Create your own personalised health report
Latest Tweets

Support a healthy digestive system


Your digestive system is at the very heart of your health. Often said to have the surface area of a tennis court, it extends the whole way from the mouth to the anus and is responsible for digestion of foods, absorption and assimilation of nutrients and elimination of waste products and toxins. It is also the site for a large part of the immune system and production of some neurotransmitters (brain chemicals).

Digestion, the breakdown of food, involved mechanical action such as chewing and muscular actions in the stomach and intestines and chemical breakdown by digestive enzymes (released into the mouth, stomach and small intestine) and other digestive juices. If this process isn’t happening completely problems like bloating, gas, fatigue, skin problems, headaches, food sensitivities – to name a few – can happen, just showing that we need to pay great attention to what is happening inside us!

  1. Eating a diet rich in fibre aids the passage of food through the intestines and soaks up toxins along the way so they can leave with your stools. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and pulses contain different varieties and are also the food source for your beneficial bacteria (probiotics), which crowd out the colonization of the gut by unwanted organisms such as bacteria, parasites and yeasts. You can also take extra ‘good guys’ in the form of a good quality probiotic supplement, especially if you have digestive upsets and have taken antibiotics recently or long-term in the past.
  2. Specific foods have therapeutic effects on the gut – seeds such as flax and chia can help to bulk out stools and protect the mucosal lining of the gut when soaked; papaya, pineapple and sprouted beans like alfalfa and mixed sprouts contain enzymes to aid digestion; cinnamon, cloves, garlic, rosemary, oregano and turmeric all have antibacterial properties and can help keep the gut clean of unwanted problems.
  3. Eating calmly and thoroughly chewing food make a real difference; stress can halt digestive muscles and levels of digestive juices and chewing calms us and breaks down food so we absorb more nutrients. It will also minimise food hanging around in the digestive tract causing bloating or constipation and you are more likely to feel satisfied after your meal.
  4. Although lots of water is needed for digestion, if drunk too near a meal it may also dilute stomach acid and decrease digestion. Strong peppermint tea can be drunk 20 minutes before a meal to encourage stomach acid production and a little liquid (non-sugary or caffeinated) can be sipped during a meal but full chewing should lubricate foods in the mouth sufficiently. Drinking plenty of fluids between meals – an hour either side – supports your digestive and liver function.
  5. Get enough sleep – prolonged loss of sleep can put us in a stressed state that is not conducive to digestion. Our appetites may also be raised as our bodies signal the need for more fuel to combat tiredness; too much input (of food) can put a strain on digestion.
Loading...