Simple Tips for Gut Issues

Are you feeling bloated, have a lot of gas or digestive issues?

There are simple things you can do to help alleviate these. Please note that if you have major gastrointestinal problems you will require in-depth intervention.

Slow Down:

We are often in a rush to eat and so wolf down our food, but digestion takes time. Digestive secretions such as stomach acid, bile, and pancreatic enzymes need time to be fully secreted. If we’re stressed, it takes even longer. If you eat in a hurry, a very full stomach has trouble mixing acid and enzymes with your food. Try to be mindful and savour your food if you can. It can also prevent overeating as you are able to register how your hunger levels are changing throughout the meal (it takes approximately 20 minutes for the brain to register you are satisfied!

Chew Well:

The less we chew our food, the harder our GI tract has to work. This creates post-meal fatigue. Ideally, we chew our food until it’s almost liquid before swallowing. This can reduce gas and increase post-meal energy. If food is not chewed properly, digestion can take much longer as food does not have the sufficient surface area exposed to the digestive juices for digestion to occur efficiently. Food is also not broken down as well, leaving some food particles whole which can irritate the gut lining.

Did you know? On average we only chew food about 6 times (some sources say chew 32 times but this isn't backed by science and some food swill need longer to chew than others. e.g strawberry and meat).

Avoid drinking with meals:

Too much liquid with your meals may dilute your digestive juices. If it’s near meal-time and you feel thirsty, make a point of drinking a large glass of water right away. Then allow your body to absorb it while you are in transit to your meal or while you prepare it (ideally 20+ minutes before eating). This allows the water to clear your stomach before its digestive duty begins. A little liquid with the meal is ok. The best time to hydrate is between meals.

If you are struggling, feeling sluggish, and stressed and would like to get more energy why not book a call to discuss how Helen can help.