Mindful Eating - 6 Steps to Support Your Digestion
I see many people in clinic struggling with poor digestion. Symptoms common to IBS such as bloating, tummy ache, heartburn, diarrhoea and constipation are horrible to live with and for many people can lead to a restricted diet as they cut out perceived ‘problem’ foods.
It can require a fair amount of detective work in clinic (including testing) to get to the root cause of digestive issues. It may be a problematic infection, poor levels of digestive enzymes or an imbalanced gut microbiome driving symptoms, however, there are simple steps everyone can take in the first instance to support healthy digestion.
What many people don’t realise is that the digestive system is reliant a complex web of communication involving the nervous system and hormonal signalling. The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication network meaning that an imbalanced digestive system can impact on mental health and, likewise, stress can lead to poor digestion.
For the digestive system to work well the signalling processes need to work in tandem to produce sufficient stomach acid and digestive enzymes to be able to extract nutrients from food and for healthy movement through the digestive tract. It’s not only what we eat but how we eat that is important. Here are some simple steps you can start with straight away to encourage better digestion:
Breathe before eating
Take 2 minutes before eating to breathe deeply and relax. This encourages the cephalic stage of digestion where the smell and visualisation of food prompts the nervous system to start signally the production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Try an app like Calm for guided breathing or give simple box breathing a go!
Avoid eating on the go - sit down to eat
Always sit down at a table to eat and turn off screens and other distractions. Engaging with food helps to optimise hormonal signalling in the digestive tract to encourage digestive juices and healthy movement of food through the system.
Take time to eat slowly and chew each mouthful at least 20 times
Chewing well aids the break down food, enabling stomach acid and digestive enzymes to efficiency extract nutrients further down the digestive tract. Eating slowly helps to reduce stress which can support the release of hormones essential for digestion.
Eat three regular meals a day and avoid snacking
Every cell in the body has a circadian clock and there is nothing our bodies love more than a regular routine! Aim to eat three meals every day at roughly the same time. Leaving a minimum of four hours between meals provides optimal time for the digestive system to rest and prepare in anticipation of the next meal.
Stimulate the vagus nerve
The vagus nerve connects the brain and gut aiding communication between the two. Maintaining vagal tone has been shown to increase gut functionality. Gargling with water, singing and yoga may help to activate the vagal nerve. Some people find the Sensate device beneficial and calming exercise such as yoga, tai chi and meditation can also help.
Manage stress
Find a way to manage stress that can become part of your daily routine. Non-aerobic exercise like yoga, Pilates or tai chi help engage the para sympathetic nervous system known to control the body’s ‘rest and digest’ function. Meditation and breathing techniques, such as Wim Hof or Buteyko breathing also support this. Taking a bath with Epsom salts can be a great de-stressor at the end of the day to support a good night’s sleep.
Try incorporating these simple steps to mindful eating into your day. Managing stress and not eating on the go can be transformative for many people and is the foundation of healthy digestion. If you would like to find out more about how to manage your symptoms and explore the functional testing options I offer in clinic, please do get in touch. I help adults and children to regain control over their diet so they can enjoy food and life again without worrying about different foods triggering uncomfortable symptoms.
