How to improve your digestion?

Maintaining a healthy digestion is paramount for everyone.

The stomach is a key point to maintaining harmony, balance and the proper functioning of all our systems and organs.

The heavy, slow or very labored digestions do nothing but damage and deteriorate our health. This hinders the proper assimilation of nutrients and hinders the proper elimination of waste that intoxicate our body.

Indigestion is a very common problem related to the digestive system and can give us a hard time with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and general discomfort.

Often also appears heartburn accompanied by a deep burning sensation in the chest, along with indigestion. All these symptoms can be easily avoided if you follow some recommendations.

1.-Eat more times during the day.

Everyday life can sometimes limit us to 3 or fewer meal times per day.

Household chores, work and different leisure activities fill our daily lives.

However, it is recommended to distribute between 4 and 5 meal times throughout the day, which also implies that you should reduce the proportions in each of them.

This results in better digestion because the body digests smaller meals better. Adapting your body to eating less food while increasing the number of meal times per day takes a little patience.

Remember that it is not something you will achieve overnight, so take your time and gradually reduce your portions and distribute your time throughout the day.

2.- Don’t eat too fast

It is important to chew your food well and savour it. This stimulates the production of saliva before swallowing, which aids digestion.

If we are very stressed, it is better not to eat at that time and calm down to avoid stomach problems.

Eating slowly also helps us to lose weight, as the satiating effect reaches our organism 20 minutes after we start eating. Otherwise, if you consume food quickly, your brain won’t have enough time to alert you that it doesn’t need any more nutrients.

It is then that we fall into excesses and force our body to have to digest for a longer period of time.

3.-Take time for digestion.

To prevent heartburn and heavy digestion, try not to be physically active after eating. This prevents gastric juices from flowing back into the oesophagus.

  • Depending on the individual characteristics of the person, digestion can take between 2 to 4 hours.
  • During this time your body concentrates its energies on digesting and consuming food, which is why we sometimes feel a little drowsy after eating.

4.-Avoid stressing yourself out

The digestive system is controlled both by the nervous system and by some brain hormones. Therefore, it is normal that some nervous problems such as stress or anxiety affect digestion.

Any problem related to stress generates changes in many of our basic functions.

Some symptoms such as inflammation of the colon or the alteration of the level of stomach acid often manifest themselves in a nervous state of mind, to the point of favouring the appearance of ulcers.

That is why it is advisable to take your meals slowly. Include in your schedule your meal times and respect even the resttime to digest.

All of this will translate into your physical and emotional health in the short term.

5.-Consume probiotics

Probiotics are microorganisms that are part of the intestinal flora of your digestive system, which is involved in the process of digesting food.

These tiny organisms, mostly bacteria, are not harmful. On the contrary, they are responsible for producing vitamins and proteins for your body.

These beneficial bacteria also strengthen the immune system, thus increasing our defences against disease.

The easiest and most delicious way to get probiotics is through yogurt. It is advisable to take one serving at least 4 days a week.

It is recommended to prioritize the consumption of natural yogurts, and if possible, unpasteurized. The aim is to ensure a higher consumption of bacteria in each intake.

6.-Keep hydrated

A glass of water before each meal is a healthy habit that will prevent the manifestation of stomach ailments such as gas, cramps, bloating and constipation, among others.

  • Water helps to digest food more easily.
  • Get into the habit of drinking several glasses of water a day, preferably without artificial sweeteners.

However, try to avoid consuming liquids during the meal so as not to dilute the gastric acids necessary for digestion.

We hope these tips can help you to have a better digestion. If you know of any other tips that have worked for you, be sure to share them in the comments section below.