6 Simple Rules of Proper Digestion

It is a very sad fact that we know more about our computers than our own body. Kids from very early age receive a wide range of information in various areas of our life but get very little, if at all, education about how our body works, what to eat for optimum health, and how to eat.

So, here are 6 simple rules to follow to make sure your digestive tract works properly:

1. Drink water (and other liquids) no later than 10-15 minutes before a meal.

If you drink water right before or during your meal, it will dilute the digestive juices of your stomach and will interfere with proper digestion. If the digestive juice is too weak and diluted, it won't be able to break down food and make nutrients available for absorption.

2. Don't drink anything for at least an hour or two after a meal.

After you've consumed your meal, the food spends 2-3 hours in your stomach and then 4-5 hours in small intestines. Drinking water right after a meal will again dilute gastric juices and interfere with the process of digestion. If you are consuming something very dry of heavy it is okay to make one or two sips of water to help but don't drink an entire glass of water.

3. Chew your food thoroughly.

"Drink your food and chew your beverages" is an old saying that has been largely ignored by modern people. However, this saying is truly a golden rule of good digestion. When we start chewing food, our body begins to produce saliva that contains enzymes necessary for food digestion, so digestion really begins in your mouth, not your stomach. Only food that is well moistened with saliva can be further digested and absorbed in the digestive tract, the rest gets "escorted" out. The high pH balance of saliva also helps to maintain proper alkaline/acid balance of our body.

Ideally, we should chew each mouthful about 30 times. Put the folk or spoon down between each mouthful and swallow your food fully before reaching for another bite. People who rush through their meals and clean up their plates in under a minute, deprive their bodies of valuable nutrition in their food while paving a road for future disorders.

4. Do not eat when you are emotionally disturbed.

Exhaustion, pain, fear, sadness, worry, depression, anger, etc result in our body's inability to produce enough digestive juice and the the normal workings of the digestive tract as slowed down substantially.
Food consumed in such emotional states doesn't get digested and absorbed, it ends up sitting in our digestive tract rotting and spoiling causing us various digestive discomforts.

Do you best to eat only when you are relaxed and in good mood. If you are tired or stressed out, take 15-20 minutes to calm down and rest first before you sit down at a table. If you are feeling ill, it's best to skip a meal and let your body rest and recover. Reaching for food when you are emotionally stressed or physically ill are the worst things you can do for your body.

Avoid eating while watching TV, reading or working because you will not be able to notice when your body sends you "I am full" signal and you will tend to overeat.

5. Do not eat food that is too hot or too cold.

Digestive enzymes are active at our body's normal temperature. If the food your eat is too cold or too hot, it will only begin to be digested when it reaches body's temperature. This is especially the case with cold food - according to traditional Eastern medical philosophy, food must be "burned" in the 'fire" of digestion. Cold foods dampen and weaken the fire of digestion. So even when we eat raw foods, it's best to eat them at room temperature, not right out of a refrigerator.

6. Eat only when hungry.

This one is a biggie. Very few of us really know what "true hunger" means. Having been programmed by "you have to eat 6 small meals a day" or "lunch is at 12 pm" etc. we lost our innate ability to identify true hunger and tend to eat out of habit rather than necessity. Constant snacking added even more harm to injury. We literally work our digestive system into the ground with constant food consumption.

True sense of hunger appears only when previously digested food has gone through the entire process of digestion and absorption. Only when nothing is left and the concentration of nutrients in the blood goes down a bit, our body sends signals that it needs more food. According to Chinese medicine, "don't eat new food while old food is still in the body: they may be non-compatible and will start a flight."

If you follow these simple rules, you will eventually restore your digestive system and begin to enjoy good health again.

© 2008 Radiant on Raw

WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEBSITE?  You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Alina Vladimirova, Raw Food and Lifestyle Coach, publishes "Radiant on Raw" - a free bi-weekly eZine for anyone who is ready to look great, feel amazing, and rediscover passion for living. Interested? Then sign up at www.RadiantonRaw.com".

Comments

[Alison]

SO true! Very informative! I just learned the whole not eating and drinking water, since I've been trying to add more water into my diet! But I thought it was half an hour after you eat, not two, so good to know! Also, I always get a stomach ache if I'm upset or arguing during a meal-now I know why! And raw food slows the digestive fire,that I knew...but not that if you leave it room temp-that is a good way to combat that when you eat a lot of raw foods!! Great article, thanks :)

[Alina Vladimirova]

Thanks, Alison!

Not drinking water for at least an hour after a meal would be a good rule of thumb. Waiting two hours after a heavy meal would be a good idea.

Emotions do effect our digestion, so only sit down to eat when you feel good and happy and positive!