Here are my 5 ways to improve digestion, which are super easy! Supporting and improving digestion is vital for health, whether that’s supporting glucose control, increasing energy levels or aiding weight loss. When digestion is poor a range of problems and illnesses can arise, such as autoimmune conditions, allergies and intolerances.
So, keep reading for 5 ways to improve your digestion and promote your health!
1.Eat prebiotic foods
It is commonly known that we have bacteria in our digestive system, which is called the microbiome.
There are strains of bacteria which are beneficial for us, and others that are detrimental. The beneficial strains promote health because they aid digestion, absorption and can even help to make vital nutrients, for example folate.
The following foods are fantastic prebiotic foods to include in your diet, yogurt, kimchi, bananas, miso, and pretty much any fermented foods.
If you would like to take an extra step, taking a probiotic supplement with your main meal will help to repopulate the good strains of bacteria in the gut.
2. Avoid refined sugar
Refined sugar can be extremely detrimental to health. Not only does refined sugar contribute to glucose spikes, it also feeds the bad bacteria in the gut. This can lead to digestive complications, such as bloating, SIBO, leaky gut syndrome and many more!
So I would definitely recommend cutting down on refined sugar, especially if you are struggling with digestive issues such as bloating. It is alright to have an occasional treat, but just be aware that refined sugars are not your friend and may worsen digestive symptoms.
Try and stick to natural sugars found in fruits, vegetables and natural sweeteners (like honey), rather than white sugar or artificial sweeteners.
3. Don’t drink with meals!
This may come as a surprise to you but drinking a lot of liquid with food is not great for digestion.
I don’t just mean alcohol, I am also referring to hot drinks, soft drinks and even water.
When we drink a lot of liquid with food, it can dilute digestive enzymes, making digestion slower and sluggish. This can also be a big factor that contributes towards bloating for many people.
Furthermore, fizzy drinks and alcohol can outcompete food, meaning that they will be absorbed ahead of beneficial nutrients.
Remember that water is vital for digestion, but water needs to be consumed throughout the day to replenish digestive juices, rather than mostly being consumed at meal times.
So, if you need a drink with meals, sip fresh, room temperature water while eating and wait around 20-30 minutes after eating to drink lots of water. Prioritise drinking the bulk of your water between meals!
4. Pack in fibre!
Fibre aids the flow of digestion and passing stools. This is vital because this is a major way we eliminate toxins. When digestion is poor, we do not absorb nutrients effectively and we do not eliminate toxins effectively.
So eating enough fibre is vital for regulating bowel habits, and keeping the whole body healthy.
Furthermore, fibre feeds healthy strains of bacteria in the gut, which helps to prevent the over-growth of bad bacteria.
Add more fibre to your diet by swapping to wholegrain and brown carbs, eating fruit, leafy vegetables and legumes.
5. Eat Mindfully
Eating mindfully means knowing exactly what you are eating and paying full attention while you are eating. For example, thinking about the texture, taste and smell of the food that you are eating.
When people are not concentrating properly while eating, they tend to eat too quickly, chew food inadequately and will potentially overeat. This will impair digestion and may mean the person is not getting the full benefits from the foods they are eating.
So try to eat without distractions, chew your food as much as possible to make digestion and absorption more efficient, and sip water while eating.
Thank you for reading my 5 ways to improve digestion, I hope you found these tips useful! Make sure you subscribe and follow me on Instagram!
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