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Digestion is one of the most vital processes, our system performs, leading to healthy well being of a person. Our digestive tract and our gut are the two things that control the productivity of a person. Not only does our brain work towards our concentration levels, but our digestive health plays a big role in our efficiency. Generally, any kind of indigestion, triggered by various factors, leads to uneasiness in our body and decreases our productivity. It’s crucial to fight indigestion, otherwise, it might lead to severe conditions that would be difficult to alter. Thus, ExtraChai brings to you a curated list of top 15 ways to improve digestion.
Symptoms of Indigestion:
- Burning sensation in the stomach and chest.
- Pain in the stomach
- Growling sensations in the stomach.
- Bloating in stomach
- Nauseous feeling
- Stomach Belching
- Acidic taste in the mouth.
So, whenever you witness any one of the above symptoms, you should decode it as indigestion. If this occurs regularly, it’s essential that you bring changes in your diet and lifestyle. Following are 15 ways to improve your digestion so that your well being and effectiveness isn’t hampered.
Top 15 Ways To Improve Digestion
1. Include more fiber in your diet-
A fiber-rich diet is extremely crucial for a healthy gut. The more fiber you consume, the fewer problems you face regarding constipation. It naturally eases the digestion process and the soluble fiber decreases the chances of indigestion.
Commonly known high fiber foods include apples, bananas, carrots, beetroots, broccoli, lentils, brussels sprouts, kidney beans, chickpeas, split peas, legumes, oats, almonds, chia seeds, sweet potatoes, dark chocolate, etc. Eat these foods regularly to improve your digestion.
2. Intake more of warm/hot water-
It’s important to sip hot/warm water at regular intervals. Preferably you can drink hot water, first thing in the morning or even half an hour before your meals. This will help clear your digestive tract easily and prevent indigestion and constipation.
3. Drink even if you don’t feel thirsty-
To promote healthy digestion, its mandatory to be hydrated. Drink at least 8 to 10 ounces of water every day. This will not only reduce any digestive issues but also reduce other ailments, your immune system has been fighting. It’s best to consume 1 glass of water empty stomach and again each after completing heavy meals.
4. Consume more fruits and vegetables-
The fact cannot be denied that fruits and green veggies form a big part of our balanced diet. And it is recommended by experts that, one should intake lots of vegetables and at least two fruits per day, to keep the digestion processes under control.
Not only figs, raspberries, and avocados, improve digestion; even spinach, ginger, and cucumber also play well in the scenario.
5. Reduce consumption of medicines that tend to cause indigestion-
There are several antibiotics, whose chemical combination do not suit our system and tend to cause indigestion. If they are continuously taken in the long run, they will surely destroy your immunity and result in digestive disorders affecting your liver, pancreas, and guts.
6. Take small bites and chew well-
When we chew our food properly; amylase, a digestive enzyme is secreted which enhances the digestion process. Thus one should always sit and eat slowly, properly chewing every bite. This leads to a clear bowel and urine, controlling your digestion, stomach aches and chest burn in turn.
7. Consume limited fats-
It’s essential to limit the intake of fatty foods. Fatty and oily foods, combined with the weather conditions; are big factors to cause severe indigestion. They might cause bloating, stomach ache and heart-burns. So avoid consuming them frequently and in large quantity. But do not entirely eliminate them from your diet, as fats and lipids are important for the proper functioning of our body. So just try to mix and match them with healthy foods and eat them in fewer quantities.
8. Choose lean meat-
If you are a non-vegetarian, it’s important that you know how harmful fatty meat is for you. It not only affects your digestion process but also hampers the functioning of your heart. Thus, always choose lean meat over any other kind. Lean meat is popular amongst its consumers for its low calorie and low-fat diet. It is also an amazing source of protein, therefore, it works towards the betterment of your overall body, your heart and undoubtedly the digestion disorders.
9. Have Probiotics
Probiotics are basically good bacterias that our body should consume so as to improve its nutrient consumption, digestive problems and treat the irritable bowel syndrome if any. They even combat the effects of stress and antibiotics, strengthen our poor immune system and break down the lactose vital for our body. Therefore, it’s a superfood that should be included in our diet regularly.
Foods that generally contain Probiotics are basically yogurt, buttermilk, pickles and some types of cheese. Try to eat them every alternate day.
10. Increase the intake of certain spices-
Some spices are amazing for your health and wellness. They are not just known for adding taste to your food, but they can even create wonders in your body. Certain spices such as black pepper, coriander, ginger, and fennel seeds definitely improve your digestive system and promote clear stool and urine.
11. Reduce stress-
We are often indifferent towards the stresses we involve ourselves in. We need to understand that taking too much stress causes frequent digestive issues and even other health and skin disorders. So, involve yourself in meditation, yoga and other peaceful activities that reduce your stress so as to improve your digestion.
12. Do not overeat-
Overeating is a problem when often indulge ourselves in when we get our hands on good food. But that shouldn’t be the case often. Respond to your body needs and eat in the limit when you feel hungry. This will improve your digestion and prevent irritation in your stool and urine.
13. Avoid Bad Habits-
Our digestive system is very sensitive to liquor, cigarettes, and caffeine. Intaking them on a regular basis leads to heartburns and stomach ulcers. So it’s better to avoid consumption of these and keep yourself away from the bad habits.
14. Avoid late night meals-
This is a factor, that we adults often indulge ourselves in due to work, late night binging, parties or due to unruly eating schedules. But what we don’t think, is how this habit is affecting us. This is a big triggering factor to our digestive disorders, nauseous feelings, and stomach pains. Try to avoid them, to improve your digestion.
15. Perform Exercises-
Performing regular exercise and yoga helps your food to get processed easily through your digestive system. This, in turn, prevents constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. Also, exercise helps you in maintaining proper weight which positively affects your digestive system. Thus, inculcate the habit of exercising at least 5 days a week.
Potential Health Disorders-
The list of possible digestive disorders include:
- Gastro‐esophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Celiac Acid
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Diverticulosis
- Lactose Intolerance
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)
When should you see a doctor?
If you are a regular patient of indigestion and experience the symptoms of bloating, constipation, gas, diarrhea or heartburn, then you should consult a doctor and rule out the problem permanently from your life.
But if you suddenly experience the following symptoms, its high time that you visit a doctor and get checked-
- Rectal bleeding
- High or mild fever
- Noticeable weight loss
- Experiencing food blockages in the food pipe
- Continuous vomiting
Now that you are aware of the prerequisites of improving digestion, and what are the problems that you should pay heed to, its high time that you as a well informed consumer, inculcate good habits and work towards yourself and your family’s health and well-being.
