6 Tips to Support Digestion

I am approached with questions regarding digestion, nutrient absorption and elimination regularly. Digestive issues are extremely common. There are more and more people being affected with pronounced imbalances like leaky gut, candida and SIBO, these issues will typically require support and a therapeutic approach. Although these are becoming more and more common, it can make sense to give attention to your habits around eating and digestion first and notice what changes it creates for you. Everything that is essential for optimal digestion is simple and straightforward, but requires lifestyle change and presence to apply. These six things can do wonders for how you feel.

1. Slow down, show up – I put this first because I have found, if you start each meal here, the other concepts happen more naturally. This also seems to be one of the hardest things for people to adopt. There is a relationship between our nervous system and our digestive system that is essential to understand. Digestion is extremely energy consumptive and one of the hardest activities the body does in a day, even on a good day. Our nervous system triggers the release of hormones, neurotransmitters and chemicals day and night, based on what the body is interpreting. We move in and out of both sympathetic and parasympathetic depending on external and internal stressors. A stress response puts the body on alert and signals it to preserve resources until the stressor subsides and the nervous system shifts out of sympathetic. Applying that to digestion, your body does not produce all the necessary enzymes for digestion, nor adequately balance hydrochloric acids levels when your nervous system is activated. Shortly put, you don’t digest and assimilate the nutrients from your food if you eat when you are stressed or your sympathetic nervous system is activated. This means changing habits away from multitasking and eating, and instead eating mindfully in a relaxing environment.
2. Chew well – Most of us aren’t going to get this right all the time, but any effort made, your digestive system thanks you. Digestion doesn’t start in your stomach, rather it starts in your mouth. There are enzymes in your saliva that are essential for the breakdown of starches and fats. There is also a relationship between the concentration of digestive secretions and time spent chewing. We also are simply not designed to have our food hit our stomachs in large pieces. Our digestive system is designed to have our food leave the mouth closer to an applesauce consistency. It may be tough to do this all the time, but just bring more mindfulness to it when you can and your digestive system will thank you. You will be more likely to assimilate more nutrients from your foods and less likely to experience digestive distress or discomfort.
3. Avoid liquids with meals – This one is pretty straight forward. Our bodies produce concentrated digestive secretions to chemically break down our foods. If we drink liquids with our meals, this dilutes their effectiveness. This just means changing habits. Instead of using your meal times to catch up on hydration, keep hydrating all throughout the day. Carry a water bottle with you and drink between your meals. This is better for hydration and detoxification. For optimal digestion, it is best to stop drinking twenty minutes before a meal and if possible wait until two hours after to resume drinking again, particularly with a heavier meal. It also helps to have hydrating foods on your plate each time you eat. Fruits and vegetables have high water content, so having veggies every time you eat really makes a difference. A worthy goal is to have 70% of whats on your plate each time you eat be vegetables. The occasional glass of wine or tea with dinner is not going to make or break things, but if these are nightly habits, or happening with every meal, it may be worth making changes.
4. Keep space between your meals – Speaking only with regards to digestion, your body is happiest with around four hours between meals, no less than three. It is important to allow your stomach time to finish its process without having something else introduced in. Unfortunately, if we eat to close together, the food most recently introduced may not be fully digested and we lose out on any nutritional benefit. There is an action in the body called the migrating motor complex that occurs at least 90-120 minutes after you finish your last meal or snack. This is a wave of peristalsis activity that sweeps the intestines of any remaining matter or pathogens. This helps with preventing SIBO and other digestive concerns. It is important to allow this space between meals and snacks. Avoid grazing.
5. Mindful portions – Portions really do make a difference and this is an area that can be tough for many people. I’ll give some average portion sizes below, but in addition, here are a few things to keep in mind. Eating until you are full is overeating. It is ideal to fill up to only 80%. Try to eat your vegetables first and fill up on the beneficial fibers, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals they contain, you are then less likely to overconsume the other foods. Put your silverware down between each bite, and finish that bite before starting the next one. When eating out, as soon as your food arrives, pause and take a look at the portion that is there, mentally make note of how much is a reasonable portion and what is excess. Eat only what is appropriate and then move your plate away. Overeating on a consistent basis sets your body up for insulin resistance and diabetes due to the burden it puts on your organs. It can also contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Slow down, slow down, slow down. Be mindful when you are eating.

Take it slow, one step at a time. Move forward as slowly as you need, but keep moving forward..