer from: constipation! You've probably heard nutritionists talk about a healthy, balanced diet, but what exactly does that mean? Basically, when you go grocery shopping, choose nutritious, diversified foods that are as natural as possible (organic), and stay away from processed products (cookies, chips, commercial sauces...), which I like to call "junk" foods because they're high in calories, but empty of nutrients and vitamins essential to the body's proper functioning. Very often, constipation is the result of an accumulation of unhealthy foods in our bodies, combined with a lack of water intake and poor lifestyle habits (alcohol, stress and overwork, lack of physical activity...).

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Eating foods rich in soluble and insoluble fiber and increasing water intake can alleviate certain digestive and intestinal problems. Flaxseeds, for example, are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers, making them easy to digest. Raisins are also a good source of fiber, as well as being rich in trace elements, calcium and magnesium.

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For a healthy salad, it's best to make your own homemade vinaigrette. With this recipe, I've taken care to choose foods that promote better digestion. Cider vinegar, for example, promotes the development and renewal of intestinal flora. Mustard helps combat constipation and also aids digestion. Finally, fresh ginger is renowned for its digestive and anti-inflammatory properties, which can have a beneficial effect on constipation and many other digestive disorders such as nausea, bloating and intestinal gas, to name but a few.

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Overall, this antioxidant legume salad recipe will not only help protect you against potential attacks from external factors, but will also bring you physical and mental well-being. To answer more questions about your digestive problems, and for a better follow-up of your general health, I invite you to book your functional naturopathy consultation with me.