I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–your gut health is important! It’s part of your immune system, and when your digestion is off, it can really impact your day-to-day life. So instead of suffering in silence, so to speak, try the tips below to get your digestive system back on track.
Try some bitters
Digestive bitters have been used for centuries for better digestion. These tinctures work by stimulating saliva, pepsin, bile and stomach acid production, which helps prime your system to digest and absorb your food. Generally, you’ll want to take the bitters around 15 minutes before you eat, or you can take them after you eat if you’re having indigestion.
Keep it relaxed
When you’re afraid, stressed or worried, you activate your “fight or flight” response, and the nerves involved can slow down your GI motility and secretions, according to Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/health/four-ways-to-improve-your-gut-if-youre-stressed). Under extreme stress, digestion can actually halt completely!
To counteract the effect of stress on your digestion system, use a quiet, relaxing setting to eat your meals. Don’t multitask while eating; instead, focus on your meal. Take some deep breaths before eating, and if you can, try a short mediation before you tuck in.
Limit your drinks during meals
If you drink too much fluid with your meal, you may dilute the stomach acid you need to digest your food properly. To combat this, limit beverages 15 minutes before, during and after eating your meal.
Chew your food
You probably heard this from several adults in your life when you were a kid, but it’s good advice. Chewing is the first step in your digestion, with your saliva containing enzymes that are responsible for breaking down carbs and fats. This kickstarts the digestive process, and these enzymes actually keep working for around 60 minutes, until your stomach acid deactivates them. If you’re not really chewing your food thoroughly, you’re missing out on this important part of the process. Chew your food at 30 times before you swallow it, until it is well broken down. You can even do this with soft foods, like applesauce and soup. Instead of just swallowing it as soon as it enters your mouth, move it around a bit to help activate those enzymes.
Use the tips above for smoother digestive sailing. You may even find that you enjoy your food a lot more!
