5 Ways to Improve Your Digestion
Happiness: a good bank account, a good cook, and a good digestion.
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau
To feel at the top of your game, a strong stomach is essential. We’ve all had days where functioning properly is made increasingly difficult by a weak digestion; concentration is demanding, and a brain fog isn’t too far away. The quality of your digestion is largely representative of the overall quality of your health.
Digestion is also an intelligent master, because while we may cut a few corners now and not feel any effect immediately, they will almost certainly come knocking on the door later in life. Do not cheat your digestion, be aware, mindful, and hopefully the below tips may help you stir away from evident mistakes.
Exercise
There are many motives to this one, but the main point is that increased oxygen to the lungs increases the strength of the stomach, given that oxygen is the primary fuel needed for digestion.
For the purpose of better digestion, aerobic exercises (those that leave you huffing and puffing) are best. They require maximum oxygen intake and increase its delivery to the cells.
Deep Breathing
Simple. Before every meal, take 3 deep breaths. For the same reason mentioned above, the increase oxygen to the blood is what makes the difference here. Taking those deep breaths will also bring your awareness back to the present, allowing you to better appreciate your meal.
Yoga
With all the twisting and stretching, yoga is great for your digestion. Positions such as cobra, bow, triangle twist, bridge, upward dog, all stretch, stimulate, cleanse and tone stomach muscles and organs. Combine this with the benefits of the two points above which are both true in yoga as well, and you have a winning recipe for a healthy gut.
Herbal Tea
Many herbs have a wonderful impact on digestion. Chamomile, while not a stimulant for digestion, quiets the nervous system and by way of doing so, helps smoothen digestion. Cinnamon and cloves are digestive stimulants, and can easily be added to an herbal tea. Ginger, cardamon, anise, fennel seeds, celery seeds all have a powerful impact on digestion, helping stimulate the flow of digestive juices and prevent fermentation and cramps.
Not doing Anything Else While Eating
When you sit down to eat, all you should be doing, is eating. No watching Netflix, no driving, no talking on the phone, nothing else. Eating is good, and fun enough. We take eating for granted now, and too often forget to pay any attention to it. Rewind not too long ago, and eating was not guaranteed. We’re lucky, and we should act as such.
REFERENCE
Meyerowitz, Steve. (2002), Food Combining and Digestion: Easy to Follow Techniques to Increase Stomach Power and Maximize Digestion. Published September 1st 2002 by Sprout House
