For millions of people, losing weight is not easy. It might surprise those that are struggling with weight loss to know that part of their issue could be an unhealthy digestive system.
When your digestive organs are not working properly, your body is not getting the vital nutrients it needs to perform all the functions including burn calories, increase metabolism, build muscle, circulate oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the body systems, and break down the foods properly. If you want to lose the unwanted pounds a healthy gut is part of the complete well-balanced lifestyle choices you need to fulfill your goals.
Bloating, gas, heartburn, indigestion, irregular bowl functions, and nausea are some of the more common signs of a poorly functioning digestive tract.
If your food processing organs are not functioning at their optimal best, there are things you can do to restore a healthy system. These tips will help you improve your gut health.
1. Eat Slowly
We live in a very busy and hectic world where many people tend to gobble their meals down quickly without taking the time to properly chew their food or allow the body to digest its contents. Rather than consuming what is on your plate as fast as possible, schedule appropriate dining times where you can actually sit and enjoy your meal. Sitting allows your digesting organs to work properly while slow eating lets the contents to pass through your tract without bottlenecking in certain areas. It also gives your stomach a chance to relay information to your brain through your nervous system so your mind has time to process information related to the consumption of foods.
2. Chew Your Food
When people eat too fast, they tend to chew very little on their portions before swallowing. Every bite should be chewed at least 20 times before passing down through the esophagus or food tube. The more you break down your mouthfuls before sending it to the area, the easier it is on your body to access the essential nutritional components.
Thoroughly broken down food particles mix better with the saliva in your mouth. This is also essential for proper digestion and gut health because saliva contains enzymes that help aid the digestive process. Thoroughly chewed food will have more of the needed saliva mixed in with it than the bigger, unchewed edibles.
3. Drink Lots of Water
Your body is made mostly of water and therefore, needs plenty of fluids to absorb nutritional components and move the substances easily through your body systems. Consuming a glass of water before and after each meal will improve your body’s ability to break down your meals and utilize the essential vitamins and minerals.
4. Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a diet of healthy foods will improve digestion and provide the body with the essential nutrients to work properly. Highly processed foods contain harmful chemicals and other substances that harm the tissues and organs in your body. A balanced diet rich in nutrient dense foods will help keep your internal and external systems working and promote natural weight loss.
5. Wait Between Helpings
It takes the stomach 10 to 15 minutes to tell the brain it is full. Rather than go for seconds right away, give your body time to send the messages to your receptors. This will not only reduce caloric intake, but it will also help reduce feelings of indigestion and stomach upset.
Millions of people struggle to lose weight daily. While diet and exercise are vital to weight loss, so is a healthy digestive tract. Keeping your organs in good working condition, will help all your systems work their optimal best.
