Eating Habits for a Good Digestion
Many people complain about experiencing digestive problems, whether due to acidity, gas, constipation, discomfort, pain, or abdominal distension, and many different causes can generate them. But few know about building eating habits for a good digestion.
Apart from the ailments that can cause some of these symptoms, such as food intolerance and digestive disorders, certain factors have a direct impact on proper digestion and are easily modified if taken into account.
Before starting the act of eating and feeding ourselves, we must take into account the premise that digestion begins in the mouth since saliva contains substances (enzymes) that start to act on the food.
Therefore, the more and better we chew, the more efficiently the enzymes can act on it, obtaining a better-prepared food bolus to move on to the next phase, which takes place in the stomach.
It can even be said that digestion begins a little earlier because just by smelling or seeing a portion of food, our brain sends signals to start salivating, preparing us to take the first bite.
This initial phase of digestion is the one we can control voluntarily and, therefore, the most important, since only with proper chewing, we will solve a significant part of the most common digestive problems.
The urgency with which we move today has also marked the time we spend on meals, especially at midday.
Eating fast means chewing less and swallowing more air, which is even worst if coupled with stress and anxiety. This can result in excess gas in the digestive tract, especially in the stomach, causing a feeling of abdominal distension and discomfort.
It is important to note that most intestinal gas comes from the fermentation of some foods we eat every day, produced by the intestinal flora.
We also need to consider that it takes 20 minutes until the brain receives the signal that the stomach is full, so by eating quickly we don’t have time to feel the sensation of fullness, and this results in an over-ingestion, which does not favor digestion and increases the risk of overweight.
Large meals complicate the digestive process, so it is advisable to eat slowly, low volume, and more frequently. It is better to spread the daily calories over five moderate intakes than two or three large ones.
The biological activity of the intestinal flora contributes to a person’s health because it is part of their defense system, so it is crucial to keep it in balance. Also, the bacteria in the intestine help and support the digestion processes and the regulation of the intestinal transit.
In this sense, probiotics and probiotics help to repopulate the beneficial flora. Disturbances in the balance of the flora can cause unpleasant symptoms like constipation, intestinal heaviness, bloating, and excessive gas.
These components are usually added mainly to dairy products like yogurts, although supplements can also provide them.
To avoid gastroesophageal reflux and heavy digestions, that many in many people, it is advisable to wait at least half an hour to allow the stomach to empty correctly.
Some digestive problems are often caused by large amounts of food eaten at dinner and then immediately go to sleep. This last intake of the day must be easily digested, controlled in calories, fats (fried foods, sauces, fatty foods, etc.) and carbohydrates.
Also, it is recommended to allow a prudential interval of two hours from dinner to bedtime.
It could be said that fiber has a digestive duality.
On the one hand, it is necessary in our daily diet, since it helps to maintain a correct intestinal transit, being specially indicated in cases of constipation.
On the other hand, eating more fiber than the body can tolerate is also counterproductive, as it can cause gas, abdominal distension and decrease the absorption of certain nutrients at an intestinal level, such as calcium or iron.
The recommended amount of fiber is 30g per day and is generally satisfied by eating fruit and vegetables, legumes, cereals, nuts, and some wholemeal foods.
Irritating Food and Beverages
For those with heartburn problems, it is advisable to avoid foods and drinks that irritate the stomach lining, such as coffee, alcohol or chocolate, spicy condiments like pepper, sauces, and acidic juices.
Besides being caused by fast eating, excess fiber, or flatulent food intake, the problem of bloating due to gas accumulation can also be produced by frequent consumption of carbonated drinks. This is why it is generally advisable to consume non-carbonated beverages.
The way you cook food is also essential for healthy digestion. Menus with very fatty foods, fried, battered, stewed, and fat stews tend to be heavier and can cause discomfort since fats force the digestive function and cause the typical feeling of fullness or bloating after eating.
Simple cooking, such as grilling, baking, steaming, boiling, mashing, papillote, and stir-frying with a little oil, are better alternatives if you want to ensure proper digestion.
Drinking a digestive infusion after meals improve slow digestions. The digestive plants are a large group, and the most important ones are aniseed, peppermint, pennyroyal, cumin, cinnamon, lemon verbena, balm, and licorice.
Depending on the type, we can find plants with different digestive properties: carminative (favors the expulsion of gases), antispasmodic, choleretic (stimulates the production of bile by the liver), etc.
In short, as a piece of general advice, it is always recommended to observe a balanced and varied diet, avoid excesses, and dedicate the necessary time to eat without having to look at the clock.