It’s estimated that over 75% of Americans suffer from regular digestive discomfort, such as bloating, acid reflux, gas, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea. Over half of them don’t discuss it.
The big problems here?
Besides the fact that digestive issues can really get in the way of your life:
1) Chronic digestive symptoms are not normal and are a sign that something’s going on under the surface.
2) Suffering in silence means never getting to the root causes of the issue, which means never feeling how good you can actually feel in your body.
3) Many conventional and even holistic approaches to digestive issues don’t work and cause more stress.
And of course, it’s important to tackle digestive issues so you can not only feel better, but also so your body can function better.
Your digestive system health is a precursor to overall health. A healthy immune system, endocrine (hormone) system, neurological system, and cardiovascular system— you name it— all depend on the health and function of the digestive tract, including the diversity and balance of your gut microbiome!
Every cell in your body requires nutrients to function properly, and your digestive system extracts those nutrients from the foods you eat.
You can eat the “most perfect,” most nutrient-dense diet in the world, but if you’re not properly digesting it, you’re not really reaping the benefits. And if you have digestive symptoms, it’s a sign that digestion isn’t working like it should… as it could.
So what do you do?
Well, before you buy a random probiotic or worse, jump on a restrictive elimination diet or do a parasite cleanse someone on the internet sold you, try adding in this one simple habit.
Context: Your digestive system functions from north to south. Which means even if your symptoms are lower GI symptoms (i.e. constipation or bloating, they actually have originated somewhere in the beginning.
Think of digestive dysfunction (and function) as a domino effect— what happens in the mouth affects the esophagus, which affects the stomach, which affects the gallbladder, which affects the small intestine, and so on.
So, for example, if you don’t have enough stomach acid, food won’t be fully digested so can add more stress when it arrives in the small intestine. Carbs can ferment, fats rancidify, and proteins can irritate the lining and alert the immune system. Cue gas, bloating, and food sensitivities.
To positively affect the entire digestive cascade, you need to at least start at the top.
And where does digestion begin?
In your head.
When you perceive (see, smell, and anticipate) food, your brain tells your body to release chemicals to begin the digestive process. You produce more saliva, which contains enzymes to begin breaking down food. And when food enters your mouth, you begin mechanical digestion by chewing.
Which means before food even enters your digestive tract, it’s partially digested—or, supposed to be.
Hmm… aren’t these things we all do?
Well, not really…
What would you say if I told you that our modern lifestyles negatively affect our digestion?
Digestion often isn’t getting off to the proper start because of certain behaviors and thought processes that prevent the digestive cascade from starting off well.
Let me explain: Our modern society is fast-paced, high-energy, and very demanding. We’re constantly stimulated from every angle and, as a result, are often in a state of fight-or-flight (the stress response that prepares our body to deal with a threat).
Our sympathetic nervous system (which rules this stress response) is constantly on, so our parasympathetic nervous system (which promotes rest, repair, and rejuvenation) is rarely tapped into! And both are crucial for health, but we’re supposed to spend more time in parasympathetic.
We’re all so overwhelmed and overworked that we forget to focus on the little things that matter the most to our health. We skip the gym because work is too busy. We stay home instead of meeting with friends because we’re exhausted. We don’t make time for self-care because there’s too much to do. We get take-out because we have no time or energy to make dinner. We stay up late for “me time” and sacrifice precious sleep.
We skip breakfast or eat in the car because we’re rushing out the door.
We work through lunch due to a meeting or never-ending to-do list.
We eat dinner while scrolling through social media or watching TV.
Think about this for a moment:
Where do you eat the majority of your meals? How do you eat the majority of your meals?
Many people would give responses such as “in my car,” “at my desk,” or “in between chasing the kids.” They’d say their meals are “on the go,” “rushed,” and “distracted.”
Do you multitask when you eat?
Don’t feel guilty if you answered “yes”, we all do it. Our modern, fast-paced society has pressured us into thinking we need to do everything, all at once. No days off. No breaks. Work through lunch. Sleep when you’re dead.
This mentality is part of the problem. It’s a big reason why so many people are struggling with their health. Digestive issues, but also other problems like fatigue, insomnia, IBS, weight gain, hormone problems like PMS, and even mental health challenges like anxiety and depression are all connected to this stressed-out, “busy” lifestyle we live in.
Society primes us to think it’s normal to eat while multi-tasking, distracted, and on the go. However, eating in the sympathetic state means eating becomes a stressful event. It actually prevents proper digestion from occurring. Fight or flight causes a release of hormones and chemicals that halt digestion. Think about it- if your body is preparing to fight a bear, does breaking down that sandwich you just ate matter? No! Surviving matters.
Digestion occurs in a parasympathetic state- think “rest and digest.” When we’re in this “mode,” our bodies undergo several responses- saliva increases, digestive enzymes are released, and muscles relax.
Getting into parasympathetic mode is crucial for good digestion.
What is the #1 way you can improve your digestion- the top simple change to make to support your gut- starting today?
Slow down while you eat and chew better!
Eat while seated and relaxed. Minimize distractions. Take some deep breaths if needed to slow your heart rate and prepare your body for digestion. Take deliberate bites and chew your food well (20 chews per bite at least). Pay attention to your food and your company.
It’s really that simple. Start there.
Even if you haven’t started focusing on what to eat, you can start with how to eat. Watch how slowing down and getting digestion started right will lessen your nagging symptoms. You’ll better absorb nutrients. Food will likely taste better when you focus time and energy on enjoying it. Your hunger and fullness signals will even become a bit more reliable!
If you want to finally learn how to fix your digestive issues once and for all through an approach that nourishes your body the way it needs, let’s work together!
