Tips:
1.) Always do the basics first.
Drink enough water, eat enough fiber (25-35grams a day generally), move your body (walking and yoga are very effective), manage your stress, eliminate common irritants (gluten, dairy)
2.) Assess your eating environment → get into parasympathetic mode (AKA rest and digest)
SIT DOWN, FEET ON THE GROUND – many people eat while standing, walking, driving — this will activate more of the sympathetic nervous system vs. parasympathetic
3 deep belly breaths prior to eating (vagus nerve stimulation)
Avoid TV dinners (ie. eating in front of the TV or scrolling on your phone) – meals should be free of distractions so you can focus on what you are eating
Works best for: heartburn, bloating and gas
3.) Chew your food… really chew it.
Ideally, your food should be chewed 20-30 times PER BITE. Mechanical digestion is the first step in breaking down food prior to swallowing.
Works best for: all GI issues
4.) Consider the TYPE of fiber.
Insoluble fibers – act like a brush through the bowels, grabbing and pulling things out
Can make constipation worse by further irritating the GI
Insoluble = the skins/seeds/stalks/leaves
Veggies high in insoluble fiber = cauliflower, broccoli, leafy greens, brussel sprouts
Soluble fibers – swell in water, produces a gel-like substance, can soothe an inflamed GI
Soluble fiber = fleshy part of foods
Veggies high in soluble fiber = carrots, winter and summer squash, peas, turnips (peel skins)
Mucilaginous herbs like psyllium, slippery elm, and marshmallow root also help soothe the GI (consult your doctor prior to using specific herbs as some have contraindications)
Works best for bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea
5.) Acknowledge that it could be an anatomical issue…
Ever seen a dog go to the bathroom? You’ll notice they look different than we do on the toilet ;P Improving your positioning will help stool move through the colon more effectively
Invest in a squatty potty: https://www.squattypotty.com/
Works best for constipation
6.) Consider bringing in reinforcements (AKA bitters, probiotics, prebiotics)
Bitters
Help stimulate the vagus nerve and prime the digestive organs for breaking foods down
Also found in bitter foods: cruciferous veggies, dandelion greens, citrus peels, cranberries, cocoa powder, coffee, green tea
How to use: place a 1-2 drops on the tongue just before eating
Urban Moonshine Bitters: https://www.urbanmoonshine.com/collections/digestion/products/original-bitters
Works best for: heartburn, bloating and gas
Probiotics – specifically L. Reuteri
BioGaia is one example with this strain: https://www.biogaia.com/product-country/biogaia-protectis-tablets-usa/
Consult your doctor to figure out if this is right for you
Works best for: all GI conditions but will be strain specific
Prebiotics
Prebiotic fibers are food for our gut bugs and include guar gum and acacia gum
Sunfiber (made of partially hydrolyzed guar gum) has shown to promote regularity for both constipation and occasional diarrhea
https://tomorrowsnutrition.com/products/sunfiber-210-grams
Works best for: bloating, gas, constipation
Bonus tip: Try some digestive superfoods!
Bone broth
Contains amino acids (glycine and glutamine) that help stimulate stomach acid production and maintain the integrity of the gut lining
Also contains gelatin which helps draw water into the gut
1 c = 1 protein (10-12g)
Kettle and Fire: https://www.kettleandfire.com/products/turmeric-ginger-chicken-bone-broth?view=ab-sub&utm_expid=.sNhQJa24SL2d1OuSmgbrQw.1&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kettleandfire.com%2Fproducts%2Fgrass-fed-beef-bone-broth%3Fview%3Dab-sub
Sauerkraut and kimchi
Promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria (start low and go slow)
Cooked and cooled potatoes (resistant starch)
Feeds the bacteria that produces SCFAs → butyrate → fuel source for cells lining the colon
Ginger
Acts like a bitter, stimulates production of stomach acid
If all the above fails…..ask your doc for a stool test or SIBO test (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) to see if your gut terrain needs extra help to get back on track!
