Seven Tips to Enhance Digestion
2. Relax - In today's busy world, few people take the time to really enjoy the foods they eat. Instead, it is common to either skip breakfast or grab something quick while running gout the door, eat lunch on the run, and pop a convenient prepackaged dinner in the microwave. Eating when under stress or in a hurry inhibits the production of hydrochloric acid and enzymes that are necessary for proper digestion. So it is best to entirely avoid eating when under stress. Wait instead until you can take the time to eat and enjoy your food. Remember that feeding your body is a sacred event, don't rush it!
3. Slow down and chew - Chewing your food thoroughly begins the digestive process, breaking food into smaller particles and mixing it with saliva and amylase. The smaller the particles of food swallowed, the better broken down it will be in the stomach and the more surface area for nutrient absorption will be available in the small intestines. If you really want to get the most out of your food, not only do you have to make good food choices, but you have to be able to break down and effectively absorb the nutrients from your food. It doesn't make sense to invest extra time and money into preparing quality food, if you eat it quickly and forget to chew it. So, as you learn to relax and enjoy your food, really focus on completely breaking it down before swallowing, and pause before taking another bite and, most importantly, dont' forget to breathe!
4. Eat your enzymes - Enzyme-rich foods are a great aid to digestion. But just because foods are raw does not mean they contain lots of enzymes. Raw milk and cheese are good sources of enzymes as are the tropical fruits like bananas, pineapple and papaya. Raw honey is also a good source of enzymes and would be a suggested sweetener. Find a good source of lactopfermented sauerkraut and eat this frequently with meals. Making and eating beet kvass (see Nourishing Traditions, pg.608) would be most helpful taken in four ounces taken in the morning and before bed in solving digestive problems.
5. Limit portions - Portions are way out of control in our "supersized" society. This is because the processed foods of today are so empty that no matter how much of them people eat thier body is still starving for nutrients and never feels completely satisfied. This explains the intense food cravings that many people experience, cravings that lead to uncontrollable binges. One serious problem with bingeing is the tremendous stress it puts on the entire digestive system - and the rest of the body for that matter. The human stomach has a limited capacity for digestion. Overeating decreases the effectiveness of hydrochloric acid and enzymes, not to mention that the foods most people choose to binge on are processed, nutrient-depleted, junk foods containing hihgh levels of pocessed vegetable oils. Not only do these foods totoally lack any nutitional value, they also rob the body of [much needed] vitamins, minerals and precious enzymes. One of the first things people notice when eating a diet of nutrient-dense foods is that they don't have to eat as much to feel satisfied, and the uncontrollable cravings go away!
6. Don't wash your food down - Most of the taste buds in this country have been programmed to enjoy certain foods, especially the denatured ones, with their liquid counterparts, like coffee and a donut, pizza and an ice cold cola, or cookies and a nice tall glass of milk (unfortunately the wong kind of milk [ultra processed]. In fact, a fast-food meal would be incomplete without the half-gallon-sized soft drink to wash it all down with. The problem is that drinking all that liquid wiht meals interferes with the whole digestive process, not to mention all the other problems created by the ingredients in the soft drink. But even if you make conscious decisions about the foods you eat, simply drinking too much water with your meal scan affect you ability to properly breakdown your food. Drinking too much liquid with meals dilutes the concentration of hydrochloric acid and enzymes needed for proper digestion. So to get the most out of the foods you eat, it is best to avoid drinking lots of liquids 20-30 minutes before and after your meals. (If you take supplements or any other pills with food, try to use no more than 4-6 ounces of water to swallow them.)
7. Enhance your digestion - Following these tips will improve your digestive habits and optimize your digestive function. If you still experience symptoms of indigestion, try drinking one teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar mixed with 2-4 ounces of water with your meals. Raw apple cider vinegar is loaded with enzymes and creates a nice acid environment for good digestion.
Another digestive aid is real bone broth - old fashioned chicken soup. If you can possibly fit this into your schedule, learn to make simple chicken soup using a crock pot. Half a cup or so of chicken broth sipped with meals is a great digestive aid.
And what about those antacids? Contrary to popular belief, too much sotmach acid is not the cause of indigestion and other digestive complaints. In fact, most digestive symptoms occur due to lack of stomach acid. Gas, bloating, indigestion, "acid reflux", burning, diarrhea, and constipation are all signs that the digestive system is in need of repair. And rather than fix the problem, by making better food choices or improving digestive habits, it is common to pop an antacid to make the symptoms go away. Last year Americans spent $7 billion on antacids! That's crazy because what happens when we take antacids is that we neutralize hydrochloric acid, a substance that is critical for proper digestion. Stomach acid helps us assimilate protein - the building block for every single cell in the body. And if protein is not fully digested, it will putrefy in the gut and cause a heavy, bloated feeling after eating. Stomach acid is also essential for the absorption of important nutrients like calcium, iron and B vitamins. A deficiency in B vitamins alone can cause sypmtoms like anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Stomach acid also serves as our first line of defense if we ingest anything in our food that doesn't belong there - like bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
In our fast-paced society, it is easy to forget how important it is to slow down once in a while and refuel our body. Learn ot use those precious moments throughout the day to reconnect with yourself - your thoughts, your body, and the foods you put in it!
Excerpt taken from "Seven Tips to Enhance Digestion....And get the Most Out of the Food you Eat" by Lori Lipinski