Simple Ways to Improve Digestion Naturally Part 1

Improving digestion is crucial for overall health and well-being. Many people seek natural ways to enhance their digestive processes. In this article, we’ll explore practical strategies for improving digestion naturally at home. From mindful eating practices to simple lifestyle changes, these tips can make a significant difference. Let’s explore these natural solutions that can help you feel better and improve your digestive health.

In Part 1, I cover how the brain and our connection to food affect digestion.

“Our two brains-the one in our head and the one in our bowel-must cooperate.  If they do not, then there is chaos in the gut and misery in the head, everything from “butterflies” to cramps, from diarrhea to constipation, from Dr. Gershon’s book, The Second Brain.

1. Don’t eat on the run.  When you eat during your commute, your body registers you as being in motion, and this slows down the digestive process.  We are probably the only society that eats on the run.  I try to imagine the Romans eating in their chariots, or Native Americans eating on horseback.  If you come across such an image, please let me know, as I’d love to see it.  It looks like Zeus is holding a Subway sandwich here, but it’s actually a thunderbolt.

2. Don’t overeat.  I remember reading about a study in one of Michael Pollan’s books (Omnivores Dilemma, or maybe it was In Defense of Food) where people were asked to eat soup and give their feedback.  The soup bowls slowly refilled from the bottom unbeknownst to the slurping participants.  People continued eating even though they were full. When asked what they thought about the soup, they responded that they liked the soup, but it was too filling.  Instead of listening to their stomachs, they tried to “clean their plates”. It is wise to serve food on your plate and store the rest away. This is better than having large platters of food in front of you.

Another interesting point about overeating is from Dan Buettner and his team. They studied the world’s “Blue Zones.” These are communities where many elders live past age 100. The team identifies nine dietary and lifestyle habits common among the elderly. One common habit is that they eat small portions and avoid overeating.  They eat until they are about 80% full.

Overeating can irritate the stomach lining, lead to digestive upset, and accelerate the aging process.  “Fifty years of research have shown that when a nourishing diet is eaten sparingly, aging is retarded,” Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods.

3. Don’t eat in front of the TV or talk politics while you eat. Emotions need to be digested as well as food. When you discuss politics or watch something stress-inducing while you eat, your digestion slows down, and food sits in the belly and ferments.  When you eat in front of the TV, you’re asking your body to take in nourishment at the same time you’re processing the latest war death tolls or violent images on a CSI episode.

Make your meals a relaxing, enjoyable experience.  Emotions of anger, fear, and anxiety can inhibit the digestive process by reducing the secretion of digestive juices. Limit your dinner conversations to pleasant dialogue, or better yet, eat in silence. I attended a Wise Earth Ayurvedic workshop with 20 other women, where we ate in silence every day. It was a fantastic experience to be so present with my nourishment.  Those meals were the best meals of my life (not kidding).  Not only did we eat in silence, but the chef who prepared our food cooked with loving intention and prayers. The food was also bought the night before from a local farmer who had made the ghee from the milk of local grass-fed cows.

• Smell your food.  Digestion starts in the brain before you even put the food in your mouth. This phase of digestion is called the Cephalic phase.  The sight, smell, and memory of food trigger the cephalic phase.  When we eat without paying attention, we miss the opportunity to prepare our digestive juices. It is like having a guest that our stomachs are not ready for. Different foods need various types of saliva or digestive enzymes. Our senses help get our stomachs prepared for each specific food. Our bodies produce between 1,000 and 1,500 ml of saliva a day. We need viscous saliva for cold liquids or milk, saliva high in protein digestive enzymes for flesh foods, ptyalin for starch, and serous saliva for acidic foods. Simple sugars are digested through the membranes of the mouth. The cephalic reflex also stimulates the release of HCl in the stomach, pancreatic enzymes, and gastrin. Saliva also protects your teeth from acidic foods. Individuals with dry mouth are more susceptible to tooth decay.
• Connect with your food.  We have lost our connection to our food. Many of us get our meals from a box shipped from far away. We heat it in the microwave and eat with a fork while watching TV.  Many people are unaware of what their food looks like in its natural state or where it originates. Buy local, or grow your food if possible. Prepare your meals from whole foods. Touch your food. Use your fingers to measure spices.
• A three-finger pinch equals ½ teaspoon
• A five-finger pinch equals one teaspoon
• The size of my palm equals 1 tablespoon
• The amount in my cupped hands equals 1 cup. Try massaging the rice or dried beans while rinsing them. Give thanks to where this food came from and all that went into its creation-the soil, sun, rain, bees, and the farmer. Your belly will thank you, and you’ll absorb more of the nutrients.
• Chew your food! There are no teeth in the stomach! Each phase of digestion only performs as well as the phase that came before it. Chewing lubricates your food, mechanically breaks it down, and increases its surface area, allowing enzymes to do their job effectively.

If you tend to feel bloated and tired after meals, try incorporating the above steps. By following these tips, you may save yourself a lot of money on supplements and doctor visits. Sometimes the best solutions are overlooked because of their simplicity.

In the following article, I will discuss how physical alignment issues can impact our digestion and what we can do to address them. Read part 2 here.

Abdominal Massage can do wonders for improving digestive health naturally. Self-care abdominal massage can be learned at home. Whether your gas, bloating, constipation, SIBO, or other digestive issues are caused by abdominal adhesions, stress, tilted uterus, or dietary choices, I’ve got you covered in my online courses for abdominal massage.