Gastrointestinal discomfort, or tummy trouble, is one of the most common health conditions I encounter in my nutrition practice.
Some of the more familiar symptoms include: bloating; cramping; heartburn; gas; constipation and/or diarrhea. The associated discomfort levels can range from mild to debilitating and the causes, consequences and potential cures, are equally diverse.
What I want to talk about today are some of the founding principles and practices we can put in place to help lay the groundwork for gastrointestinal health.
These strategies are not meant to be mutually exclusive but rather work together to inform the overall picture of health. Often with digestion, our bodies will accommodate a certain amount of flux (and tolerate a certain amount of abuse) before things start to come undone. As things deteriorate, we are often visited by clear — and sometimes loud — signs of trouble.
The founding principles are just that — the basis upon which healthy digestive habits are formed. At first blush they may seem simple but, like all things, the trick is to practice them. The results don’t come instantaneously or from a single act of intensity. Rather, they are achieved through regular practice over time.
1. Slow Down & Change the Focus — our digestive system does not like to be rushed, which is very different from the way most of us live our lives. By slowing down we help calm our nervous system and support proper chewing, the first critical step in the digestive process.
Trying to imagine mealtime in more ritualistic, even celebratory terms ~ as it was once practiced ~ can be very helpful for transforming our approach. I don’t mean making things complicated or fancy, quite the opposite, I just mean shifting our mind so that we pay attention. Setting aside, even momentarily, the usual distractions and focusing instead on the smell, taste, textures and nourishing properties of the food we are about to eat. We might even imagine how our food serves us by providing energy, growth, repair and rejuvenation and how fortunate we are to receive it. It’s hard to imagine this kind of singular, uncorrupted focus – I know. But if we can manage it, even intermittently, we begin to see how the act of shifting our attention to our food allows us to slow down naturally. Other simple elements such as candles, field flowers and pretty cloth napkins can also enhance the dining experience by transporting us out of our electronic fields and bringing our focus back to the joy and celebration of eating.
2. Chew, Chew, Chew — digestion begins in the mouth ~ it is initiated and facilitated through the act of proper mechanical chewing. As we chew our food, digestive juices from our saliva further assist in the process of breaking down our food. The more thoroughly chewed our food is, the more exposed surfaces there are for enzymes to work on as our food moves through the intestinal tract.
It has been said that many intestinal conditions could be significantly improved if people chewed their food
Proper chewing is made difficult by the fact that we are not always aware of how quickly we are eating our food. Shifting our focus will help with this but in the initial stages, when our minds are more prone to wander, the following strategies can be very helpful for slowing down and promoting proper chewing:
- the fork rest — simply put your fork down between bites and wait until your food is properly chewed and swallowed before picking it up again. You might be amazed to discover how this small step will make you aware of just how quickly you eat your food (you may also find it rather annoying which is also informative);
- chopsticks — I encourage the use of chopsticks wherever and whenever possible; they are a natural speed and quantify tamer and a great way to promote proper chewing and digestion.
3. Identify your Tummy Triggers — certain foods can promote inflammation in the body and intensify tummy trouble. Cleaning up the diet is a very helpful, often essential, step in improving gastrointestinal comfort (not to mention systemic health). Triggers (and symptoms) will be different for each of us and keeping a food journal is a very helpful tool in pinpointing individual trouble spots. With this in mind, some principles:
whole foods — often the simplest and most important step we can take towards promoting an anti-inflammatory diet is to increase our intake of whole foods and decrease our intake of manufactured foods. By whole foods, I simply mean food that looks the way it did when it was growing in nature – on trees, in our gardens and on the farm. These foods deliver the greatest concentration of nutrients for our bodies (vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants and phytochemicals) as well as enzymes which help break down our food and facilitate digestion.
manufactured foods — manufactured foods (processed/refined foods and fast foods) by contrast, contain a disproportionate amount of sugar, sodium and unnatural fats relative to whole foods which can bog down digestion and undermine systemic health. These same foods also tend to contain a host of artificial preservatives, colorants, flavor enhancers as well as binders, emulsifiers and/or other ‘gums’ which can further act as triggers in a host of different ways (digestion/migraine/mood) depending on individual susceptibility.
the sugar load — excess sugar can put our immune systems on alert and increase levels of pro-inflammatory messengers (cytokines) in the body. Sugar is abundant in processed foods and often hidden in “low-fat” and “no-fat” dressings and sauces. Keep in mind that although honey and pure maple syrup may be less refined sources of sugar than white sugar (and carry tiny amounts more of trace minerals/vits), they are still very much sugars and operate like sugars in the body. I happen to enjoy their taste but nutritionally there is very little difference between them so the focus should really be on the overall load/quantity used.
