Poor digestion has become so commonplace, that it may seem like the norm. Almost everyone today experiences symptoms such as bloating, constipation, feeling tired after meals, and acid reflux. Just because these symptoms are more prevalent, doesn’t make them normal. In fact, far from it. If you are experiencing any of these issues, your gut is trying to tell you that something’s wrong. Symptoms are our bodies way of letting us know that something needs to be addressed. The good news is that you no longer have to suffer with poor digestion every day. These simple steps will help you begin to heal your gut, and improve your digestion, starting today!
We all know that what you eat has a profound effect on the health of your gut. But not many people realize that how you eat, is just as important as what you eat. You can be eating all sorts of nutritious foods, but if you aren’t eating the right way you could be hurting your gut even more, and not absorbing all those good nutrients that you are trying to get into your system.
Food Combining
Food combining is a simple principle that can have a profound effect on the health of your gut. The idea behind food combining is that different foods digest at different speeds. For instance fruit is designed to break down very quickly, where as meat and fats are designed to digest very slowly. When you combine a fruit with a fat, say an apple with almond butter, be prepared for some bloating and rumbling in your tummy. That apple will be breaking down and fermenting very quickly, but the almond butter is going to slow down that process. The result is neither food breaks down or is absorbed properly. Not only are you left feeling bloated and uncomfortable, but your body missed out on absorbing some of the nutrients provided by the apple and almond butter. Starches and grains are another food group that digest fairly quickly and do not combine with others. A sweet potato and steak dinner can have a similar effect as the apple and almond butter. This information can seem overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of food combining it’s easy to incorporate into your eating regimen.
Food Combining Rules
- As a general rule, eat fruit by itself, at least 30 minutes away from other food.
- Anything can be combined with veggies. Starches and veggies, protein and veggies, fat and veggies. Veggies are the exception and generally digest well with anything.
- Separate starches/grains and heavy protein. Combining veggies with either of those two food groups is fine, but starches and heavy proteins should be separate optimal digestion.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to go crazy with food combining and get overwhelmed. But, it’s good to understand these principles so that you can better optimize how you digest and absorb your food.
Chew Your Food
Another important principle when it comes to improving your digestion is to properly chew your food. You may have heard the saying “digestion starts in the mouth,” well it’s true. As you are chewing your saliva begins to release enzymes to help you break down your food. This is such an important part of the digestion process, but can be too easily skipped by not chewing enough. Technically we are supposed to chew 40 times for the proper release of enzymes. Yes, 40! Considering how fast most of us eat, we probably nowhere near 40. The next time you eat, consciously chew 40 times with each bite. Now, I don’t suggest you count every time you eat, but this will give you an idea of how long you should be chewing for. The goal is to completely masticate your food so that it is broken down when you swallow. By doing this you’ll not only release the amount of enzymes that you need but you will also make it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients in what you ate. In turn, it will save your gut from having to work extra hard at breaking down half chewed food. This one little change can relieve so many digestive issues.
Slow Down
An additional note when it comes to eating, is to not only chew thoroughly, but to slow down in general. So often meals today are eaten in a rush or on the go. Taking the time to consciously eat and enjoy your meal at a table can also make a big difference in how you digest and absorb your food. Eating at a stressed, rushed pace has your body pumping out cortisol, which shuts down digestion in the process. If you are stressed and eating you are not digesting properly. Set aside time to eat instead of making it an afterthought. Add in a little appreciation for your meal and you’ll amp your digestion even more.
Don’t Drink Liquids with Your Food
This is perhaps the most challenging habit to adopt, but also the most helpful. Don’t drink liquids with your food, and for up to an hour after. When you drink liquids during and immediately after you eat, you dilute those important digestive enzymes that your body is making to properly digest your food. I can hear the objections now…but what if I’m choking? What if the food is really spicy? There is a big difference between taking little sips of water and gulping down a whole glass. It’s fine to take small sips of as needed, just don’t gulp down the whole thing. Make sure you properly hydrate before you eat so that you aren’t as thirsty during or after the meal. Again little sips are fine, but for improved digestion and absorption, avoid drinking an excessive amount of liquid during and after your meal.
Let’s dive deeper into how your body digests and absorbs food in the first place.
We’ve already mentioned that digestion starts in the mouth as your saliva puts out enzymes during the chewing process. Food then moves to your stomach where it is further broken down by stomach acid. As it travels from your stomach to your small intestine your body releases more enzymes to break it down and begin to extract nutrients. And here is where the magic happens. Your small intestine begins to absorb nutrients from the food you’re digesting and sends it into the bloodstream where it can be distributed to different parts of your body. In an ideal world you are chewing well, eating in a calm state, and following the proper food combining.
Those are all really important steps, but there can still be factors that impair how well your small intestine is able to absorb food. For instance if you have a history of gut dysbiosis (bloating, inflammation, constipation, etc.) then your small intestine will not be operating as well as it should. This means you won’t be absorbing all the nutrients your body needs, even if you are eating highly nutritious foods. In addition, this means that you might be nutrient deficient, which can lead to issues such as excess fat storage and muscle wasting. When food isn’t properly being broken down you’ll experience symptoms such as bloating, acid reflux, and IBS. As you can see, poor digestion can be a vicious cycle, and learning how to break this cycle is key to healing your gut.
How to Break the Cycle
As we have already established, food choices and eating habits play a big role in your bodies ability to digest and absorb nutrients. We’ve also discussed that existing dysbiosis can have a negative impact on the digestion process and needs to be addressed. One of the best ways to break this digestion cycle is with cleansing. Cleansing, or detoxing, is an ancient healing method used to address multiple conditions, and is especially helpful for gut health. A gut detox helps to lower inflammation and change the environment of the gut, creating more ideal conditions for digestion and absorption. And cleansing does not mean starving! In fact, our 2-week digestive cleanse is designed to help eliminate toxins and excess waste from your colon, while feeding your body fiber rich nutritious food. A 2-week gut detox, combined with healthy food and good eating habits is a fast and effective way to improve your digestion and break the vicious cycle for good.
To learn more about the Healus digestive cleanse and how it will help your digestion, click here.