4 Mealtime Habits That Can Improve Your Digestion 

Do you take this much care of our body, to ensure its optimal performance? I’m specifically referring to your digestive health, which is a huge source of your overall well-being.

When your digestive process is working properly, you enjoy the rewards of happiness, contentment, and clarity after you’re finished eating. It’s possible to have a feeling of fullness and satisfaction, yet still retain a slim, trim body.

Are there any ‘rewards’ for poor digestion?  

 Heartburn, bloating, gas, indigestion, headaches, food cravings, depression, irritability, and an inability to recognize true hunger are all characteristics of a poor digestive system. These don’t sound like rewards to me!

 If you want to reap the positive rewards I mentioned, practice the following simple and easy 4 healthy mealtime habits. Your digestive system, as well as your appearance and overall health, will thrive! 

1 – Slow Down, This Is Not a Race! 

Where’s the fire? What’s the hurry? Why are you eating so fast? Slow down and chew your food properly. Proper digestion means giving your gastrointestinal system the time it needs to do its job properly. A good rule of thumb is to chew all solid foods at least 30 or 40 times. This is not necessary in all cases, but practicing this habit will ensure you chew all of your foods properly, and give your stomach the time it needs to signal whether you are full or need to keep eating. 

2 – Eat More of These Foods

Eating the right types of food is a simple mealtime habit that can dramatically reduce your risk of developing digestive track issues. Vegetables, Fruits, soaked raw nuts, sprouted whole grains and legumes are wonderfully healthy foods that deliver plenty of nutrition, minerals, and vitamins. Chia seeds, coconut oil, wild Alaskan salmon, zucchini, kimchee, and fermented sauerkraut are especially effective at promoting digestive system health. 

4 Mealtime Habits That Can Improve Your Digestion holistic doctor mama

3 – Eat Fewer of These Foods 

Baked goods like doughnuts, cookies, pastries, and pies are extremely tough on your digestive system. Processed foods, fast foods, and foods with high levels of sugar, preservatives and salt are also difficult for your body to handle. When your food comes in a bag, box or wrapper, it’s been processed.  

Highly processed foods, such as store-bought french-fries, pizzas, and other restaurant food has lost much (if not all!) of its nutritional value. These empty calories and carbohydrates are absorbed into your bloodstream quickly, before your digestive track has a chance to process them properly. What that translates to is a sad belly!

4 – Stop Drinking During Your Meal 

You can go ahead and read that line again. Yes, you have probably been told that drinking aids in the digestive process. It actually does and doesn’t, with the whole trick being when you drink liquids in accordance with eating. Drinking beverages (especially cold and/or carbonated) with your meals, causes you to divert necessary energy that should be used for digestion, depleting the essential acids and enzymes which leads to the inability to digest your food with ease.   

Water, tea, and other beverages are processed extremely quickly. This means that if you drink liquid after chewing and swallowing solid food, a log-jam problem can happen in your gut. When you drink liquids you also naturally dilute the stomach acid and digestive enzymes which break down your food. Drink water or other beverages 20 minutes before you eat, and wait for at least an hour or longer after your meal before drinking again. 

When practiced regularly, these 4 easy habits can help give you relief and make a turn for the good if your digestive system has felt less than optimal. I’m confident you will notice a change, making the rewards more positive for your daily well-being and comfort.

Do you have any other mealtime habits you maintain that keep your belly content? Please share!

If you’d like some ideas for nutritious AND delicious foods you can incorporate into your diet to keep your digestive system functioning smoothly, click here to download my FREE guide, ‘15 Paleo Recipes That Never Fail’, to support you in the path to health!

Wishing you well,

Dr. Jessica