Digestion plays an essential role in overall health. Even if your diet is impeccable, you won’t get the nutrition you need if your digestion is not working.
Did you know the digestive system is home to your gut microbiome, full of trillions of bacteria and millions of neurons? These deeply influence your overall health and are essential to your immune system.
In today’s video, I share some of the most effective ways I’ve found to address digestion concerns. Even if you think your digestion is okay, you will want to watch this one to increase your energy and deepen your wellness.
While there are many differences in people’s situations and bodies, you can use some key changes and remedies that can make a big difference. Watch the video and read the post to learn more:
Healing your digestion is a huge topic! There are so many ways your digestion could be weak, and there are so many remedies I could offer you here. Today, I’m going to focus on a few helpful herbal medicines and a few really important suggestions to start with. If you want to dive deeper, make sure you check out my online program Calm and Renew. That course goes into much more detail.
Start with the Basics
You might know that digestion begins with saliva. Your saliva triggers your body to prepare to eat. The upper digestion system breaks food down, and the lower part of your digestion absorbs nutrients. So make sure you slow down to eat and chew your food! You could try counting your chews. Aim for 10-20 chews for every spoonful.
It’s also important to remember the quality of the food you eat. Your body thrives on whole, natural foods. Cut out processed foods as much as possible and try to eat organic.
Address food sensitivities by doing an elimination diet. Many people have some food sensitivities, especially gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy. An elimination diet will help you determine which foods are right for you. We cover that in a lot of detail at calmandrenew.com if you’re interested in learning more.
Movement can also help with digestion, so get out walking or do a twisting yoga practice. You could also try this yin yoga sequence for the Spleen and Stomach.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
The health of your digestion relies very heavily on the good bacteria in your digestive tract. Those good bacteria (probiotics) keep bad bacteria in check, support your immune system, decrease inflammation, help break down food, produce essential vitamins, and even contribute to a healthy metabolism.
Support the healthy bacteria in your gut by including traditional fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir, among many others. I also recommend taking a high-quality oral probiotic. Take a round once in a while to give your digestive and immune system helpful information once in a while. Look for a product with various strains, specifically lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. One product you could consider is Ther-Biotic Complete.
You also need to feed good bacteria with prebiotics, which are fibrous foods and complex carbs. Some examples include leeks, asparagus, onions, garlic, and dandelion.
Restore Elimination
If you’re not eliminating, your body is holding on to extra toxicity. You would be amazed at the conditions resolved when constipation is dealt with! If you experience constipation, make sure you’re staying hydrated. Start with at least two full glasses of water first thing in the morning.
Include lots of fibre in your diet in the form of fresh veggies, whole grains, seeds, beans, and legumes. If you find beans and legumes hard to digest, make sure you check out my post on how to digest them easily. You can also increase fibre by taking ground flax or psyllium mixed with water. You may also want to consider bitter herbs.
Reduce Stress and Cut out Unnecessary Medication
In all cases of digestive problems, reducing stress is essential.
You may also want to evaluate your use of NSAIDS (pain relievers like ibuprofen and aspirin). There are many Western studies like this one that show the gut lining can be damaged, and inflammation increases in the digestive system with the use of NSAIDs. If you can (with the guidance of your health provider), try to reduce taking these medications when possible.
Herbal Medicine Support for Digestion
There are so many beautiful plant allies to help with digestion; your choice will depend on what condition you’re trying to address. Today, I chose a few herbs that you can take for overall digestive support.
Marshmallow Root is in a category of herbal medicine called demulcents. It’s a safe herb that soothes any inflamed and damaged tissue and promotes healing. You can take it alone or in a digestive tea blend.
Soothing Digestive Tea Recipe
- Combine 1 teaspoon marshmallow root, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder (or a cinnamon stick), and 1/2 teaspoon fennel.
- Add optional 2-3 cloves and 1/2 inch piece of chopped ginger root
- Add 2 cups of water and bring to boil
- Reduce heat, cover with lid, and simmer for 20 min.
- Remove from heat and let sit at least 1-2 hrs.
- Strain and reheat to drink
Fennel is a common kitchen spice you may have in your cupboards right now! You can use fresh or dried seeds to ease digestive upset, and tea is a simple and easy solution for overeating or indigestion.
Astragalus / Huang Qi is an herb used in Chinese Medicine and Western herbology. It helps tonify digestive Qi while also supporting the immune system. It’s beneficial if there’s weakness and fatigue. It’s a safe herb that can be used long-term to build energy.
Chinese Medicine, Digestion, and the Earth Element
Within Traditional Chinese Medicine, digestion is related to the earth element and nourishment on all levels. Consider what truly nourishes you. Take some time and create routines and deeper practices that give you nourishment.
In Chinese medicine, overthinking can also affect physical digestion and vice versa. In holistic systems, the body and mind are deeply connected, so digestion can mean digestion of thought and experience, not just digestion of food. If you have a lot on your mind, I suggest intentionally processing it. Pull out your journal and spill everything out. Schedule some regular time when you can look over your concerns. Once it’s out, aim not to dwell on worries and overthink situations. When you worry, return to feeling your body and take a few deeper breaths. I know this is not always easy, but aim to create a little practice around it as best you can.
In the Chinese system, the muscles are related to the Spleen and Stomach organs, so consider doing light weight training, too!
Weak Digestion Tips
If you tend towards quite a weak digestion, especially with loose stools, poor appetite and low energy, you’ll most likely need to stick with more cooked foods until your digestive fire improves. In Chinese Medicine this kind of condition would be considered weak Spleen Qi or dampness. In that case, you’ll want to avoid foods that are energetically cold and damp in favour of foods that are more easily digestible. Steam your greens and veggies instead of eating them raw, and stay away from cold smoothies for now.
I hope that gives you some ideas of how to heal and strengthen your digestion. Thank you for reading and watching!
Want to learn more about healing your digestion? Be sure to check out my program Calm and Renew.
