7 Useful Tips To Improve Digestion

Have you been dealing with digestive issues lately?

Or do you simply want to support your digestive health?

Here are 7 useful tips to improve digestion that you surely need to try.

They are easy to put into practice and extremely effective.

Note. This article is based on my own research on tips to improve digestion. 

1. Eat Probiotic Foods

Have you ever heard of probiotics?

Do you know how can they sustain your digestive health?

Well, probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that keep our organisms healthy. [1]

That's why it is important to have enough probiotics in your gut.

How can you get the probiotics that you need?

By eating probiotic foods, of course!

However, before I tell you what foods are best for you let's stick a little bit more to probiotics.

Here are some of their benefits:

• might help you deal with various digestive issues
• increase protein, vitamins, and nutrients absorption
• aid digestion

Just let me give you some examples:

• irritable bowel syndrome
• lactose intolerance
• constipation
• inflammatory bowel disease

Of course, probiotics cannot treat those disorders, but they do relieve some of the symptoms.

So, are you curious to discover what foods contain probiotics?

Here are some of the best ones:

• yogurt 
• kefir
• kombucha
• pickles
• cheese

Yogurt is one of the most well-known probiotic food.

However, not all types of yogurt contain live cultures – only a few ones:

• organic yogurt
• Greek yogurt
• yogurt with added probiotics

Kombucha is a fermented drink that also contains probiotics.

Yet, make sure that you buy it from stores and not make it at home. 

Talking about fermented foods, pickles are also on our list but keep in mind that:

• cucumbers are the best for you
• they need to be fermented without vinegar

I don't have much to say about cheese, another great probiotic food.

Just make sure that you eat it regularly.

This is what I advise you to do with the other probiotic foods too.

Thus, enjoy your meals rich in probiotics and improve your digestive health!

2. Try Mint Tea

Mint tea is one of the most preferred teas, together with green or black tea.

It has a pleasant taste, aroma and many benefits as well.

That's why people drink it so often.

Moreover, it can also help you with your digestive issues.

That's because of its properties:

• can soothe indigestion and calm an upset stomach
• might ease constipation too
• can also help you deal with the symptoms related to irritable bowel syndrome
• sustains your digestion [2]

That's why I'm sure you are so eager to start drinking mint tea.

For this reason, I think it is time to learn how to prepare it.

First of all, let's have a look at the ingredients.

So, all you need is:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 to 2 tablespoons honey (optional)
• lemon wedges (optional)

Now let's have a look at the instructions:

1. Firstly, in a medium saucepan combine the water and mint and bring to a boil.
2. Then, remove the saucepan from the heat and let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
3. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a teapot or container.
4. Lastly, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey (optional).
5. Serve the tea warm and with lemon wedges (optional).

How many cups of tea should you drink per day?

• 1 to 2 cups should be more than enough
• drink it in the morning or every time you need it

What do you think?

Is it hard to drink mint tea every day? I don't think so!

Thus, make sure that you follow my instructions and your digestive system will thank you.

3. Add Fibers To Your Diet

Did you know that eating fiber is beneficial for your digestion?

In fact, fibers are essential for a healthy digestive system.

That's why it is recommended to include them in your daily meals.

However, before I tell you exactly what foods to eat, let's see how fibers can improve your digestion:

• relieve constipation
• boost the probiotic production
• prevent various digestive disorders [3]
• make you feel full

Let's stick to those benefits a little bit more.

Moreover, fibers help you prevent and treat problems like diarrhea or constipation.

Now that you know all those things, it is time to see what foods are best for you:

• beans
• avocados
• broccoli
• whole grains
• apples
• bananas

I might know what you're thinking right now.

How can beans be good for digestion when they make you produce more gas?

Well, in fact, beans are not as bad as you may think.

Also, the following beans are easier digested:

• lentils
• black-eyed peas
• mung beans
• canned beans

Also, I have to mention that you can eat other foods rich in fiber too.

Those that are mentioned here are just a part of them, but are some of the best, of course.

Thus, include them in your diet and you will see how your digestion will improve.

4. Keep Yourself Hydrated

Everybody knows that for a healthy life, you need to drink water.

However, you need to stay hydrated if you also want to improve your digestion.

Here are the benefits of hydration for your digestion:

• helps you break down food 
• is also essential for digesting foods rich in fiber
• prevents constipation

Now you know why hydration is important for your digestive system.

So, let's move on to the next step and discover how you can hydrate yourself.

However, in order to improve your digestion, try also to drink water as follows:

• while you are eating
• after your meal

Is there a certain amount of water that you should drink?

Well, as every person is different the usual recommendation might not apply to everyone.

Is it too much for you? I hope not, because hydration surely is important for your digestion.

Beside drinking water, you can also eat foods that contain a high amount of water:

• cucumbers
• strawberries
• watermelon
• celery
• oranges
• pineapple

Now staying hydrated doesn't seem such a hard thing to do, am I right?