4. Be aware of the role of Stress – this is possibly one of the most important and least appreciated keys to digestive vitality. Proper digestion depends on the engagement of the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” branch of our nervous system). During times of stress, it is our sympathetic nervous system (the “fight or flight” response) that takes over and digestion begins to shut down.
Stress is one of our body’s most powerful, adaptive responses. It triggers the release of hormones including adrenaline and cortisol which prepare us for fight or flight. When this happens, certain body systems become more acute or higher functioning (blood pressure, visual acuity, mobility reflexes) while others, deemed not essential or unsafe, begin to shut down. When there’s a saber-toothed tiger on the scene, the stress response makes a great deal of sense and may well save our life. The difficulty is when we start seeing saber-toothed tigers on every corner (in our home, at the office, in our cars, etc) — we begin to live in situations of chronic stress where we are continuously triggering the stress response in our bodies and preventing the rest and digest branch from doing its job. The last thing that is safe for us to do when preparing for fight or flight is to spread a picnic blanket and enjoy a relaxing meal.
Whether our saber-toothed tigers are real or imagined, they have the same effect on our bodies
5. Engage the Relaxation Response — once we become aware of the link between stress and digestion, the next step is to engage the rest and digest branch of our nervous system. There are many effective ways to promote this response and each of us will have our preferences. Experimenting with different modalities is often the key. I touched on many relaxation techniques in this feature, but the one I want to highlight today is breathing.
Breathing techniques have been an integral part of wellness practices throughout Asia for centuries. Lauded for their ability to calm the nervous system, lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve sleep, digestion and mental clarity, breathing exercises do not require any special equipment or membership and you can practice them anywhere — while you’re stuck in traffic, standing in line at the grocery store, waiting for takeoff or trying to fall back to sleep in the comfort of your bed.
The idea with breathing exercises is that when practiced regularly, we start to feel the benefits not only during the directed breathing itself (voluntary nervous system) but also eventually in our day-to-day actions and reactions to things (involuntary nervous system) – and that is the true gift. Here are two methods for consideration:
◊ Diaphragmatic/ Belly Breathing — most of us are chest breathers (thoracic breathers) particularly when we are stressed, anxious or upset, we tend to take short, shallow breaths without fully engaging our diaphragm (the muscle beneath our ribcage). Breathing with a fully expanded tummy allows us to benefit from deeper, fuller breaths, while calming our nervous system as we go along. Herbert Benson (Harvard physician) describes the belly breathing method in his book The Relaxation Response, as follows:
- Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose allowing your belly to fully expand (like a pregnant tummy) – exaggerate this motion to get the idea – hold the position for a count of 3 seconds (eventually moving up to 5)
- Exhale gently through your nose or pursed lips if preferred – the diaphragm will relax as the tummy moves back to its resting position
- There is little or no upper chest movement – place one hand on your chest and one hand over your belly. You should feel your belly hand extending and your chest hand staying relatively still
- Practice 10 series of breaths (inhale/exhale) and if you find your mind wandering, gently but firmly return your focus to the breath, counting as you go along
◊ 4-7-8 Breathing — the 4-7-8 breathing method is another technique (likely originating from India) that has been adopted in the West. One of my favorite interpreters is Andrew Weil (American pioneer of Integrative Medicine and graduate of Harvard Medical School). I first came across the 4-7-8 breathing method back in 2011 when I was preparing a research piece on digestion and relaxation. I will describe the method verbally but for a more helpful visual demonstration, you can view the video link below.
- Place the tip of your tongue gently and loosely against the ridge behind your front teeth; keep it there throughout the exercise
- Exhale through your mouth, making a whooshing sound.
