7 Ways to Support Your Gastrointestinal Health Naturally

It is becoming more and more apparent how crucial gastrointestinal health is to overall health and wellness.  First, this is because a portion of your immune system resides in your gut (gut microbiome).  Secondly, it is because the usual American diet is high in carbohydrates and sugars and processed foods.  Thirdly, because we do not get all of the nutrients, we need to properly digest our food and then utilize those nutrients in our body efficiently.  Have no fear, whether you suffer from chronic gastrointestinal issues or just a tummy ache occasionally, the following seven ways to support your gastrointestinal health can be very helpful and you will be feeling better in no time.

1 Improve Your Gut Health

This is the most important.   Every human is a complex internal ecosystem of bacteria that is called the microbiome.  Most of these bacteria live in our gut, about 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells.   Diet plays a huge role in supporting your microbiome’s good bacteria and balancing it.  The way your body extracts nutrients from your diet, stores fat, or body weight can all be affected by your gut health.  Inflammation can lessen the good bacteria in the gut.  Foods that are high in antioxidants may reduce the gut damage caused by oxidative stress.

When your microbiomes are diverse, your GI motility and gut barrier integrity are good too, this is gut microbial diversity. When your gut is full of microorganisms, enzymes, and immune cells it helps to prevent proteins from reaching your gut lining. Digestion needs stomach acid and having enough is important as well as helping to prevent pathogenic infection.

Foods that can help support your gut microbiome include:

• Sauerkraut and Kimchi – Feeds “good” bacteria in your gut, helps reduce inflammation, reduces gas and bloating, and supports immune function.
• Kefir – Has anti-tumor, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory activity,  improves lactose digestion, eases constipation, and restores balance in the gut.
• Raw honey – Helps with indigestion, is a natural prebiotic, and relieve nausea.
• Kombucha – helps with digestion, improves gut bacteria, and has antimicrobial properties.
• Chia seeds – Helps with regularity because it is high in fiber, slows down digestion, and supports gut flora.
• Ginger – Anti-inflammatory and Antiulcer properties, helps with indigestion and constipation and relieves gastric discomfort.
• Papaya – Helps with constipation and supports healthy digestion.
• Beets – Supports regularity and helps prevent constipation and IBS.
• Miso – Supports gut microbiota, supports digestion, and supports immune function in the gut.

2 Clean Eating

The foods here overlap with gut health foods, however, they expand to include many more that benefit digestive function.

Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower are especially good choices. Research has shown that these vegetables may have the ability to increase the number of gut bacteria with myrosinase enzymes.

Spices and herbs

Spices such as turmeric, ginger, fennel, and peppermint reduce inflammation in the gut to aid in digestion

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

By eating foods like fish, eggs, flaxseed, chia seeds, meats from grass-fed animals, and walnuts you can increase the amount of omega-3 in the blood. Omega-3 has been correlated with high levels of a compound called N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) in the gut, which has been shown to reduce oxidative stress in the gut, according to Dr. Menni, “We also found that specific bacteria that have been linked to lower inflammation and lower risk of obesity are increased in people who have a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

Probiotic foods

We have heard a lot about probiotics in the last few years.  There is a reason, these foods fight off bad bacteria and contain good bacteria.  Yogurt, kombucha, kefir, or fermented vegetables are all great sources of probiotics.  You can also try a probiotic supplement if you aren’t keen on these foods.

Dark chocolate and red wine

Drinking red wine in moderation has been shown to have a positive effect on intestinal bacteria because of the polyphenol compounds it contains.  Bacteria in your gut turn cocoa into compounds that can lower the inflammation in your gut.  So when you told yourself your body needs chocolate you weren’t completely wrong, just make sure it is sometimes and it is the dark chocolate.

3 Reduce Bloating

Bloating usually occurs when excess gas production causes your belly to feel swollen and full.  This most often occurs when there are too many solids, liquids, or gasses in your gastrointestinal system.

A few ways to stop or decrease bloating:

• Eat small meals, sometimes too much of a good thing can be bad on your stomach.
• Take a digestive enzyme – these supplements can help break down hard to digest carbohydrates.
• Do you have a food sensitivity?  It is good to check it out if you have frequent gastrointestinal
  issues.
• Load up on fiber and water – this will reduce constipation, which will reduce bloating.

4 What is Food Stagnation?

Do you feel sluggish and heavy all day?  Do you feel like you are in a food coma every time you finish a meal?  This may be caused by food stagnation.  Food stagnation occurs when you have undigested foods in your gastrointestinal system for hours or even days.  The food is stagnant and isn’t digested as quickly as it should.  Food stagnation can be chronic, but it can also occur occasionally and during the holiday feasting is common.  Food stagnation is recognized in both traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.

Herbs that help with food stagnation include:

Curing pills, also known as Kang Ning Wan helps eliminate food stagnation and addresses symptoms such as stomach upset, bloating, gas, and diarrhea

Bao He Wan is an herbal formula designed for “stuck food” that has been traditionally used since the 1400s to help with digestion and food stagnation

In Ayurveda, cardamom, trikatu, turmeric, cloves, and fennel seeds can all help with food stagnation

5 Ugh, Heartburn

The unwelcome painful burning sensation in your chest or throat is a common occurrence after a large holiday meal.  Heartburn is an irritation of the esophagus and is sometimes caused by acid reflux disease – when a muscle in your lower esophagus doesn’t close all the way and allows stomach acid to come into your esophagus.

Natural remedies for heartburn include:

• Aloe juice – soothes the irritation in the esophagus – drink ½ of aloe juice before meals to prevent heartburn.
• Make some lifestyle changes – lose weight, quit smoking, and try to stay away from spicy foods, fatty foods, caffeine, and sodas – all of which contribute to heartburn.
• Take an herbal formula containing both marshmallow root and licorice root – both help with heartburn and reflux.
• Try traditional Chinese medicine – Six Gentleman Teapills, also known as Liu Jun Zi Tang, is used for a range of digestion issues, including heartburn, indigestion, food allergies, celiac disease, and fatigue after meals.

6 Try Traditional Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, if you are having three or fewer bowel movements a week, you are constipated.  This can result in bad breath, body odor, and a lowered immune response.  Constipation can be caused by limited fluid, lack of physical activity, lack of bulk, and many other reasons. For deficient constipation (not enough water) we recommend Plum Flower Peach Kernel Teapills. For excess constipation (not enough bulk) we recommend Ma Zi Ren.

Weak digestion is usually due to a deficiency of qi or yang in the spleen, which is the main organ of digestion in TCM.  Also, weak digestion can be due to dampness caused by the over-consumption of sweets. It is recommended to eat warm food which is the perfect temperature for our digestive system, besides eating in moderation helps avoid food stagnation.  Avoid eating too much-fried food, spicy food, dairy, and alcohol as this will just aggravate digestive function and cause discomfort.

7 Take it Easy During the Holidays

Holiday foods can bring families together and satisfy our once-a-year cravings; however, overindulgence can also cause digestion issues such as bloating, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea.  The good news is natural remedies for digestive relief, can help us to enjoy the celebrations of the season.

Natural ways to help digestion include reducing foods that can cause gas such as beans, cabbage, and broccoli.  Increasing intake of high-fiber foods like berries, prunes, and dried apricots can help avoid bloating. Drinking lots of water can help flush out toxins and aid in digestion.

Some natural herbal remedies include aloe vera juice, peppermint, licorice, slippery elm, chamomile, and fennel seeds. Triphala is an ayurvedic remedy that can be used for diarrhea, constipation, and indigestion.