Thus, do you forget to drink water and eat foods containing it and you will see the results.

Your digestive system will stay healthy and you will feel better, I'm sure!

5. Don't Forget About Healthy Fats

What do I mean by healthy fats?

Well, when I say healthy fat, I actually refer to omega-3 fatty acids.

You probably already know that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for your overall health. [4]

However, did you also know that they can improve digestion?:

• are vital for nutrients and vitamins absorption (like vitamins A, D, or K)
• can reduce inflammation
• decrease the risk of developing digestive issues like ulcerative colitis

So, what do you think? Do you want to include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet? 

Here they come:

• fish
• seafood
• seeds
• nuts

Let's take them in order.

It is not brand new information that fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

However, which types of fish are best for you?

Of course, salmon is the star here. Yet, you might also want to try the following:

• tuna
• herring
• sardines
• mackerel

If you are not a fish fan, you might want to eat other types of seafood.

Those are also delicious and rich in healthy fats.

So, they may be what you need for your digestion. 

Just let me give you some examples of seafood good for you:

• oysters
• mussels
• crab

Of course, you can also use them as ingredients for various recipes.

How you eat them is up to you. Just make sure that they are part of your diet.

Which nuts and seeds are best for you? Here are some of them:

• walnuts
• almonds
• chia seeds
• flaxseeds
• hazelnuts

You definitely have a lot of options from which to choose, right?

The only thing that you need to remember is that omega-3 fatty acids are good for you.

So, eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids is the way to go.

6. Avoid Sugar

Easy to say, hard to do, right?

Who doesn't like to eat sweets or drink sugary drinks?

However, have you ever thought that sugar might be harmful to your digestive system?

Yes, this is accurate information!

Let me tell you how excess sugar can negatively impact your digestive system:

• it cannot be broken down and absorbed by the body
• so, it remains in your bowels, where it ferments
• it can also cause a built-up of gas
• this might result in cramps, spasms, and pain

As you can see, sugar and sugary products are not the best ones for you.

Here are some examples:

• stevia
• yacon syrup 
• honey
• maple syrup

Those natural sweeteners are indeed better than artificial ones.

Yet, you need to make sure that you don't exaggerate with those either.

You can always prepare a smoothie or some cookies with those sweeteners, if you still need something sweet.

So, what do you think about those alternatives?:

• dried fruits (dates, dried figs, etc.)
• pears
• red grapes
• blueberries
• peaches
• pineapple

If you try any of them, I'm sure that you won't feel the need to eat sugar anymore.

Moreover, they are so versatile that you can prepare various recipes with them.

If you are craving a sweet juice, you can make one from apples or pears anytime.

Thus, do not forget to avoid sugar and to eat foods that contain natural sweeteners, not artificial ones.

In this way, your digestion will improve and your whole body will be thankful to you.

7. Exercise More Often

Are you fond of exercising?

I hope that your answer is yes – as exercising is good for your digestion.

Is this information accurate? Absolutely.

So, exercising is recommended for many health issues, including digestive ones. 

Yet, you should do exercises even if you are not dealing with such disorders.

That's because exercises can improve your digestion.

How are they doing this? Well, here is the answer:

• firstly, exercising sustains the function of your digestive system
• it also helps you eliminate the toxins from your gut
• it helps you maintain a healthy body weight too

I hope that now you are convinced that exercising is what you need for your digestive health.

Instead, there are a lot of them that are simple and effective:

• walking
• biking
• crunches
• jump rope

Let's take them in order.

Walking is such a relaxing and easy way in which you can exercise.

Moreover, it improves not only your digestive health, but your overall health as well.

Thus, try to take a 20 or 30-minute walk every day.

In this way, you make sure that your digestive system works properly.

Biking is another effective exercise that you can easily do:

• leads to a regulated bowel movement
• boosts the function of your digestive system
• reduce bloating
• helps you get rid of your belly fat

Jump rope can also be beneficial for your digestion, as it has the following advantages:

• improves your gut health
• strengthen your abdominal muscles
• regulates digestion

What do you think? Are those exercises worth trying?

I think that they surely are. You've seen all the advantages that they have, right?

What's more is that they aren't time-consuming and you can easily do them anytime.

So, give them a try and you won't regret it!

My Final Verdict

Are wondering how you can improve your digestion?

Have you noticed that your digestive system needs a boost?

Here are some useful tips to improve digestion that surely work:

• eat probiotic foods
• try mint tea
• add fiber to your diet
• keep yourself hydrated

Make sure that you put into practice as many of those tips as you can.

Only in this way will you make sure that your digestion improves.

So what are you waiting for?

Give your digestive health a boost and you will feel more comfortable in your own body!

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-20208051/

2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-16767798/

3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-33208922/

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-29215589/