5 Tips to Optimize Digestion

Digestive complaints are very common. In one survey, nearly two-thirds of Americans reported having digestive symptoms and IBS affects about 10-15% of the population of North America. Given that this is such a common concern I would like to share 5 tips you can use to improve your digestion.

1.    Stress management

Stress can wreak havoc on your digestion. When you are under stress your sympathetic nervous system takes over, and your blood flow is shunted away from the digestive system. If you shunt blood away from your digestive system for too long, it can cause digestive problems.  This is known as the “fight or flight” response. Alternatively, when you are relaxed you will enter the parasympathetic, or “rest and digest” state.  When you are under stress, try to pause and spend 5-10 minutes doing a breathing exercise. There are several breathing exercises that have been shown to be helpful to reduce stress. These include box breathing, 4-7-8 breathing an alternate nostril breathing.  It is beyond the scope of this article to go into each of these, but they can easily be found online. Perhaps I will cover them in a future blog as well.

2.     Eat slowly and chew your food

The way in which we eat our food is very important for digestion. When you smell your food, your body starts to prepare itself for a meal by releasing saliva and digestive enzymes. This is called the cephalic stage of digestion.  If you are not doing your own cooking or are eating out, try to sit with your food and take in the smell for a few minutes before you begin eating. This will give your body time to prepare itself for the meal.  Eat slowly and mindfully to avoid overeating and improper food digestion.  Also consider eating bitter greens such as arugula or sipping a teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar in a few ounces of water 15 minutes before a meal to stimulate your digestive enzyme production.

3.    Meal spacing

The small intestine must be in a fasting state to trigger cleaning waves (known as the migrating motor complex) through it to empty out food particles. If you are constantly snacking, there is minimal time for the migrating motor complex to activate, leading to stagnant food. These residual food particles provide fuel for bacteria to ferment and increase risk of small bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine (SIBO). This fermentation can result in gas production which can cause bloating and discomfort as well as fluid being drawn into the intestinal lining.  Additionally, the decreased motility can make it easier to develop SIBO small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO). Fasting for 4-5 hours between meals can help make sure these cleaning waves happen.  Fluids such as coffee, water and tea can be consumed during fasting, as long as there is nothing added to them. I recommend checking with your doctor before starting any kind of fast to make sure it is safe for you.

4.    Exercise

Exercising every day is very important for optimal digestion. I always notice when I haven’t exercised because I feel much more bloated. Yoga is a particularly good option for people with digestive issues because the twists also can help move food, gas and stool through your gut and it can also help reduce stress. Another tool is to go for a walk after meals. Not only can this help improve digestion by reducing the time that food sits in your stomach, it can also lower blood sugar.  For my diabetic patients, I often recommend walking for 15 minutes after each meal, when blood sugar is the highest. The muscles will then use the sugar in the blood helping to lower the blood sugar. Please check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.

5.    Carminative herbs 

Carminative herbs are herbs that help increase movement of the intestines and can also help relieve gas and bloating. These herbs include cinnamon, clove, fennel, peppermint, ginger, cardamom and chamomile. Chai is a great example of a carminative formula as it contains several different carminative herbs. Please note that while these herbs do not contain caffeine themselves, chai usually has black tea in it and this amount of caffeine can cause stress or anxiety in some people, having a negative effect on the digestion. Fennel and peppermint teas are fantastic caffeine free options. Drinking a cup of one of these teas after larger meals can help ease digestive discomfort related to gas.

I hope these tools help you achieve more optimal digestion.

Lela Altman, ND, Lac, FABNG