- Then, with mouth closed, inhale deeply and quietly through your nose for a count of 4
- Hold for a count of 7, and exhale audibly through your mouth for a count of 8.
- Repeat the exercise for a total of 4 breath cycles twice a day. After a month, if you’re comfortable with it, increase to 8 breaths each time.
Here is a clip of Andrew Weil’s demonstration (there are fancier versions that have been recreated but this one remains my favorite in terms of background and technique – if it doesn’t work in your geographic area simply google 4-7-8 + Weil for a video demo that does): The-4-7-8-Breath-Benefits-and-Demonstration.
——-
Rule out Medical Causes — if you are living with chronic and persistent gastrointestinal discomfort, be sure to follow-up with your trusted health care practitioner to investigate any underlying medical causes for your symptoms.
The information in this post is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician or other health care professional directly before beginning or changing a course of health treatment.
All of your points make perfect sense, but #4 really jumped out at me because I can personally relate. Last year, quite suddenly, I developed a painful twinge/cramp on the left side of my stomach that would hit me several times a day. Several months and several doctor appointments later, my wedding happened – and the pain went away. All of the stress of wedding planning must have been building up inside of me. I still get little flare ups, and when I reflect on why, it does seem to always tie back to stress. Now I just have to find a way to manage it – yoga definitely helps, when I have the time.
Anyways – thank you for posting all of this helpful information. I think it’s a much more common issue than we think, so it’s great that you have broached the subject!
thank you so much for your thoughtful comment and for sharing a little bit about your personal experience Julia — this is so helpful to readers. You’re right about reflecting, it helps us manage things so much better as they arise. We learn as we go, don’t we. Wishing you all the best in the next big stage of your lives… such an exciting move! xx
This post is so in-depth and helpful– thank you for these awesome tips!! I am familiar with the 4-7-8 breathing technique but often use it just before bed, I never really thought to use it before eating, to become present in the moment and prepare to rest/digest. I’m definitely going to try the fork rest method, too- I can see how such a simple step could have a significant impact!
yes, those simple steps can really make a difference — help us slow down and also point out to us just how fast we otherwise go! (kind of like sounding an alarm for me) – thank you, as always, for your feedback KoKo — always nice to see you here. Have a beautiful weekend.
LOTS of great information my dear! I’ve now read it 3 times, so I’m ready to comment. :) Resting the fork between bites really, really works! Now if I could just get Bobby to do it because he has finished his second serving before I’ve finished my first. :) A few months ago we did changed the way we eat supper. We now sit at the table and talk rather than eat in front of the TV. It’s helped him to slow down some, but I still need to remind him every once in a while.
I did not know about the relationship between sugars and cytokine production. Very helpful info! I have cut back on white sugar and products with sugar, but I’m a honey and maple syrup addict. I use honey in tea everyday and I drink at least 3 cups of tea a day. Need to try cutting back a bit on that (the honey, not the tea). Thanks!
Thanks for the breathing exercises. When I was working out at the gym, I was a belly breather, but that’s changes over the years. I need to start practicing the techniques you suggest because I’ve become a very shallow breather. I know they will help me tremendously in many ways!
Thanks for taking the time to put this article together. It hit a homerun with me!
But really, I’m lots of fun in person! LOL. These features do tend to be a little on the pedantic side … :p . On the other hand, I hadn’t posted in 2 weeks prior to this epic baby, so I had lots inside me :) your tea ritual sounds divine and there’s nothing wrong with a drizzle of honey in those cups — for me it’s more about avoiding the big load items. Processed foods tend to be rather cloying but also, when I look at a typical recipe for muffins, loaves, etc. I often see 1, 2 and 3 cups of sugar in the mix — that’s a pretty easy fix and the kind I tend to focus on. Glad you enjoyed this feature MJ and thank you for your detailed feedback.
