Check out these simple solutions to help a slow-moving GI tract:
Do not skip meals; pack your snacks
When we start eating, the very act of chewing kick starts our digestive juices, in the form of enzymes, into action. Digestive enzymes are responsible for digesting our food along the entire length of our digestive tract. When we skip a meal, these digestive enzymes are not produced in sufficient quantities which can then lead to poor digestion and trigger bloating. Besides, missing meals results in overeating later in the day when the stomach is even less active. Travel with snacks like a piece of fruit to avoid going for long periods of time without eating.
Eat small and frequently
Eating mini meals every three to four hours will keep you from getting hungry while also giving your stomach adequate time to empty in between meals. If you skip a meal and approach your next meal feeling ravenous, you are likely to overeat which can then lead to a feeling of fullness and bloating. You are also more inclined to eat rapidly to satisfy your hunger pains, which can make it more challenging to listen to your body’s fullness and satiety messages.
Split servings
Eating little and often keeps you going and energized and prevents you from having to loosen your belt afterward. Eating is supposed to make you feel good, not exhausted! Try taking your usual meal and divide it into two servings a few hours apart.
Eat out early
If you're going to eat out, make it lunch or brunch rather than dinner. Especially carbohydrates. When you load up late at night, you are bound to wake up feeling all puffy-like in the morning. You spend the night retaining water and wake up feeling like a sponge. So if one of your meals is big, make it lunch. Then you have time to work it off!
Impose a dinner curfew
Stomach contractility [one of the first stages of digestion] decreases markedly after dark.
Avoid Sleeping with a full stomach
Wait four hours after eating to exercise or lie down. This will ensure you're not jogging or sleeping with a full stomach.
Go for a walk
Some gentle exercise following a meal will help to release trapped air in your GI tract. Consider a 10 minute stroll to the shop if you feel bloated after a meal; you should notice a difference! You don't have to go hitting the pavement. Just grab the dog and go! Every little bit helps.
Limit intake of fatty foods
High-fat, high-sugar foods take longer for your stomach to digest and thus your stomach is fuller for a longer period of time. Watch out for foods with a high fat content, such as meat, cheese and cream sauces, which slow down stomach emptying.
Split up your fibre
Avoid eating a large amount of fibre at one time, which can lead to a full stomach and abdominal discomfort. Instead of going from two servings a day to nine, try adding an extra vegetable serving each week to give your intestinal tract time to adjust to the new fiber load. In most cases, you'll experience less bloating problems if you give the intestinal bacteria living in your gut time to adjust to your new diet.
Do not gulp
Hydration is important for keeping the products of digestion moving, but don't chug large amounts of fluid. Sip throughout the day instead. Drink liquids in between rather than during meals to avoid overfilling the stomach. Also, the more gulps of air you take in with that food or drink, the more that has to get processed in your body. It has to get rid of it somehow, so it turns into bloating and gas.
It is important to note that as everyone is unique, different approaches may work for different individuals. A helpful solution for most of us is to eat small, regular well balanced meals which will also support energy levels and mood, as well as reduce digestive problems such as bloating.
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