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Tuesday 9 May 2023

Improve your digestion naturally

Some suggestions on how to improve your digestion naturally


"The Best Ways to Improve Your Digestion Naturally.

Everyone experiences occasional digestive symptoms such as upset stomach, gas, heartburn, nausea, constipation or diarrhoea. However, when these symptoms occur frequently, they can cause major disruptions to your life. Fortunately, diet and lifestyle changes can have a positive impact on your gut health. Here are 12 evidence-based ways to improve your digestion naturally:-

1. Eat Real Food
Diets high in processed foods have been linked to a higher risk of digestive disorders. Eating a diet low in food additives, trans fats and artificial sweeteners may improve your digestion and protect against digestive diseases.

2. Get Plenty of Fibre
A high-fibre diet promotes regular bowel movements and may protect against many digestive disorders. Three common types of fibre are soluble and insoluble fibre, as well as prebiotics.

3. Add Healthy Fats to Your Diet
Fat keeps food moving smoothly through your digestive system. What’s more, omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, which may prevent inflammatory bowel diseases.

4. Stay Hydrated
Insufficient fluid intake is a common cause of constipation. Increase your water intake by drinking non-caffeinated beverages and eating fruits and vegetables that have a high water content.

5. Manage Your Stress
Stress can wreak havoc on your digestive system. Incorporating stress management techniques, such as deep belly breathing, meditation or yoga, may improve not only your mindset but also your digestion.

6. Eat Mindfully
Eating slowly and mindfully and paying attention to every aspect of your food, such as texture, temperature and taste, may help prevent common digestive issues such as indigestion, bloating and gas.

7. Chew Your Food
Chewing food thoroughly breaks it down so that it can be digested more easily. The act also produces saliva, which is needed for proper mixing of food in your stomach.

8. Get Moving
Exercise may improve your digestion and reduce symptoms of constipation. It can also help reduce inflammation, which may be beneficial in preventing inflammatory bowel conditions.

9. Rebalance Your Stomach Acid
Low stomach acid may cause digestive symptoms such as nausea, heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux. Drinking 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 ml) of raw apple cider vinegar diluted in a glass of water before meals may help increase your stomach acid.

10. Slow Down and Listen to Your Body
Not paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues and eating when you’re emotional or anxious can negatively impact digestion. Taking time to relax and pay attention to your body’s cues may help reduce digestive symptoms after a meal.

11. Ditch Bad Habits
Bad habits such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol and eating late at night can cause digestive issues. To improve digestion, try to avoid these damaging habits.

12. Incorporate Gut-Supporting Nutrients
Certain nutrients are necessary for a healthy digestive tract. Ensuring that your body gets enough probiotics, glutamine and zinc may improve your digestion.

The Bottom Line
Simple diet and lifestyle changes may help improve your digestion if you experience occasional, frequent or chronic digestive symptoms. Eating a whole-foods diet high in fibre, healthy fat and nutrients is the first step toward good digestion. Practices such as mindful eating, stress reduction and exercise can also be beneficial. Finally, ditching bad habits that may affect your digestion — such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol and late-night eating — may help relieve symptoms as well."

Words above taken from an article by Melissa Groves RD.
Read her full article, with all relevant links here


Please note articles within this blog are provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider.

All the best Jan

27 comments:

Christine said...

Great advice

Tom said...

...good things to know.

J.P. Alexander said...

Gracias por los consejos. Te mando un beso.

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

What great suggestions! I do drink the apple cider vinegar with local honey in some warm water once a day. I need to try some more of your suggestions. Thank you!

Angie said...

Jan - terrific advice. I am always a little shocked at how fast many people eat. Do they even taste it, savor it, remember it 5 minutes later? I have always been a slow eater - I want to enjoy it!

Thanks for your visit to my blog! I am a little sad that I did not see any of the Coronation events - too busy getting ready for our trip, but I am hoping I might catch some re-runs once we get the UK and have a little more time on our hands!

Margaret D said...

Good read and advice Jan.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I feel quite smug. I pretty much do all of the above.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Great advice. Thank you Jan for all your good work on this Blog.

God bless.

roentare said...

How I love your health facts. I will need to eat more healthy fats.

Martha said...

Very good points! Thank you.

My name is Erika. said...

These are all great points. I especially like the get moving one because it is so good for everything in our bodies, isn't it?

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Excellent post!
Many if those tips are hard to remember. Chewing is the one I forget the most often. Fast eating isn't good for the digestive system. As a kid, I was even told to slow down.

Linda said...

Yep! And get that fiber from food, not supplements. Some of us learned that the hard way.

Lorrie said...

Good advice all around! Sensible!

Jenny Woolf said...

I also might add to eat earlier in the evening, then your body has a chance to digest while you're active . Works for me.

sandy said...

That's a helpful list. It's weird...I almost lived on Tums - meaning a two at a time in a day ....several times a week. Then I go to my sister's to help with her husband who has Alzheimers while she was in the hospital with a stroke and then home for awhile after that and then a s econd stroke, so altogether almost three months. During that time I didn't have much of an appetite and didn't really eat much. So I get home and realize awhile back that I hadn't had a Tum since October 2 2022 in seven months. I think going without much food healed whatever the issue was with indigestion. Don't know why I'm sharing this other than it's fascinating to me, lolol.

Bill said...

Good advice, thanks Jan.

Debbie said...

i could improve my digestion by adding a few things from this list. i do feel my digestion process could use a little help...but i feel i eat well!!

HappyK said...

I don't have any problems and can eat anything, but all good advice.

William Kendall said...

That's good advice.

Shari Burke said...

Good information. Thank you.

Iris Flavia said...

You speak of my heart. After a real stressful day at work Ingo gets nothing down.
And he never understands it takes me a long(er) time to eat!
Also thanks to you I cook, so I know exactly what I eat :-)

Divers and Sundry said...

The apple cider vinegar one is not something I've done, but the others are regulars for me.

Teresa said...

Siempre interesantes tus reportajes. Besos.

baili said...

heartfelt Thanks for such a nice sharing dear friend !

it can help to so many indeed .
i learn lot from here
blessings

Anne (cornucopia) said...

Great tips.

Conniecrafter said...

I totally agree with the being stressed and eating do not go together.