Well of course you are FUN in person as well as online!!!! There is no doubt about that! :) I love all of your posts! Totally understand the pedantic style at times…I’m the same way. And having been an educator for over 35 years (Oh, I’m SO old!), yes I do get a little wordy. It hard to know when to stop. :) It’s funny that you used the term “tea ritual”. That’s what Bobby always says as he watches me make my morning tea. I tell him it’s a zen thing. :)
I loved this article. So much more than just a blog post. :) Chewing my food is so simple and yet a constant struggle for me! The role of stress is worth remembering, too.
thank you so much Meggan! What a delight to see you here and read your note. I appreciate you stopping by – have a beautiful day.
I used to be a slow eater, then I married and my hubby (bless him) inhales his food, so unless I want to sit eating while he looks at me, I started eating quickly too. My dear uncle used to chew his food 32 times (at least, that’s the number he said we should be chewing) but I find it awful and can barely get half! Putting the fork down is a great trick, as are the chopsticks, thanks for passing along those tips.
It’s funny, I was just thinking about breathing, I tend to hold my breath when I’m stressed, it’s a terrible habit. I shall review that video you posted and try to be more conscious about my breathing.
such a good point about how we are influenced by those we live with… I’m constantly reminding myself of this surrounded by 3 men who have the capacity/need to eat much higher volumes of food than me. I’m not a growing teenager anymore though my appetite continues to be rather alive :p — yes, the breath… the other area that always gets me is my left shoulder; a telltale sign to adjust.
Well, one thing I know for sure is that when I sit down to read one of your nutrition features, I always learn something new and valuable. Your talent and intellect pulsate with everything you do Kelly. My favorite line? ‘our bodies will accommodate a certain amount of flux and tolerate a certain amount of abuse before things come undone’… so true; we have to pay attention and respect our bodies. By the way, beautiful image. It’s exactly the kind of thing I would love to look at while eating; and yes, I imagine it would help snap me out of screen mode :). Thank you for this excellent post.
what a lovely note Madelaine — my heart is all-a-flutter! So kind of you to stop by with these encouraging words; I’m very pleased to hear that you enjoy the nutrition features. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. Have a beautiful Sunday.
All that spot on advice that I need to follow more closely. Love the reference to saber-toothed tigers. I think if we looked at stress as something more tangible, it might be easier to realize the effect that it has on us. Stress is a big one for me! #4 and #5 are my homework ;) Really great article Kelly!!! Spot on!!! XXX
thank you Sandra! what a good point about viewing stress as something more concrete rather than the nebulous/ harmless. Yes, #4 & 5, I’m with you … :) xx.
Thanks for the great post! Will definitely try the breathing exercises.
I usually eat slowly..but there are always those days when it’s extra stressful at work…and next thing I know is my stomach is in pain because I ate too much and too fast not paying attention.
ah, yes, that happens to me too Lana… I drift off and catch myself and then try to repair — we are human… all works in progress. The important thing is to keep moving forward with our practice :). Thank you so much for dropping by; have a beautiful (and relaxing) Sunday.
I practice the 4-7-8 breathing. It works! A few years ago (as you may remember) I used it daily and religiously. I find I use it less now, but certainly still a few times a week, and it’s changed the way I breathe overall. These are great tips Kelly! I really enjoyed reading this and will try and implement several of these ideas. :) Mindfulness in all things – the wonders it does for us. Hope you and the family are well and ready for summer! Looking forward to seeing some of the beautiful produce from your garden. Xo
do you know the most amazing discovery about the 4-7-8 breathing method for me Kristy is that you cannot do it (not even one breath) while simultaneously being anxious/stressed — the very act of performing this particular exercise requires you to come to a certain state of calmness which is both very challenging but also highly rewarding once you get there. Have a beautiful Sunday and thank you for your thoughtful share.
Well, you pretty much touched on a lot of my potential issues here: rushing around, stress, etc. thanks for some sage advice, Kelly.
thank you for dropping by Debra – have a beautiful Sunday.
Excellent fascinating post, Kelly. I am impressed by the load of work I imagine you have put into it… I was going to write about chopsticks for readers who are not used to them, but you mentioned them of course! The problem is of course when, at a certain point one starts mastering chopsticks just like a fork ;-) (Wait, then I’d advise Korean metal chopsticks ;-) They are really difficult to handle…).
