5 lifestyle measures you can take to improve your gut health naturally
2 minute read
When it comes to our health, and especially gut health, we are often quick to turn to our diet and point the finger at certain food groups for causing our symptoms. Although you could be reacting to certain foods, few of us consider that the way in which we eat could have a profound impact too. The common saying of ‘you are what you eat’ should maybe be reframed to ‘you are what and how you eat’.
Digestion is a much more complex process than you might imagine , and one that actually begins before the food enters your mouth. In fact, just thinking about food or smelling food whilst preparing and cooking can initiate our first phase of digestion, known as the cephalic phase, which starts in the brain.
Below are 5 key lifestyle factors to consider for optimal gut health.
1. Focus on breathing before meals
If you are particularly stressed or eating whilst on the go, your body will be in a stressed state, otherwise known as the sympathetic nervous system state. This can detract blood away from non-essential survival systems (such as digestion and reproduction). If you want to optimise digestion and reduce digestive symptoms you may be experiencing, you want to focus on shifting your body towards your parasympathetic side of the nervous system, also known as the rest and digest side.
An effective way of doing this is through breathing before meals, which helps recruit the rest and digest system to take over.
Try this technique: breathe in for 3 counts, hold the breath for 4 counts and then breathe out for 5 counts. Repeat this 2-3 times before each meal.
“Breathing before meals helps recruit the rest and digest system to take over.”
2. Chew food properly
This sounds silly, but how thoroughly are you chewing each mouthful? Chewing helps to mechanically break down food into smaller particles , before the food passes down the food pipe into the stomach. We also produce enzymes in the mouth that begin the digestion of some foods, so adequate chewing allows for maximum food breakdown, particularly for carbohydrates. Try and aim for about 20 chews per mouthful.
3. Remove distractions
When our attention is on our phone, computer screen or TV, we are drawing our mind away from the food we are eating. When distracted, we tend to eat faster and fail to recruit our rest and digestive side of the nervous system. Try, where possible, to remove distractions when eating and avoid eating on to go too.
4. Consider meal timings
To snack or not to snack if a hot topic, however it really comes down to personal preference and goals. If you are suffering with digestive symptoms, it is advised to assess your eating patterns, as for some, eating very large meals could cause discomfort and pain, whilst eating smaller meals may help alleviate this. Similarly, grazing or snacking throughout the day minimises the amount of rest our digestive systems gets and allows little time for our ‘cleaners’, otherwise known as the migrating motor complex to come along and sweep residual undigested material through the digestive tract.
If you are currently experiencing digestive symptoms, keeping a food and symptom diary, including meal and snack timings, could be really helpful to identify patterns.
“If you are currently experiencing digestive symptoms, keeping a food and symptom diary could be really helpful to identify patterns.”
5. Wear loose clothing
Tight clothing may restrict blood flow and the movements of our digestive tract, so the last thing you want to do is add to your discomfort with a tight pair of trousers or a skin-tight dress. Instead opt for looser clothing around the abdomen where possible. Higher waisted or elasticated trousers can be a good alternative option.
Words by Yasmin Alexander, Nutrition by Yasmin, Nutritional Therapist BSc (Hons), DipION, mBANT, CNHC.