Things don’t always go in the right direction when we have a specific fitness goal. Often, when we’re trying to lose weight, despite being in a calorie deficit, our appetite decreases and we feel heavy, bloated and tired. But the idea is also to find out how to improve digestion? And sometimes, when we want to gain muscle mass, it doesn’t happen, even though we seem to be eating enough.
This article isn’t about giving up certain unhealthy foods in favor of their healthy alternatives. Awareness around junk food is extremely high, and modern consumers are increasingly clear about what is considered healthy and what isn’t.
How can we improve digestion to be healthier?
When we eat any kind of food, we’ll know within about 20–30 minutes whether our body is reacting negatively to it. Often after eating, our stomach hurts and our bowels become unsettled. In such cases, it’s very obvious that there’s a problem. Bloating, gas and general discomfort follow. And then the question in the title comes up: “How can we improve digestion?”
The reason it’s important to address problems of this kind is that this reaction is very likely to increase inflammation in the gut. As a direct result, overall digestion can be negatively affected—the gut becomes unsettled and food isn’t fully processed. That’s why we should pay attention to the body’s signals in response to certain foods.
Improve digestion by keeping a food diary!
If we keep track of what we eat for a week, we’re sure to identify foods that cause us discomfort. Another thing worth paying attention to is how much food we eat at each meal. People often estimate this by eye, but once again, it’s best to simply listen to our bodies. Sometimes we keep eating long after our body has already signaled that we’re full. It’s no coincidence that our elders say, “Leave the table when you’re enjoying your food the most.”
When we eat the same food over a given period of time, we can often identify the problem—but not if we keep changing our food sources. A food that the body doesn’t digest well can cause not only abdominal discomfort, but also hinder recovery, reduce appetite and lead to other unwanted effects that affect our health.
Once we identify some of the mistakes we make when it comes to “How to improve digestion,” we can start adjusting our eating habits. Here are two tips to help:
First, when it comes to “How to improve digestion,” remove the problem food from your diet for 30 days and see how you feel. Are things getting better? Be patient, because it takes time to reduce intestinal inflammation—sometimes even months.
To support your digestive system, we recommend adding a probiotic to your diet, along with digestive enzymes if needed.
Second, we recommend weighing your food on a kitchen scale to make sure you’re not consuming more calories than you need. Pay attention to how long it takes for you to feel hungry again. If it takes more than 3–4 hours, you may have eaten more than your body needs. If you need more information or help, you can contact our team of dietitians for a consultation.