When you chew your food thoroughly, your stomach has to do less work to turn the solid food into the liquid mixture that enters your small intestine. Chewing produces saliva, and the longer you chew, the more saliva is made. Saliva helps start the digestive process in your mouth by breaking down some of the carbs and fats in your meal.

In your stomach, saliva acts as a fluid, which is mixed with the solid food so that it smoothly passes into your intestines. Chewing your food thoroughly ensures that you have plenty of saliva for digestion.

This may help prevent symptoms such as indigestion and heartburn. Chewing food thoroughly breaks it down so that it can be digested more easily. The act also produces saliva, which is needed for proper mixing of food in your stomach. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to improve your digestion.

Exercise and gravity help food travel through your digestive system. Therefore, taking a walk after a meal may assist your body in moving things along. Research suggests that short periods of low to moderate exercise may speed up your digestion, while longer and more intense exercise may slow things down In one review, gentle exercises such as Qigong, walking and physical movement significantly improved constipation symptoms Additionally, studies suggest that exercise may reduce symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases due to anti-inflammatory effects, such as decreasing inflammatory compounds in your body 35 , Exercise may improve your digestion and reduce symptoms of constipation.

It can also help reduce inflammation, which may be beneficial in preventing inflammatory bowel conditions.

Additionally, eating at a moderate-to-fast pace is associated with higher levels of indigestion, which can cause symptoms such as pain, bloating, nausea, and gas Not paying attention to your hunger and fullness cues can negatively impact digestion.

Certain habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and eating late at night are associated with negative effects for your overall health. Smoking is a risk factor for the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD Furthermore, studies have shown that quitting smoking improves acid reflux symptoms Smoking has also been associated with stomach ulcers, increased surgeries in people with ulcerative colitis and gastrointestinal cancers 41 , Alcohol can increase acid production in your stomach and may lead to heartburn, acid reflux and stomach ulcers.

Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract Alcohol has also been associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, increased gut permeability, and harmful changes in gut bacteria Eating late at night and then lying down to sleep can lead to heartburn and indigestion.

Your body needs time to digest, and gravity helps keep the food you eat moving in the right direction. Additionally, when you lie down, the contents of your stomach may rise up and cause heartburn.

Lying down after eating is strongly associated with an increase in reflux symptoms If you experience digestive issues at bedtime, try waiting three to four hours after eating before going to bed, to give the food time to move from your stomach to your small intestine.

Habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and eating late at night can contribute to digestive issues. To improve digestion, consider changing these lifestyle factors. These healthy bacteria assist in digestion by breaking down indigestible fibers that can otherwise cause gas and bloating.

Studies have shown that probiotics may improve symptoms of bloating, gas and pain in people with IBS Probiotics are found in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and miso, as well as yogurts that have live and active cultures.

While research is ongoing, studies suggest that certain types of probiotic supplements may improve IBS symptoms. For example, one meta-analysis found that three types of beneficial bacteria found in supplements — Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, and Lactobacillus acidophilus — were associated with reduced IBS pain Glutamine is an amino acid that supports gut health.

Some studies suggest that glutamine supplementation may reduce intestinal permeability and inflammation, though more research is needed You can increase your glutamine levels by eating foods such as beef, eggs and tofu Zinc is a mineral that is critical for a healthy gut, and a deficiency can lead to various gastrointestinal disorders Supplementing with zinc has been shown to be beneficial in treating diarrhea, colitis, increased gut permeability, and other digestive issues Foods high in zinc include meat, fish, seafood, fortified cereals, and pumpkin seeds Certain nutrients are necessary for a healthy digestive tract.

Ensuring that your body gets enough probiotics, glutamine and zinc may improve your digestion. Simple diet and lifestyle changes may help improve your digestion if you experience occasional, frequent or long-term digestive symptoms. Eating a whole-foods diet high in fiber, healthy fat and nutrients is the first step toward good digestion.

Finally, changing habits that may affect your digestion — such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and late-night eating — may help relieve symptoms as well. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. VIEW ALL HISTORY.

Laxatives can help relieve constipation and promote regular bowel movements. Learn more about natural laxatives. Fermented foods and drinks contain beneficial probiotics that can help improve digestion, immunity, and even weight loss. Here are 8 tasty, nutritious….

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Eating more slowly can help you feel full and lose weight, while enjoying your meals more. It also has several other benefits. Fiber is indigestible material found in foods.

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Nutrition Evidence Based The 11 Best Ways to Improve Your Digestion Naturally. Medically reviewed by Alissa Palladino, MS, RDN, LD, CPT , Nutrition , Personal Training — By Melissa Groves — Updated on March 13, Eat whole foods. Share on Pinterest Photography by Aya Brackett.

Get plenty of fiber. Add healthy fats to your diet. Stay hydrated. Manage your stress. Eat mindfully. Chew your food. Beans and pulses, seeds and nuts are also good sources of fibre and can help increase the amount, as well as the variety, of fibre we consume. The recommendation is to eat 30 grams of fibre a day but most people only eat an average of 18 grams a day.

It is advisable to increase the amount of fibre consumed gradually and to drink plenty of fluids. There are different types of fibre and each type behaves differently in your gut. Some types of fibre help make your stool bigger and easier to pass, which might help avoid constipation.

