Improve digestion: here are the best methods

Avoid processed foods and additives

Foods rich in refined carbohydrates, saturated fats and additives, which are consumed in large quantities in developed countries, are associated with an increased risk of digestive disorders.

Various additives, glucose, fructose, salt and other chemicals can contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel disease, which can lead to an increasingly common additional condition known as leaky gut.

Trans fats are found in processed foods and are known for their negative effects on heart health. They are also associated with an increased risk of developing the inflammatory bowel disease ulcerative colitis.

Processed foods (such as low-calorie drinks and ice cream) may contain artificial sweeteners, which can also lead to digestive problems.

The most important thing you can do to improve your digestion is to avoid processed foods and additives as much as possible.

Get regular exercise

Moderate daily physical activity (such as cycling and jogging) can reduce bowel transit time by up to 30%, according to a study published in the journal Gut. But if you don’t like these activities, don’t worry! There are other ways to improve digestion.

Walking, especially after a meal, stimulates the stomach and small intestine muscles, speeding up the processing of food, i.e. it improves digestion. A 15-minute light walk immediately after a meal can be particularly beneficial as it helps food to pass through the stomach. Excessive exercise, however, can have the opposite effect, so be sure to take only light exercise after a meal!

If you don’t feel like it or don’t have time to walk, you can try yoga. A number of yoga postures, including Dandasana, Janushirasana and Savasana, can help you process food. These are mostly simple stretching exercises that move the core muscles to stimulate the internal organs and improve digestion. They can also help flatulence go away as quickly as possible.

Eat enough fibre

It is well known that fibre is an excellent aid to digestion. Fibre absorbs water and makes stools more compact, making it easier for the digestive system to move forward.

Fibre is found in oat bran, legumes, nuts, and seeds, as well as vegetables, whole grains and wheat bran.

Ulcers, heartburn, haemorrhoids and irritable bowel syndrome occur less often in people who eat a diet rich in fibre.

Prebiotics are dietary fibres that feed beneficial gut bacteria. Prebiotics are also found in many fruits and vegetables.

Dried fruits are also known to improve digestion.

This property is mainly due to their very high fibre content. However, one should not overdo it with the consumption of dried fruit, because not only the fibre content but also the sugar content is extremely high.

Taking fulvic acid

Fulvic acid promotes the absorption of nutrients in the body. This is particularly important today as crops grown on soils managed with fertilisers become increasingly nutrient-poor.

Fulvic acid improves cell permeability and reduces the risk of inflammation in the digestive tract. Fulvic acid therefore improves digestion and helps to keep the gut healthy.

The best way to consume fulvic acid is Fulvicherb – Synergy, which in addition to fulvic acid contains a number of other beneficial natural substances (such as pectins, inulin, etc.) that improve digestion and support the healthy functioning of the body.

Drink plenty of fluids

To prevent constipation and improve digestion, experts recommend drinking one and a half to two litres of caffeine-free fluid daily. In other words, coffee and strong teas do not count towards fluid intake.

Remember that you need much more fluid in the heat or after strenuous exercise.

Eating fruits and vegetables with a high water content (e.g. cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, watermelon, melons, strawberries, pears, blueberries, pineapple, citrus fruits such as grapefruit, tangerines and oranges) can increase your fluid intake and thus improve your digestion.

Another good way to stay hydrated is to eat soups. Particularly noteworthy are long-cooked, hearty broths, which not only improve digestion through hydration, but also contribute to a healthy digestive system thanks to their collagen content.

Chew your food thoroughly

When you eat, your teeth break food into smaller pieces so that the enzymes in your gut can digest it better. Thorough chewing reduces appetite, and the stomach has less work to do to turn solid food into a liquid mixture that reaches the small intestine.

Chewing food produces saliva, which acts as a digestive fluid and allows the carbohydrates to be processed in the mouth. Plenty of saliva production facilitates digestion of the nutrients in the food.

As if that wasn’t reason enough, chewing can even lower stress levels, which improves digestion. That’s what the next section is all about.

Reduce stress

Your digestive system can be severely damaged by stress, which can lead to stomach ulcers, diarrhoea, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.

When you are under stress, your body goes into what is called “fight or flight” mode. In this case, the body avoids the need to digest and rest by draining blood and energy from the digestive system.

While this state is short-lived in nature, many people in our modern world live in a state of constant stress. In times of stress, the digestive system cannot function properly. So stress management is key if you want to improve your digestion.

Avoid alcohol

The digestive tract, including the mouth, throat, oesophagus, stomach and intestines, can be damaged by contact with alcohol. If alcohol enters the bloodstream, it can also damage the liver, which is also involved in digestion through the production of bile.

It is clear that alcohol consumption affects digestion, but the symptoms can vary. Different people’s digestive systems may react differently to alcohol-related irritation. Alcohol consumption can cause diarrhoea in some people and constipation in others.

Diarrhoea symptoms may lead some people to believe that the effects of alcoholic beverages actually improve digestion, but this is incorrect. Alcohol consumption clearly has a negative effect on the functioning of the body, so it is best for your health and digestion to avoid alcohol.

Do not eat too late in the evening

Eating late at night and then going to bed can lead to heartburn and indigestion. The body needs time to digest food and move it through the digestive tract, and gravity is a great help.

However, in a lying position, gravity works against our digestive system instead of improving digestion.
Lying down after eating greatly increases the risk of getting reflux and makes symptoms worse. If you have stomach problems in general or suffer from heartburn at night, try to wait three to four hours after eating before going to bed so that the food has time to pass from the stomach to the small intestine.

Read the article in German: Verdauung anregen: Hier sind die besten Methoden

Read the article in Polish: Stymuluje trawienie: Oto najlepsze metody