Tips for Improving Digestion
By now, I’m sure a lot of you have heard of consuming bitter herbs & foods or a splash of apple cider vinegar in water before meals to support digestion. These are tried and true methods for increasing digestive secretions and they’re two of my favorite ways to improve digestion (hence #4 of this post). Yet, the quality of digestion isn’t just about what we put in our bodies, but it largely depends on how we eat and the state of our nervous systems. Below are 4 tips for improving digestion, 3 of which only require bringing the mind and body into coherence.
Activate the parasympathetic nervous system
Slow down. Take 3 deep breaths. Express gratitude.
The parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” state, governs digestion, relaxation, repair, and restoration - amongst a variety of physiological processes. The opposite of parasympathetic is sympathetic, which is known as the “fight or flight” state or the stress response. The sympathetic nervous state is not to be overly criticized as it is a vital adaptation in the body’s evolutionary process. Quite literally, it’s our adaptation to stress which improves survival. The sympathetic nervous system is active during stressful situations - in times of eustress (positive stress) and distress (negative stress). However, in our modern, hyper-productive world which is inundated with busy schedules, excess caffeine intake, environmental stressors, and technological stimuli, overactive sympathetic nervous state is fairly common.
When the sympathetic nervous system is engaged, heart rate and blood pressure increases, muscles engage, and energy is diverted to lifesaving functions - such as circulation - via cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine, and other biochemicals. When we are in a state of stress, gastrointestinal motility freezes and digestive secretions are limited, slowing and inhibiting digestion. Another aspect of this is that in times of stress, the pylorus and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) remain open, which can cause gastric juices to rise into the LES and esophagus, resulting in heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux). Stress plays a large role in symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, gas, bloating, and constipation; and even more serious conditions like leaky gut, GERD, and IBS.
When the parasympathetic nervous system is engaged, the body shifts from a state of stress into a state of relaxation. Digestive secretions are stimulated via the central nervous system, blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract increases, and gastric motility is strong. For these reasons, it isn’t recommended to eat under stress, to have difficult conversations during meal time, or to eat when in a hurry. The act of slowing down to take deep, conscious, diaphragmatic breaths is key for dropping into the parasympathetic state, where the body can rest and digest. The expression of gratitude causes physiological changes within the body which reduces stress hormones and stimulates the vagus nerve, thus activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
{ Wow! The body and mind make a great team! I always love the intersection between science and spirituality. The ancient practice of prayer and giving thanks before eating is scientifically proven to bring physiological change to the body which supports digestion. How cool! }
2. Chew thoroughly
Chew each bite of food until it is soft and easy to swallow, about 32-40 times, before swallowing.
Chewing is an important aspect of chemical & mechanical digestion, in which constituents from food are broken down and become more bioavailable for absorption and energy use. Breaking down food in the mouth involves tearing food into smaller pieces with the teeth and tongue movements that mix food with saliva which increases the surface area of the food and turns it into a chyme that is more easily able to move through the digestive tract. (This part is important - increasing surface area for exposure to digestive enzymes and ease of movement though the digestive tract.)
In order for the stomach and small intestine to efficiently digest food, it must be broken down well before entering these organs - and there must be adequate digestive secretions from the salivary glands, pancreas, gastric glands, and liver. Improper chewing can cause large food particles to end up in the intestines which can lead to indigestion, malabsorption of nutrients, the development of food intolerances and allergies, and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). Finding undigested food particles in the bowels is a sure sign that the food wasn’t completely chewed and also indicates that the body didn’t derive the full spectrum of nutrients from that food item.
(Before moving forward, I’d like to point out that undigested food particles, indigestion, food intolerances and allergies, malabsorption of nutrients, and SIBO can all be signs of inadequate digestive secretions, which can depend on a variety of factors other than not chewing properly (that’s a whole other blog post). As well, indigestion, food intolerances and allergies, malabsorption of nutrients, and SIBO, can all be caused by other factors. Yet adequate chewing is one of the most simple ways to improve digestion, which is what we’re talking about here…)
Impaired or incomplete digestion is a potential cause of food intolerances and allergies. Large particles, such as improperly digested proteins, can cross the intestinal barrier and be absorbed into the blood stream. Essentially, this triggers an immune response, thus the release of inflammatory chemicals. With repeated exposure to these food particles, the body will develop antibodies against the specific food antigen. With repeated exposure, comes repeated release of inflammatory chemicals, thus further damaging the intestinal lining - which allows large undigested food particles to pass into the bloodstream, a continuous cycle.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, is a condition in which there is an overgrowth of bacteria within the small intestine. By the time food gets to the small intestine, it is ideally already broken down by the churning of the stomach so that absorption of nutrients is an easeful process. However, when undigested large food particles end up in the small intestine, this can become a breeding ground for bad bugs in the small intestine - which can lead to a variety of other uncomfortable symptoms.
