So many of us struggle with problems digesting our food. Many may not even realize it’s poor digestion causing the problem .  Whether its bloating, gas, constipation, fatigue, a constant feeling of hunger, or one of the many other symptoms related to poor digestion, there are things you can do to help improve the way your body digests food.  When your body digests the foods you eat properly, it can more easily access the nutrients in those foods.  This in turn, impacts how you feel all day long.

Below are 10 Tips to Improve Digestion

• Exercise– Healthy muscle tone around the abdomen is necessary to digest properly. You need muscle tone to help move food through your digestive tract. Even if you don’t change the foods you eat, exercise can improve digestion.

• Chew Your Food– Chewing food thoroughly will help digest any food. When we eat on the run and gulp down our food we complicate the digestion process. When you slow down, enjoy your food, and chew it thoroughly, you will produce saliva which contains lots of enzymes that help with digestion.

• Don’t overeat– Overeating really puts a strain on your digestive system and can slow down the rate of digestion. In addition, it requires your body to expend a lot of energy and puts stress on your digestive system by forcing your body to try to use to many nutrients at once. Try eating in moderation and only eat until you are 75% full.

• Take time for Gratitude– Take a few minutes before you take that first bite to pause and reflect.  Do this either with gratitude or blessings.  When you do this, you activate the cephalic phase of digestion.  This is when your brain signals saliva to release and begins the digestion process.

• Reduce or Eliminate Processed Foods– Your digestive system finds these so called “foods” difficult to digest. When we eat processed food, our body has to supply its own energy and nutrients in order to metabolize these foods.  This robs our bodies of nutrients rather than supplying them.  Ditch the processed foods for whole foods as often as possible.

• Boost Stomach Acid-Low stomach acid is common to many people.  Heartburn, belching, gas, fatigue, and “feeling” hungry after you’ve just eaten can be a result of low stomach acid.  A quick way to boost stomach acid is to add fresh squeezed lemon juice or a tablespoon of raw fermented apple cider vinegar to your water each morning.

• Eat more Fiber– Fiber helps to keep your colon healthy .  It speeds the transits time through the colon, dilutes the effect of any toxic substances, and helps to rid bad bacteria from the colon. It’s important to consume both soluble (apples, citrus fruits,  oatmeal) and insoluble fiber (whole wheat flour, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes).  Soluble fiber absorbs toxins and unneeded cholesterol while insoluble fiber speeds up elimination.
• Drink Water– Water is one of the top nutrients needed for digestion. The stomach needs water for digestion and also for the health of your mucosal lining (this is what supports the small intestine bacteria for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients) Without proper amounts of water in your digestive system, you may experience indigestion, heartburn, fatigue, brain fog, constipation, or even develop ulcers.

• Add in a Probiotic– Our body needs good bacteria to strengthen our immune systems, reduce chronic inflammation, and more. Try a probiotic supplement or add raw fermented foods to your diet like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, or kombucha.

• Try some digestive enzymes– In order for your body to digest foods you need 3 types of enzymes: lipase to break down fat, amylase to break down carbohydrates, and protease to break down protein. The best source of enzymes are from foods that are live or raw (these are foods have not been heated to the point where their enzymes are destroyed). A digestive enzyme supplement is another great option if your digestion is suffering. (Go to the Supplements tab on my website https://wellevate.me/julie-hiller#/ to find and purchase the Digestive Enzyme and Probiotic I suggest and take).

Ready to work on improving your digestion and other areas of your health. Schedule a free consultation with me at https://balancehealthandnutrition.com/book-appointment/.