A lot of people complain about feeling bogged down, bloated, or even gassy after a large meal. This can be due to the foods eaten, but not always. Sometimes how you eat, or what you do following a meal can make a big difference!
We have nine tips to help you with digestion so that you can feel your best after a big meal!
1. Eat healthy
This seems like a no-brainer. Generally speaking, only good things come from eating healthy. And this is the case when it comes to digestion. Studies have shown that processed foods with synthetic ingredients are much more likely to cause digestion issues compared to whole foods. Not only that, but nutritious, natural foods can make the digestion process better, leaving you feeling better.
2. Add fiber
This is common knowledge, but certainly worth mentioning. Fiber greatly helps the process of digestion. It helps keep everything running smoothly and allows for easier bowel movements.
3. Watch your stress levels
Stress can greatly influence digestive enzymes. When your body is stressed, it doesn’t think it has time to relax and digest food properly. Try to find ways to manage overall stress, or at the very least do your best to get in a more relaxed state of mind before digging in.
4. Go for a walk
Light exercise can help with digestion. Research has shown that going for a walk around the block after a meal can speed up and improve the digestive process. On top of that, regular exercise has been shown to help with digestion overall.
5. Don’t hit the couch
Alternatively, laying down right after a meal can slow the process of digestion. Not only that, but slumping on the couch or on a chair can increase the chances of heartburn or acid reflux.
6. Eat slowly
You don’t have to chew in slow motion, but sometimes when overly hungry or in a rush, it’s easy to gobble down your meal. Take your time with each mouthful, chew it thoroughly, and don’t swallow too quickly. This can stop you from taking in air and becoming gassy later on.
On top of that, chewing your food thoroughly has been linked to increased nutrient absorption. The more chewed your food is, the less your body needs to work to digest it properly. Also, when you chew well, your food goes down with more saliva, which aids digestion and can reduce acid reflux.
7. Drink some mint tea
After your meal, make some mint tea to aid digestion. Some research and anecdotal evidence suggests that mint tea may help promote digestion. This is due to the mint helping the digestive muscles relax, allowing a smoother process. However, it has also been shown to contribute to acid reflux. If you frequently have issues with acid reflux, it may do more harm than good, so keep that in mind.
8. Ditch poor habits
Both cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption have been linked with poor digestion and health complications in the gut. And eating late at night then laying down for bed inhibits proper digestion and can lead to acid reflux or heartburn.
9. Take a probiotic
Probiotics are healthy microorganisms that can improve gut function (though research shows they can do far more than that). Studies have shown that regularly taking a probiotic may help with digestion.
Purality Health’s probiotic includes one of the most studied probiotics out there: lactobacillus rhamnosus.
Hundreds of studies have demonstrated the benefits of L. rhamnosus — from skin health to weight management. But also gut health.
What makes L. rhamnosus so powerful in the gut?
L. rhamnosus can inhibit the growth of bad microorganisms and promote the growth of good microorganisms. This offers an extra boost, because not only can the negative effects of the bad bacteria be avoided — the positive effects of the good bacteria can take place.
It also promotes the production of certain short-chain fatty acids that nourish the cells which line the gut wall. This helps with digestion, but also supports the overall health of the colon.
The problem, however, is that probiotics are fragile. Oftentimes, they can’t survive the manufacturing process, not to mention the harshness of the digestive tract. But as you may know, here at Purality Health, we’re all about protecting the key nutrient (or in this case, microorganism) so that it can actually make it to the gut and can be used by the body!
Our probiotic is not only infused with our regular micelle liposomal formula, but supercharged with lactoferrin — offering even better bioavailability.