Month: February 2025

How can we improve our digestion?

Surely more than once you have had a normal meal, not too much either, and once you have finished eating, you have felt digestive discomfort such as bloating, cramps, belching, heartburn or long and uncomfortable digestion >6 hours. Sometimes it even seems that whatever you eat makes you feel sick. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. The digestive system is complex and many factors are involved, from what you eat to how and when you eat. If you have a messy routine, eat at odd hours or don't give your body time to digest properly, your digestion can suffer. But don't worry, here are three tips that can help you to improve your digestion in a simple and effective way. Three keys to improve your digestion Nº1 - Give your digestion a break If you are one of those who snack constantly or eat every few hours, your digestive system does not have time to finish one digestion before another begins. This can lead to bloating, gas and heavy digestion. Ideally, you should have 3-4 well-structured meals, leaving enough time in between to allow your digestive system to do its work without interruption. This break between meals allows the gut to do a sort of "cleanse", activating the migratory motor complex, which helps move food debris and prevents problems such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). So if you find you always have a bloated tummy, try spacing out your meals and give your digestion a break. No. 2 - Keep regular mealtimes Do you often eat at odd times or skip meals? This may be affecting you more than you think. Our digestive system follows biological rhythms and is programmed to work best when we follow a routine. If you eat at a different time each day, gastric secretions and digestive enzymes can become uncoordinated, making digestion less efficient and leading to discomfort such as reflux, heartburn or slow digestion. Think about this: when you eat at the same time every day, your stomach prepares itself by releasing gastric juices before the food arrives, optimising the whole process. So try to set a steady schedule and give your digestive system a chance to work more efficiently. No. 3 - Chew more and more quietly Sometimes, we eat in a hurry, almost without noticing what's on our plate. However, digestion begins in the mouth, and chewing well is key to facilitating the entire digestive process. The more food is chewed before it reaches the stomach, the less effort the gastric juices and intestine need to make to break it down. In addition, chewing slowly and consciously activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for digestion and relaxation. If you eat in a state of stress or anxiety, your body goes into "alert mode" and digestion slows down, which can cause discomfort such as bloating, gas and heaviness. Keep in mind that in a real or imagined stressful situation, digesting food is the least important thing. Therefore, take your time to eat, without distractions. Chew each bite until the food is well broken down. Breathe deeply and relax before you start eating. This small change can make a big difference in how you feel after each meal. Conclusion If you want to feel lighter after meals and avoid that bloated or heavy feeling, try these three habits: allow your digestive system to rest between meals, eat at regular times and chew more and calmly. Your digestion will thank you with less discomfort, better absorption of nutrients and more energy in your day-to-day life. CAUTION: If you have a digestive pathology, these changes will probably not be enough. In these cases, it is necessary to take into account the type of food and the quantities you consume, which is different for each person. So do not hesitate to contact me if you need advice and treatment, I will be happy to accompany you in the process! 😊