Listen to your Gut: 10 Ways to Restore & Maintain Tip Top Digestion

What's 20 feet long, home to billions of microbes and red all over? You guessed it: your gastrointestinal tract! Recognized as "the seat of health" in Eastern branches of medicine such as India's Ayurveda, the gastrointestinal or GI tract is a complex organ system that includes digestive, endocrine, exocrine and immune functions. Our GI tracts are constantly exposed to toxins and "invaders" through the foods we ingest, the medicines we swallow (like antibiotics) as well as the other unwanted critters that make their way through, including bacteria, viruses, yeast and parasites. Because of this, it may seem only natural that our GI health can easily become compromised and burden us with uncomfortable symptoms once in a while. The truth is, the more common GI complaints like heartburn, reflux, diarrhea, constipation and excess gas are more likely a result of poor diet, bad eating habits and stress. And short of pills to treat the symptoms, we're seldom offered real constructive ways in which we can get relief from these symptoms, (not to mention ways to actually identify and fix the root problem behind those symptoms). I've compiled some simple but powerful points which will not only help you improve and regain optimal digestive health, but can also work wonders for maintaining a healthy digestion, long term.

Get hydrated: Adequate water intake is essential to good digestion and good health. Your GI tract not only needs H20 to soften up stools for easy passage but also for the proper production of digestive juices. It's best to drink the bulk of your fluids between meals to avoid indigestion; also, avoid getting your fluids in the form of sugary sodas which can promote the production of excess gas and are no good for your health anyway.

Up your fiber intake: Lots of research out there has shown us the importance of fiber in the diet. Insoluble and soluble fiber add bulk to your stools which make them easier to pass on a more regular basis and some types of fiber act as pre-biotics, which feed the good flora that live in our guts. Getting adequate dietary fiber also helps you slim down by making you feel fuller faster and decreasing your absorption of dietary fat and lowers cholesterol as well. Be sure to go slowly and drink plenty of water as you begin to add more fiber to your diet to avoid feeling bloated or constipated.

Up your good flora: More and more accepted today is the importance of having colonies of good bacteria in our guts, which need replenishing especially if you've taken a course of antibiotics lately. A healthy population of good flora helps to prevent colonization by pathogenic bacteria and yeast like Candida, and helps to maintain proper digestion and immune function of the GI tract.

Move those bowels: Allowing your body the time it needs every day (morning time is best) to eliminate bodily waste is critical way to prevent unnecessary constipation, bloating and excess gas.

Eat smaller portions: Its incredible how often we complain of discomfort after meals after we've eaten twice the portions we need to satiate us. Taking periodic breaks from eating throughout your meal can prevent indigestion, reflux and gas by allowing your stomach the chance to send the proper satiety signals to your brain, helping you to more accurately assess whether to keep eating or not. And eating smaller portions also does wonders for weight loss...

Smell your food: Taking a moment to experience your food's smell and appearance before you actually start to eat it allows your GI tract to get a head start on digestive enzyme secretion, again helping you to better digest and absorb your food when you eat.

Eat fruit first: Fruits are made up mostly of water and are completely digested within about 30 minutes of eating them, so its much easier on your belly to eat your fruits on an empty stomach instead of after meals where they'll have to wait for hours to pass through the GI tract, and often cause excess gas while they do. On the other hand, some fruits, like pineapple and papaya are so rich in enzymes (namely, bromelain and papain) that eating them along with or after meals may actually help you better digest your meal.

Chew, chew, chew: When your mom told you to chew 30 times before swallowing, she really was onto something! Chewing or mastication is a critical part of the digestive process that's often overlooked. The act of chewing breaks down food into particles small enough for your stomach and intestines to digest and absorb the nutrition from it; so it also helps to prevent indigestion and excess gas.

Have a cup of tea: Sipping herbal & spice teas is a great way to protect your GI tract and immune system from pathogenic bacteria and parasites that may be hanging out in your foods with their anti-microbial essential oils. Many herbs and spices also have a carminative effect (i.e. anti-flatulent properties), which are especially welcome after that big bowl of chili or broccoli topped baked potato with cheese that you had for lunch.

Relax!: Relaxation is a very underestimated component of healthy digestion. Stress has a major impact on our overall health and digestion is no exception, with excess stress causing all types of digestive upsets. So next time you sit down to eat after a stressful day, wait a few minutes or even more until your stomach is no longer in knots and your whole GI tract will thank you.