Did you know you can set the body up for optimal digestion simply by timing your meals accordingly?
When and how often we eat can have a tremendous impact on our digestive health. Our bodies naturally produce digestive enzymes in our stomach, small intestine, and pancreas. The pancreas produces the digestive enzymes used to break down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from food so we can benefit from the nutrients and energy the food provides. However, eating too much and too often has depleted the natural source of enzymes produced in the body. Without proper breakdown and assimilation of nutrients, we are left feeling weighed down, exhausted, and malnourished. This is one of the reasons why more and more people are seeking out medical advice for digestive issues that result in symptoms far worse than simply bloat, gas, and constipation.
How can you avoid depleting your body of its precious enzymes? Here are some tips to follow!
Eat within one hour of waking. I often recommend to my clients an easy-to-digest breakfast that includes 30 grams of protein, a healthy fat, and carbohydrate source. A liquid-based breakfast smoothie using a quality protein powder can achieve this quite easily. The 30 grams of protein will set up your metabolic profile for the rest of the day while allowing for more restful sleep at night. It takes less energy to break down a smoothie than eggs and bacon, which means you will feel more energized and alert!
Space meals 5-6 hours apart. Ideally, you create a meal with adequate amounts of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat that will satiate you and stabilize your blood sugar for that amount of time. We want the body to fully digest the food from the previous meal before we add more food to the stomach. This prevents food from putrefying in the stomach causing gas, bloat, and constipation issues. If you are hungry within an hour or two of a meal, you need to look at the composition of your meals and adjust accordingly. However, those recovering from adrenal dysfunction will need to eat every 2-3 hours until they stabilize their blood sugar dysregulation.
Avoid snacking, especially before bedtime. Snacking every couple of hours depletes the body of its natural source of enzymes. The body simply cannot keep up with the demand for constant production. Eventually, the supply will run out, leaving you with digestive distress. This also means you are more likely to experience undigested food on top of more undigested food in the stomach. Also, eat your last meal of the day 2-3 hours before bed so your digestion does not keep you awake at night. The rule of thumb is to eat three square meals each day unless you are an athlete in training, a growing child, or someone struggling with adrenal dysfunction. For those individuals, a snack or two may be essential.
Drink plenty of water, but not during meals. Yep! You read that correctly. Drinking cold fluids with our meals inhibits our digestion. Drinking an 8 oz. cup of warm water or herbal tea such as ginger tea is a better option and will not disrupt digestion. Also, we need to leave room in our stomachs for digestion to occur. If we fill it with water, we are likely to feel bloated by the end of the meal. So, drink your water 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to your meal or 1 hour after your meal. Drink half your body weight in ounces over the course of the day and a little more if you are physically active with increased sweating. In that case, add a little coconut water to your water to replenish electrolytes.
Try implementing these tips this week and see how your digestion improves!