Ways to Support Digestion
Did you know that digestion starts in the mouth? Ponder for a minute or two about what happens when you start to think about your grandmom cooking something delicious in the kitchen or when you smell your favorite meal being cooked. You literally start to salivate! There is a reason for that. Our sense of smell gets the salivary glands going and then chewing activates it even more.
When you chew, your salivary glands make saliva to help moisten your food, so it moves more easily through your esophagus and into your stomach. The chemical digestion of carbohydrates and fats also begins in the mouth. The more you chew your food, the less work your stomach must do to break it down so that the nutrients can be absorbed more easily. So, the first step in helping yourself absorb more nutrients is to chew and chew and chew again at least 30 times. Sounds totally boring but it really is just a habit that needs to be formed. So, take a deep breath and put the shovel (aka spoon or fork) down in between bites. No more eating like a wood chipper. 😊
So, what happens after the food passes through your esophagus? It heads down to your stomach where it contracts and produces acid and enzymes to break your food down even further. The stomach needs to be acidic. The acid helps to break down food and absorb minerals like magnesium, calcium and iron and other nutrients like B12. Another major job of the stomach is to be the guardian of the gut and keep out bacteria and other pathogens. So why are antiacids given out like candy? Most people think when they have heartburn, they have too much acid when in reality they aren’t producing enough. Some ways you can support stomach acid production is to eat in a relaxed state. Take 5 long inhales and exhales before you eat to bring yourself into a rest and digest state, find gratitude for the meal in front of you, and put your phone away while you eat! You can also add in some digestive bitters about 10 minutes before you eat to help stimulate your own digestive juices.
After the stomach, the food heads down into the small intestine (the longest part of your digestive tract). The small intestine breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, extracts water and moves food along the GI tract. The small intestine can be up to 22 ft long and this whole process can take up to 5 hours! One of the best ways to keep things moving in your gut is to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains since they provide your body with fiber. Fiber helps feed the good gut bacteria and helps sweep out the residue that the bad bacteria might feed on. The more fiber you eat, the more water you will need and both keep the bowels moving and excreting.
Next in line is the good old large intestine. By the time the food reaches the large intestine, most of the nutrient absorption has already happened. The main jobs of the large intestine are to absorb water and electrolytes, produce and absorb vitamins, and form and propel #2 to be released. Get ready for take-off! The next step is to go to the bathroom. Woooohoooo! Every conversation at Vitality circles back around to poop. It can tell us a lot about what is happening in our gut and with our health.
Here is a recap of ways you can support your digestive process:
Take 5 deep inhales and exhales before you eat.
Find gratitude for your meal.
Chew slowly and at least 30 times before you swallow.
Put your utensil down between bites.
Take digestive bitters before you eat.
Add in some digestive enzymes and probiotics to support the absorption of the nutrients. (We have an amazing new supplement line that has these and has PROVEN absorption rates!)
Drink lots of water and eat the rainbow in food.
Get your daily fiber intake.
Move your body with gentle exercise.
Keep an eye out for some blogs on our new supplement company named “Three International.” The first one will be all about Vitalité (powerhouse multivitamin and so much more) and Éternel (antioxidant super blend). Hello energy, clarity and better digestion!
**Join us on Saturday, April 20th at 10am right here at Vitality to learn more about the science behind these products.**
Register here —-> April 20th Coffee Talk