Chewing food thoroughly is a small and simple step to optimizing digestion. Give it a try!
3. Eat mindfully
Avoid distractions. Engage all 5 senses. Take your time.
Your mind can really only focus on one thing at a time; it can either be fully present with the process of eating (support digestion) or focus on writing an email (hinder digestion). A key factor of eating mindfully involves avoiding distractions. You can do this by turning off or putting away distractions such as phones, computers, TVs, and reading materials. Eliminating distractions is an invitation to enjoy our food that much more, simply by being more present in the process!
As much as 40% of hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes needed to break down food can be secreted before you consume a single ounce of food, which is triggered by sight, smell, and thought. Engaging the senses before and during eating elicits signals from the brain through the central nervous system via the vagus nerve, which improves nutrient uptake and digestion. Take time before and during eating to notice how your food looks, take in the aromas, savor the flavors, and observe the textures of each bite. Name each flavor & taste: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent, astringent - and savor them!
Take your time while eating, allowing your stomach time to receive food and digest each bite before adding more.
Be sure to set down your utensils and food in-between bites, allowing time and space to breathe and simply be present with the pleasures of flavor and nourishment.
4. Consume bitters / apple cider vinegar
Consume a few dropperfuls of a bitter tincture OR 1 tbsp. of ACV in 4-8 oz of water, 5-15 minutes before meals
Whether by eating a salad of bitter greens before meals, drinking a bitter tea, or taking an herbal tincture, bitter herbs have long been revered to support digestion. Once the bitter taste comes in contact with the taste buds, the salivary glands are stimulated to produce more saliva and signal the secretions of hydrochloric acid and pepsin in the stomach + pancreatic enzymes, small intestinal enzymes, mucosal secretions, and bile production/secretions from the liver and gallbladder. This can greatly improve digestive functions and secretions.
Bitters can also support the relief of symptoms of indigestion. Bitter tinctures are my favorite application of this, for both convenience and effectiveness. (It’s much easier to carry a bottle of tincture in your day bag than it is to carry bitter greens). My “Prep to Digest” tincture is a formula of bitter herbs + aromatic digestive stimulants such as ginger and fennel. These warming, aromatic herbs are wonderful to add to bitter formulas - and truly boost the effectiveness of bitters - because they are carminatives (which means they increase blood flow to the digestive system) and many are also antispasmodic (which means they soothe muscle contractions and spasms that can come with indigestion).
Apple cider vinegar is another ally for improving digestion, amongst other health benefits. It can help stimulate hydrochloric acid and digestive secretions to improve digestion and absorption of nutrients. It’s really important to dilute ACV in water, as undiluted acetic acid can burn the esophagus and upper GI, leading to heartburn and damage to gastrointestinal tissue.
I hope this guide supports you in finding new ways to improve digestion. The best approach is to incorporate all 4 methods together! The digestive system is considered the “root of the vital tree,” as Sajah Popham says, which means it is the foundation of health. It’s super important that it’s functioning properly and nourished well!
Did you learn something new from this blog post? Have you tried any of these methods and noticed an improvement in your digestive system? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
References:
Mullin, G., Swift, K. (2011). Taking a ride on the tube: A guided tour of your gut. In The inside tract: Your good gut guide to great digestive health. [VitalSource Bookshelf 10.5.3]. Retrieved from vbk://9781609614270
Pizzorno, J. E., Murray, M. T. (2012). Food allergy. In The encyclopedia of natural natural medicine (3rd edition.) [VitalSource Bookshelf 10.5.3]. Retrieved from vbk://9781451663013
Mederi Center. (n.d.). Mindful eating: the nourishing practice of being fully present while you eat. Retrieved from https://medericenter.org/resources/dr-pamela-blog/mindful-eating-the-nourishing-practice-of-being-fully-present-while-you-eat.html
UCLA Health. (2023, March). Health benefits of gratitude. Retrieved from https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/health-benefits-gratitude#:~:text=Taking%20a%20moment%20to%20be,to%20help%20with%20overall%20relaxation.
Mohair, Nicole. (CBC Life). (2018, Jan). From fight or flight to rest and digest: How to reset your nervous system with breath. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/life/wellness/from-fight-or-flight-to-rest-and-digest-how-to-reset-your-nervous-system-with-the-breath-1.4485695