Boosting your gut health might be easier than you think, and one tip to improve it involves tweaking how you eat your meals.
We’re all aware of the benefits of eating well and staying active for overall health, yet the significance of good gut health often goes overlooked, despite its impact on numerous bodily functions. Compromised gut health can lead to a variety of unwanted side effects like bloating, constipation, heartburn, sleep issues, mood swings, skin conditions, and even migraines.
To combat these, many strategies exist to enhance gut well-being, such as adding foods that support beneficial gut bacteria. However, a dietician named Annalise, who focuses on gut health, shared on TikTok one of the simplest and cost-free methods to aid digestion – just “chewing your food thoroughly.”
Annalise explained: “We need to chew our food thoroughly as our saliva has lots of enzymes which start the digestion process.
“This also then signals to our gut to start secreting all of the things it needs to secrete to start breaking down food. You need to be eating slowly and mindfully and chewing your food thoroughly.”
In addition to changing your mastication habits, Annalise also suggests steering clear of anything that “adds gas to your stomach”, which includes carbonated beverages.
The NHS has also endorsed the dietician’s recommendations for improving digestion. On its official website, the health service suggests that “eating properly” benefits digestive health.
Tips from the NHS for maintaining a “healthy tummy” include eating slowly, opting for smaller meals, avoiding heavy late-night dinners, and keeping well-hydrated during the day.
They also highlight that stress can contribute to various digestive problems, stating: “In some people, stress slows down digestion, causing bloating, pain and constipation, while in others, it speeds it up, causing diarrhoea and frequent trips to the loo. Some people lose their appetite completely.”
Additionally, smokers are advised to quit to avoid reflux, as smoking weakens the muscle at the end of the food pipe, which typically stops stomach acid from coming back up.
Those struggling with excess weight are also advised to explore weight loss options to lessen instances of heartburn and other gastric issues. More guidance on fostering healthy digestion is available on the NHS website.