You have mentioned a very important point: observing our body. This is how I realised I couldn’t drink coffee with cow milk many years ago (stopped my regular stomach aches) and this is how I have realised I cannot eat too much of the usually advised as healthy wholemeal stuff (brown rice, wholemeal bread, oats…); I can only have some of these and not every day. (Which doesn’t stop me from enjoying ANZAC biscuits from time to time ;-) For these I can suffer even a lot!).
The breathing sounds really magical. I had no idea one can improve digestion with a breathing method! One lives and learns (especially on your blog!).
Sissi, thank you for your note. I was just lamenting to my husband this morning that I think I overdid it on this post; too much information, too dense, too much work for readers…. (in short, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself ;-) anyway, your note reminds me of why I do this work. I’ve always been a seeker of information and more often than not, frustrated by the lack of it and by the recycling of fluff. At the end of the day, I think our blogs reflect who we are and what we seek — so, even if it appeals to a smaller audience, I continue to try and provide the kind of information I would want to receive and hope that it resonates with a few.
Korean metal chopsticks? yes!! So glad you mentioned them — while I will admit that I am not nearly as adept with conventional chopsticks as I am with a fork, I do foresee the day when this may become necessary. Our boys are also getting quite good at the art of chopstickery (!) so they too would enjoy the challenge :). Thank you my friend.
So much to take in and learn here, Kelly. I appreciate the slowing down approach to eating.. use chopsticks – hehe.. I’m not sure I’d be able to finish a meal at one setting if I went there. But a good strategy, indeed. Our modern lifestyles are so rushed; when I was teaching, we had 25 minutes for lunch, hardly enough time to sit and breathe, let alone eat mindfully. I’m so grateful I have more time now. Thank you for bringing attention to digestion, for helping me understand the importance of mindful eating and recommending the 4-7-8 technique. I’m already feeling better!
Hah, yes, the chopsticks are powerfully effective! I know precisely what you mean about the rushed lunch hour… I felt the same way for my boys when they had to rush through lunch at school — barely enough time to consume at full tilt never mind practicing the habit of calmness (!) – happily, things have improved on that front with the adoption of nutritional breaks in many schools. Time is a precious luxury, isn’t it Traci — enjoy my friend. I love seeing what you create with your joy and passion.
I am going to practice that 4-7-8 breathing! Thanks, Kelly, for all the helpful tips.
cheers Angie, enjoy.
I agree, digestion is huge and it’s not an easy topic to tackle either because it can be so complex with allergies and bowel diseases; I think you did a really good job highlighting the principles and bringing us back to the fundamentals including the celebration and appreciation of food – remembering to focus on its unique properties and be grateful for it; beautiful. Thank you.
it’s funny the things that add to our joy and elevate an otherwise routine meal. Even the act of cleaning the kitchen — I spent some extra time putting things away and organizing a bit in the kitchen yesterday afternoon and it felt so good to tame the clutter and be surrounded by order and sparkle :) it can really impact our mood.
I think I’m one who would benefit greatly from the fork rest :) It’s so true what you say about putting these tips into practice. It’s a bit like exercise, we may know about the benefits but if we’re not actually doing it, how can we expect things to change.. I’ve been wanting to look into breathing techniques for a while, I’m happy to have the references. Will look into the book too. Thank you for another excellent feature. So clear and well written too.
it’s amazing to think that the book, The Relaxation Response, was first written in 1975 — talk about groundbreaking. Yet the advice remains as applicable today as it was back then; we still have so much to learn (and practice to do) in the area of quieting our minds. Cheers Rose, thanks for stopping by.
Brilliant!! I love how you build from the bottom up in this feature Kelly while providing so much useful information. I was especially taken by the link between stress and digestive health and how some systems ramp-up while others shut-down. It makes so much sense but we don’t often think of it that way or realize how it might impact us. It makes me wonder about other body systems that get downregulated when we are operating on high alarm (fertility?). “Whether our saber-toothed tigers are real or imagined they have the same effect on our bodies” — loved that.
I’m glad you enjoyed the feature Elizabeth. Stress affects virtually every body system in one direction or another — the good news is that if we can get our minds working in our favor, the potential is equally limitless :).
Thanks for the helpful tips Kelly. A great topic for all.
I hope you have a nice day Lynn!