Doctor's Health Tip - July 2009
Top 10 Tips for Better Digestion

Nature makes us hungry so we will have the desire to eat.  Our bodies take care of the rest of the process, assuming we choose the proper foods.  But, what if the food we eat is not digested properly?  What if our bodies do not absorb the proper nutrients and do not deliver them through our bloodstream to where they need to be absorbed to maintain a strong healthy body?   The results of that can be upsetting short term and unhealthy long term.  You can end up with constipation, indigestion, acid stomach or reflux, nausea and bloating in the short term.  Over time it can have a damaging impact on all the organs of your body including the brain, the thyroid, the liver and even the nervous system. Science tells us that improper nutrition can cause a host of problems from our hair and skin to our toenails.

When your body digests the appropriate food and you eat properly, you will find that your body will respond and absorb the needed nutrients and use these nutrients efficiently. 

Here are 10 proven tips to improve your digestion:

Chew your food at least 4 to 20 times.  Don’t bolt your food down.  When you chew your food properly your saliva interacts with the foods you are eating and starts the digestion process.  There are enzymes in your saliva that start to break down your food. Your saliva will also enhance the proper taste of your food.

Don’t eat when you are upset.  Wait at least 30 minutes after being angry or emotionally upset, irritated or stressed.  Proper digestion occurs best when the body is not spending energy and resources doing something else. 

Eat your meals close to the same time every day.  This is a tough one for many of us because life gives us busy schedules. We may eat at our desks at work, ignore certain meals or get home late.  The body will respond much better if it is conditioned to be ready to eat.

Avoid Deep Fried Foods.  Foods that are deep fried taste great but they are significantly changed by the process.  The deep fryer produces free radicals in the fats and grease which move through your blood and lymph system.  Also, acrylamide is a questionably damaging chemical that is found in fried foods.

Avoid using cream or milk in your coffee.  The body has a difficult time digesting this combination. There are indications it interferes with the gastric flow preventing proper digestion.

Avoid taking orange juice and cereal at the same meal.  Citric juices like orange juice, grapefruit and lemon juice interfere with the proper digestion of cereals and grains. 

Balance your above and below ground vegetables:  When eating vegetables gear towards balancing the number of above ground like spinach, celery, lettuce with below ground vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions.  Optimum would be 3 above ground to each below ground vegetable. This will help balance the nutrients and enzymes in your meal.  This will help you feel nourished.

Gelatin with your Salad.  Gelatin when combined or taken with vegetables can benefit digestion and the assimilation of the nutrients in the vegetables.  This can be accomplished by sprinkling a small amount of gelatin powder on your vegetables or having a little jello as a dessert.

Eat your meals slow.  Take your time while you are eating and enjoy the taste, textures and colors.  Avoid being rushed to finish your meal.  Proper chewing will help, but you want to focus attention to the task at hand.  Many societies have special prayers before their meals giving thanks for the sustenance provided.  Taking a moment to image the beneficial effects your body and mind will receive from this meal has been shown to have a positive influence. 

Limit the size of your meal.  Studies show that eating less, that is, not overeating, prolongs life.  Huge meals are hard to digest, assimilate and eliminate.  If you do happen to occasionally overeat, consider taking a digestive enzyme tablet with your meal to help break down proteins, starches, fiber and fats. 

Everyone’s body is different and there are foods that your particular system may have difficulty digesting and assimilating.  Paying attention to how our body reacts to foods can be very helpful in making sure we get optimal nutrition through healthy digestion.  It’s a life long process but worth the effort.