3 Ways To Improve Digestion
Good digestion is the beginning of the process of using our food as fuel for the processes that keep us feeling good!
All of the nutrients in the food we eat need to make it to the different places in our bodies where they get used, this first happens via digestion and absorption.
In order for the body to be able to absorb the nutrients in the food, it must be broken down mechanically by our teeth, and chemically by the digestive enzymes and acids in our stomach and small intestines.
Digestive upsets such as bloating and discomfort may be a result of many different things but the way that you eat has a big impact on how you feel after.
Here are a few things you can do to make it easier for your body to break down and use the nutrients in your food:
Chew your food.
A big challenge on your digestive system is breaking down food that hasn’t been broken down by your teeth.
Food is designed to be chewed thoroughly, so when we swallow, we are swallowing more of a paste (or bolus) rather than a bulky piece of food. Depending on what you’re eating, it won’t always be the same texture. The goal is to break down the food mechanically with your teeth as much as you can, so your stomach and intestines can break down the food chemically.
If you aren’t chewing, the job gets harder for your stomach and intestines and this may contribute to digestive upsets as I mentioned before.
It takes time to really chew your food and if you’re used to swallowing whole chunks it may be weird at first, but the more you do it the easier it gets!
Relax before you eat.
When the body is stressed, we are on high alert and ready to defend ourselves from whatever perceived danger we are encountering. Eating stressed makes it more challenging for your body to digest food because it’s not ready for it.
Relaxing before you eat may support your digestion as the parasympathetic nervous system is at work or you’re in “rest and digest” mode. By relaxing before you eat, you may support better digestion.
Try playing some calming music, enjoying your meals with people you love, or taking a moment for mindfulness before you dive in.
Eat slowly and mindfully.
Overeating can overwhelm the digestive system and lead to imbalances in the digestive and intestinal systems. It can be easy to overeat when eating quickly.
Personally, taking my time chewing and enjoying the flavor of the food allows me to be more in tune with how I feel. This helps me better understand how much I’ve consumed, how hungry or full I am and it gives me better insight on how much food will be best for me in that moment, reducing the risk of overeating!
I am often catching myself eating quickly, and take a minute to slow myself down. But sometimes I forget, as I’m human, and I didn’t grow up eating mindfully so it’s still a relatively new concept to me. Over time with practice, it becomes easier.
To wrap things up,
The digestion of food isn’t only dependent on the types of food you eat, and actually relies heavily on the dietary habits you have (the way you eat). To support your digestion you can start with these tips. And always be kind to yourself and know that it take time to implement new habits if you choose to try them out. The goal is to better understand what makes you feel good, in order to implement things that are accessible to you and feel right.
