Ways to Improve Digestion After a Big Meal

We’ve all been there: we can’t get enough of a comforting dish or indulgent appetizer, and suddenly, that overly full feeling hits. Be it shoveling leftover short ribs while doing dishes or licking the brownie dough bowl clean, it’s easy to go from blissfully satiated to bursting at the seams. Although many of us tend to eat mindlessly and hurriedly, learning how to digest food faster can help improve digestion and prevent discomfort after a big meal.

1. Speak Kindly to Prevent Food Guilt: Instead of feeling guilty or shaming yourself for overeating, try changing your inner dialogue to be more compassionate and understanding. Recognize that you allowed yourself to enjoy the food, but you are now feeling overly full.
2. Focus on Gut Health: Gut health plays a crucial role in digestion. Having a balanced gut with enough good bacteria not only aids in digestion but also supports overall health and wellbeing. You can enhance your gut health naturally through diet, supplements, and a healthy lifestyle.
3. Identify Bloating Triggers: Bloating can be caused by the accumulation of air or gas in the GI tract. Certain foods, carbonated drinks, food intolerances, and eating too quickly can contribute to bloating. Pay attention to your body and identify which factors trigger bloating in order to make more conscious decisions about your eating habits.
4. Recognize Signs of Underlying Gut Issues: Symptoms such as chronic digestive issues (constipation, bloating, and acid reflux), unexplained weight changes, constant fatigue, and skin conditions may indicate an underlying gut issue. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider.
5. Engage in Post-Meal Movement: Going for a walk after a meal can help balance blood sugar levels and stimulate the movement of food through the digestive system. Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce gut transit time, leading to faster digestion.
6. Try Natural Remedies: Peppermint, herbal teas (such as peppermint, dandelion root, chamomile, licorice root, and pu-erh), apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, and sleeping on your left side are all natural remedies that can aid digestion and provide relief from post-meal discomfort.

By practicing mindful eating, focusing on gut health, and incorporating these tips into your routine, you can improve digestion and prevent discomfort after enjoying a big meal.

Source: Beat the Bloat: How to Boost Digestion When You Overeat