Other types of fibre are digested broken down by your gut bacteria, producing substances that can be beneficial to your gut health. They might also produce gases, which can cause bloating. People respond differently to different types of fibre and it is worth noting that many foods contain more than one type of fibre.

High-fibre foods are also beneficial because they have a lower glycaemic index. Glycaemic index is a measure of the rate at which certain foods cause blood sugar to rise after they have been eaten.

High glycaemic index food such as sweets and white refined starchy foods release a lot of sugar quickly, which your body has to use up or else it gets stored as fat. A certain amount of protein is needed and can be obtained from many different sources including beans, pulses, fish, eggs and meat.

Protein should be eaten in moderation. To avoid excess fat choose lean meat or remove excess fat and remove the skin from chicken.

Milk and dairy foods are a rich source of calcium. Calcium is needed for healthy bones and teeth and it is recommended to have three servings a day from this food group. Only a small proportion of foods should be made up of fatty and sugary foods. To maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, in addition to eating the correct foods, it is also important to be aware of other factors.

These include:. A balanced vegetarian diet can be very healthy, particularly if adequate amounts of food such as beans, lentils, pulses, cheese and eggs are included to provide the necessary protein. But following a very restrictive diet can lead to nutrient deficiencies so if you choose to follow a strict diet which excludes all animal products, it may be advisable to take vitamin supplements to avoid vitamin deficiencies.

It may also be worth consulting a dietitian refer to the end of this leaflet for an explanation of the differences between a dietitian and a nutritionist. However as with all extreme diets you have to be very careful that you do not reduce or remove essential food groups as this can lead to malnutrition and health problems in the long term.

In general, following a diet found on the internet, or a diet without any evidence to back up its claims, should be avoided. For most people, following a well-balanced diet and lifestyle as outlined above is more than enough to ensure good ongoing health. A healthy balanced diet contains all the vitamins you need.

On the whole, doctors agree that taking supplements of extra vitamins have no value to your health for the overwhelming majority of us in the Western world. Do not be misled by advertisements about vitamin supplements that suggest that you will, in some way or another, feel better for taking these products; it is better to consume these minerals and vitamins in food rather than tablet form, unless you have been advised otherwise by your doctor.

Food monitoring can be a useful way to keep track of what and how much you are eating. It can be useful to keep a food diary and at the end of the day record what you have eaten, including and snacks and drinks. It can help people to identify parts of their diets that could be improved or changed to help them achieve a healthier diet, healthier lifestyle and weight loss or weight gain if needed.

Food and symptom monitoring can also be useful if you are suffering from digestion or gut issues to help identify possible trigger foods. If you are concerned about any gut symptoms you should seek advice from a specialist dietitian or your GP.

Stress is a normal response from your body to help you handle difficult situations or threats. Temporary stress is not usually a problem but being constantly stressed can lead to stress-related symptoms and affect your health, including the health of your digestive system. Stress can also have an impact on your diet, by making you miss meals or consume unhealthy foods.

The gut and the brain are closely linked and can affect one another. Persevering with a balanced healthy diet during stressful times might help alleviate some of the symptoms of stress. It is worth exploring ways to manage stress and there are a number of approaches and techniques described online and in books.

A starting point could be the NHS Choices website, which has a section on recognising and managing stress. HOW IMPORTANT IS FOOD HYGIENE? Poor hygiene can certainly increase your chance of getting food poisoning. Food poisoning is usually a short-lived illness but it can be very unpleasant while it lasts.

Always wash your hands after visiting the toilet and before handling food. Care should be taken with storage of food, particularly in hot weather. Certain foods, especially raw meat, must be kept covered, separated from other foods and well refrigerated. While some of these are used to specify when the food will be at its best, it can be risky to eat meat after the stated date.

When re-heating food, make sure it is hot all the way through e. This is particularly important when using a microwave oven or a barbecue. All of us have short-lived gut problems from time to time. For the most part this settles down by itself and should give no cause for concern. However you should see your GP about:.

All these are especially true if you have a family history of significant gut illness. You should also see your GP if you have been taking a remedy obtain from a pharmacy for more than 2 weeks without experiencing any improvement to your symptoms.

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Healthy Eating and the Digestive System Download printable version. Overview 2. Digestive System 3. Healthy Eating 4. Food Hygiene 5. This information leaflet is about healthy eating To maintain good health, including a healthy digestive system, it is important to follow a balanced healthy diet that includes a range of foods.

Digestive System. The digestive system The Digestive System runs from the mouth to the anus and includes the stomach, the large and small intestines and a number of accessory organs, including the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder and pancreas. There are many different processes which contribute to a functioning and effective digestive system: Ingestion putting food in your mouth Mechanical digestion chewing and food being churned inside the digestive tract Chemical digestion digestive enzymes and substances breaking food down Absorption molecules passing from digestive system into the body Making and passing stools faeces Key components of the digestive system Mouth: the beginning of the digestive tract.

The components of the digestive system. Healthy Eating. Why is healthy eating important? What is a healthy diet? These include: Maintaining a fluid intake at around two litres per day.