You feel bloated, you have gas, and feel uncomfortable in general. You may even lack energy. These are signs of poor digestion, which can be remedied by changing your eating habits and possibly adding some natural elements to your diet. But before taking any kind of a supplement or starting a diet, please check with your physician to make sure your indigestion is not something of a more serious nature.
NOTE: Food sensitivities are the underlying cause of many digestive disorders. For example, between 33% and 66% of IBS patients report having one or more food intolerances, resulting in bloating, gas, and pain. The most common culprits are milk and dairy (40-44%) and grains (40-60%). But there are dozens of other “trigger” foods, such as nuts, multi-grains, potato skins, fats, and fried foods. Some health food stores usually carry tasty non-dairy substitutes for items like cream cheese or butter. Also, when preparing your meals, always eat insoluble with soluble fibers. By the way, coffee is a trigger, but it’s not the caffeine that causes IBS symptoms. It’s an enzyme in the coffee (and decaf) that is the culprit. Chai tea or coffee substitutes (made of berries and spices) might be a good alternative to real coffee. |
Tips for Improving Digestion:
#1. Chew your food completely and slowly. If necessary, use chopsticks to slow yourself down. Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth. Chewing thoroughly allows amylase, the digestive enzyme present in saliva, to digest the grains.
#2. Drink more water...at the right time. The digestive system needs to be well hydrated like the rest of the body. However, this does not mean drinking large amounts of water near mealtime, as it will impair digestive strength and may cause upsets. Water is best sipped lightly during a meal. Otherwise you should drink your water at least 15-30 minutes before a meal, or preferably at least an hour after.
#3. Go natural! Rather than eating foods with additives, try to eat whole, natural foods as much as possible so your body can concentrate on assimilating the good stuff instead of eliminating the bad stuff.
#4. Go fermented! Actually, we mean you should eat fermented foods such as sauerkraut. Fermentation allows probiotics, enzymes and nutrients to flourish and multiply. Fruits and vegetables that have been fermented are so potent only a few tablespoons each day will provide the body with a hefty digestive punch that can make a world of difference in gastrointestinal health. So they act like a “prebiotic.”
#5. Try to manage stress! Stress cuts off circulation to the digestive tract and can impair the body’s ability to utilize the food you eat. Learn to reduce or manage the stress in your life if your digestion is poor.
#6. Increase Your Dietary Fiber. Try to include dried fruit, such as dates, figs, and prunes in your diet. Beans and legumes (canned are OK, but make sure you rinse them thoroughly before cooking) are good. Lentils and split peas are less gas-forming than other legumes. Ground flaxseeds are a gentle laxative. They can be useful for chronic constipation, damage to the intestine wall from laxative use, irritable bowel, and soothing inflammation. Sprinkle ground flaxseeds on rice, grains, salads, or any other meal of your choice.
#7. Boost your body’s levels of digestive enzymes. Enzyme supplements are believed to support the body's own digestive enzymes to aid digestion and help with other disorders stemming from poor digestion.
#8. Increase good gut bacteria! One of the biggest culprits in reducing levels of good bacteria is antibiotics. They simply kill them off. However, you can replenish your body with good bacteria by taking a probiotic supplement.
There are over 400 different kinds of bacteria and yeasts in the digestive system. Of these, the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophillus and Bifidobacterium bifidum are considered good "probiotic" bacteria because they can help to maintain intestinal health. Acidophilus is especially good at digesting dairy protein. Although good bacteria can be found in some yogurt, there is a wide variation in the quantity and quality. Look for good quality organic yogurt that includes the active cultures after pasteurization, because this heat process destroys both good and bad bacteria.
What about probiotic supplements? They are an excellent way to boost your intestinal flora. MDR offers Tummy PRObiotics, a new advanced probiotic supplement with 10 billion “live” bacteria per serving. The bacteria contained in Tummy Probiotics are especially helpful for the following conditions:
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Diarrhea
- Gas, bloating, flatulence
- Recurring vaginal yeast infections
- Bad breath
MDR also offers a wonderful digestive enzyme supplement called Healthy Tract, which helps ensure optimal digestion of all vital macronutrient groups. |
