7 Steps to Optimal Digestion

Stop any random person on the street, and chances are, they’ll admit to experiencing “common” symptoms: reflux, bloating, gas, weight gain, constipation… even those people who claim to eat a clean diet, consume vegetables by the boatload or avoid sugar like the plague. What’s going wrong here?

What if you’re eating all the right foods, but not actually breaking them down and absorbing the nutrients? What if insufficient digestion is holding you back from properly absorbing and utilizing the nutrients in food?

Digestion is a very involved process. If the digestive process isn’t working properly, this can cascade into other areas of your health and lead to symptoms of poor digestion, and even symptoms further removed (fatigue, anxiety, etc) from your GI system.

As we age, our bodies’ natural production of digestive enzymes decreases. If we have a gut infection (bacterial, parasitic, or fungal overgrowth), digestive enzyme production can be further compromised. Modern day stresses, including nutrient-poor processed foods and overpacked schedules, can even further contribute to suboptimal gut function and enzyme production. Many foods naturally contain their own enzymes, but these enzymes are destroyed by pasteurization, cooking, or processing. If the foods don’t contain adequate natural enzymes, your body has to put in extra work to make up for this enzyme deficiency. In this blog, I’ll discuss 7 ways that you can optimize your digestion and experience a better sense of well-being and health.

#1 – Incorporate Raw and Fermented Foods into Your Diet

“Live” foods, such as veggies that haven’t been cooked or processed in any way provide a nice dose of enzymes… in addition to all of the other vitamins and minerals they provide! Incorporate some raw veggie sticks as a snack, load up your salad with raw veggies, or grab a piece of fresh fruit to go with your lunch. Remember to upgrade and buy organic produce whenever possible to minimize the toxins your body has to contend with.

Another great source of enzymes is cultured and fermented foods. The beneficial bacteria in fermented foods jumpstarts the pre-digestion process along with beneficial naturally-occurring acids. Some good sources of fermented foods include raw sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, kimchi, and fermented veggies. (Note: When buying sauerkraut or fermented veggies, make sure they say ‘raw’ on the label and are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Canned sauerkraut that is stored at room temperature has been pasteurized, removing the beneficial probiotic/fermentation aspects.)

#2 – Chew Your Food Thoroughly

Did you know the process of digestion actually begins in your mouth?! The mechanical act of chewing starts to break down food particles for digestion, and the more thoroughly chewed and smaller the food particles are, the better your body will be able to absorb and assimilate the nutrients.

Chewing food stimulates the production of enzymes called salivary amylases, which specifically break down carbohydrates. If you don’t chew each bite of food enough, enzyme production will be suboptimal, hindering digestion. The more we chew, the better enzyme production, and the more thoroughly the food is broken down so we can absorb the nutrients. Your food should be liquid consistency when you swallow.

#3 — Incorporate Healthy Fat into your Diet

Yes, yet another reason to incorporate healthy fats into your diet! Fat is necessary for absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. Remember the salad loaded with veggies that I mentioned earlier? Please ditch the fat-free dressing and add some healthy fat like olive oil, avocado slices, or avocado oil to your salad to not only boost your satiety, but also to increase absorption of vitamins.

#4 – Avoid Enzyme-Inhibiting Foods

Not only can you incorporate enzyme-rich foods into your diet, but you can also assist digestion by avoiding foods that are known to inhibit digestive enzymes. It’s important to minimize foods that contain enzyme-inhibiting components that hinder digestion. Many processed foods (think sweetened granola bars, snacky foods like crackers and chips, cereals, foods with added refined sugar) contain enzyme-inhibiting “anti-nutrients” that prevent us from fully digesting and absorbing the nutrients in our food.

Believe it or not, even some foods that are generally considered to be healthy, contain enzyme-inbitors, such as peanuts, whole grains like quinoa, seeds, nuts and beans. Some people may want to experiment with completely removing grains and legumes from their diet for a short time, to see if they notice an improvements in symptoms. A way to minimize antinutrients in grains and legumes is to soak them to help to release the nutrients that are bound by the anti-nutrients, or to sprout them, which breaks down the anti-nutrients to some extent and makes them able to be digested more easily.

#5 – Eat Mindfully

Mindful eating is eating with intention and attention.  It is eating with the intention of caring for yourself and eating with the attention necessary for noticing and enjoying your food and its effects on your body. What if you could improve your digestive capacity simply by slowing down and turning your full attention to your meal?! Well, believe it or not… you can!

We live in a world of rushing around… We are eating in the car while driving our kids to soccer practice; eating with one hand while we’re clicking through our inbox with the other hand at work; eating while we’re catching up on our favorite TV shows and paying more attention to who The Bachelor is going to eliminate than what’s going into our mouths.

When the mind is elsewhere, digestion isn’t optimal.   If you’re experiencing symptoms like gas, bloating, stomach upset or cramps, you could be suffering from some digestive-related issues that could be alleviated by dedicating the proper attention to mindful eating.

To practice mindful eating: Turn off or put away the TV, computer, smartphone. Find a pocket of time when you can be uninterrupted for at least 10 minutes. Take in the smells of your food; examine the colors and textures of your food; and savor the taste of each bite. Chew each bite thoroughly, swallow, and put fork down after every bite.

#6 – Eat More Enzyme-Rich Foods

All raw veggies and fruit have some enzymes, but some are higher in enzymes than others. For most people, it’s impractical to eat a 100% raw foods diet, so it’s better to strategically incorporate foods that pack a nice dose of enzymes, such as…

• Avocados contain lipase to support digestion of fats
• Pineapples contain bromelain, an anti-inflammatory agent that supports digestion of protein
• Bananas contain amylase to support digestion of carbohydrates, and maltase, which supports digestion of sugar.
• Apricots contain invertase to support digestion of sugars and carbs

#7 – Incorporate a High-Quality, Broad-Spectrum Probiotic/Enzyme Supplement

In addition to the strategies discussed above, you can also support your digestion and absorption of nutrients by supplementing with digestive enzymes. RMC recommends Orenda Eaze, which combines beneficial probiotics to balance gut flora, with a broad spectrum of digestive enzymes, including Proteases (to break down and digest proteins), Lipases (to break down and digest fats), and Amylase (to break down and digest starches and carbohydrates).

Call our office at (412) 767-9890 today to schedule a consultation with Valerie Donaldson, MD., Founder of Regenerative Medicine Center.  Start your journey to optimal health and wellness.