Anyone who works with me knows I love (LOVE) to discuss digestion. I love talking about digestion because it is 100% necessary for good health. If your digestion is lacking, guess what? You are simply not absorbing the nutrients your body needs to function well.
Of course, most critical to digestion is first eating real, whole foods! Nutrient-dense food provides the essential building blocks your body needs to do all the things. Detoxify. Repair muscle, bone and tissue. Make and properly recycle hormones. Have boundless energy and sleep well. Think critically. Create healthy new cells.
All the things!
Your cells make up the tissues that make up every organ in your body. These cells are dependent on optimal digestion. Check out this graphic to see where imbalances and breakdowns can occur, and how this begins with obscure symptoms that can eventually escalate into very real, chronic disease or health disorders.
As Hippocrates says, “All disease begins in the gut.”
Rest to digest
One of my favorite knowledge bombs is that our bodies must “rest to digest.” Unfortunately, so many of us are running through life without the means to do this. We’re stuck in a perpetual “fight or flight” mode where stress pulls us in every direction at all times – even when we don’t know it.
It could be the emotional stress of a broken relationship. It might be the physical stress of an aching knee or recent surgery, or the mental stress put on us at work. Or, it could be the stress of not having enough time for meaningful social connections. It could even be an unknown gut infection like yeast overgrowth or H. pylori burdening your body.
The flight or fight response
All of these stressors ignite our fight or flight response. The first thing that happens is our body prioritizes the stress. It prepares us to run from the invisible attack by increasing our heart rate, releasing a steady stream of cortisol, adrenaline and blood sugar into our system, and temporarily halting now less important functions like digestion or detoxification.
Except, these functions are extremely important. All the time. This is exactly where imbalances begin to occur.
In this chronic state of stress, our digestion can get really out of whack. This is multiplied by the fact more than 90% of the population is lacking the proper amount of stomach acid due to stress, aging, or lack of zinc. Stomach acid is critical for breaking down food, but did you know it also disinfects the stomach and protects it against pathogens, bacteria and parasites?
What’s more, digestion is a chain reaction, and if just one part of the process goes awry, it can negatively interfere with the rest of the process.
When this happens, you may begin to experience digestive distress like:
- Bloating
- Acid reflux
- Heartburn
- Feelings of fullness
- Gas or cramping
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Constipation, diarrhea or both
- Food sensitivities
- Leaky gut
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Celiac Disease
- Colitis
- Crohn’s Disease
Fortunately, there are two fantastic approaches to restoring optimal digestion. While one revolves around mindfulness, the other involves more tangible solutions.
Four ways to be more mindful when eating
- Take 10 deep, relaxing breaths prior to picking up your fork. This helps you get into the parasympathetic, rest to digest mode. Take this time to express gratitude for your meal, which is also calming to your body.
- Don’t eat on the run. Standing up while eating, eating in the car, or while you’re on the move is counterproductive to getting into that parasympathetic, rest to digest state. Make each meal a priority and let it be a cherished time to nourish yourself both physically and mentally.
- Take time to think about and look at your food before you dive in. Digestion happens from north to south in your body. It begins in your brain as you anticipate your meal. Your salivary glands signal the need to start making digestive enzymes like amylase (which digests carbohydrates) within your saliva. Without allowing time to visually experience or anticipate your meal, you’re cutting off the digestive process at the very start.
- Avoid multi-tasking during your meal. Put your phone down, shut off the TV and avoid working while eating. Connecting with family or friends over meals can be especially calming and meaningful, as can focusing on every delicious bite. This can also help you avoid overeating as you are more attuned to when your body begins to signal its fullness.
Physical approaches to optimal digestion1. Drink water between meals, not during. Drinking water during meals dilutes the stomach acid your body is creating to help you digest your food. Try drinking water at least 30 minutes before or after meals, and sip it slowly throughout the day for optimal absorption. (A pinch of sea salt in your water can be especially helpful in absorbing it fully into your cells.)
2. Take small bites and chew thoroughly. Breaking down your food is essential in helping your body absorb all its nutrients into your cells. Properly chewing your food also gives your brain the time it needs to trigger the digestive process. What’s more, it prevents leaky gut, where large particles of food which aren’t broken down then damage the lining of your small intestine, passing undigested into your blood stream. This can cause a negative immune response that makes you more susceptible to chronic inflammation, food sensitivities and many other full-body symptoms.
3. Eat organic, unprocessed foods and a balance of healthy fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Your body needs these macronutrients to function well. For example, when you eat healthy fats like olive oil, avocados or pasture-raised butter, your body releases bile to help you emulsify and absorb those fats. If the digestive chain reaction is thrown off, your body may not be able to absorb these fatty acids, which are essential for everything from brain health to balanced hormones to the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
4. Consider high quality, nutrient-derived supplements. Your stomach must be the proper pH (between 1.5 and 3) for optimal digestion to take place. Digestive bitters before your meal (I like these from Urban Moonshine), up to a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in four ounces of warm water mid-meal (take it as a shot or sip through a straw to protect your tooth enamel), or digestive supports like enzymes or betaine hydrochloric acid (titrated slowly up) mid-meal can help jump-start your digestion.
When and how to dig deeper
If you’ve had digestive issues for awhile, it might be time to explore functional testing to get to the root cause of your symptoms. In my practice, I use the GI-MAP alongside the MRT-170 to explore the health of your gut and digestion and identify internal imbalances, deficiencies or dysfunction, while also determining what food sensitivities might be heightening your symptoms.
Tackling internal and external stressors at the same time can help greatly reduce and find relief from your symptoms.
If you want to learn more about this process, and how I can help you fully address your digestive issues, please give me a call at 402-814-1017, or book a Total Health Freedom Strategy Session today!