If you want to stimulate your digestion, you have to pay attention to your intestinal health. Here you can read how to get your stomach and intestines going again.
Because even if it looks like it at first glance - our digestive system is anything but just a long corridor with tubes through which the food travels.
It is a sophisticated interplay of various organs and processes. They ensure that we absorb nutrients from food and water. And ensure that these nutrients are transported to where we need them.
Our body works around the clock to provide us with energy from food. In addition, our digestion is busy with the disposal of the remains.
All in all, a perfectly functioning system, if it weren't for the big BUT.
Table of contents
Why does the intestine become sluggish?
The most common reason for a sluggish bowel is unhealthy eating habits. Ingredients in food - especially fast food - or medications can throw our bowels out of balance. Sometimes a single visit to a restaurant is enough to put digestion on hold.
Our eating habits have changed drastically over the past 100 years. While it was still normal for our grandparents to eat seasonally, things are very different today.
Strawberries, asparagus, iceberg lettuce and the like are available all year round. Sounds delicious at first. But to make that possible, a lot of chemicals end up in the food. And ultimately in our stomachs.
In addition, we no longer have to move around as much. We spend a large part of the day sitting in the office. And we simply get our food from the supermarket. Many foods are highly industrially processed. The ingredients are anything but natural.
Stress is also repeatedly mentioned as a probable cause of digestive disorders.
More and more people suffer from allergies, food intolerances and stress. All this favors problems with digestion.
In summary: an unhealthy lifestyle!
And there you have it. The intestine becomes sluggish. We have to use the Stimulate digestion!
Stimulate digestion - what's the point?
If the intestines are sluggish, we are plagued by listlessness and a constant feeling of fullness.
You know this, for example, in the form of fatigue after eating. This is because our body needs a lot of energy to digest the food. If the intestinal flora is not in the clear, it needs much more energy from it.
Our gastrointestinal tract is in constant exchange with all organs. Especially with the brain.
All the signals that the stomach and intestines send to the head have a great influence on our well-being. And also on the immune system.
So being able to stimulate digestion brings great benefits to our entire body.
With adapted dietary habits and Movement we can use the Stimulate digestion and get going.
Tip: The book "Bowel with charm is just great! Be sure to read through it. You can order it at Amazon.
What gets the digestion going again?
Our diet plays a very big role in bringing digestion back into balance. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits. It contains fiber, which stimulates digestion. As a real insider tip are considered ground Flaxseed*psyllium and wheat bran.
Drink lots of water, because your sluggish intestines can use it especially well now to get going.
A healthy digestion consists of four basic pillars:
- Eat right
- drink enough
- a lot of exercise (not necessarily sports)
- Relaxation and everything that helps against stress
Let's look at these pillars in peace. We will give you concrete tips for each of them that will work quickly.
1. eat right to boost digestion.
First things first: you need to eat right! This simple-sounding task is something we have all often forgotten.
Create a pleasant atmosphere while eating. Don't be distracted by the TV, cell phone, or anything else. Consciously take time to eat. That means taking small bites, chewing slowly and often.
Also, it's important that you eat regularly and get your body into a routine.
This starts early in the morning. Get into the habit of going to the bathroom after breakfast, even if you don't have to. The "gastrocolic reflex" kicks in 5 to 30 minutes after eating. In short, when you eat something new, the old has to go out. If you do this every day at the same time, your body will get used to it. Breathe in and out deeply. Try to maintain this routine on weekends and holidays.
2. drink properly for digestion
If you have an irritated stomach, you should not drink much directly before eating. A lot of water before the meal dilutes the digestive juices and thus makes digestion more difficult.
However, you should drink plenty throughout the day. It should be at least 2 liters. Do not drink anything very hot or very cold.
It's best to stay away from sodas and fruit juice drinks. Still water or unsweetened herbal teas are best. Very good teas are fennel-anise-caraway, ginger and chamomile.
The answer to the question: "How can I stimulate digestion?" is sometimes quite simple. It is: wait and Tea drink.
There are plenty of stomach teas that will help you get more momentum in your digestive system. These teas contain herbs that make your digestion work properly and soothe your stomach.
Good stomach teas contain, among others, horehound, peppermint, bitter clover, sage, turmeric, lemon balm, yarrow or cinnamon bark.
At least peppermint most also have at home. Peppermint tea stimulates digestion in different ways. On the one hand, the liquid accelerates intestinal activity. And on the other hand, the essential oils have an activating effect on the muscles in the stomach.
Very often stress is a trigger for digestive problems. Consciously taking time for a cup has a very relaxing effect.
But heat also helps in other ways. If you don't have tea on hand, you can simply take a hot water bottle or a warm relaxing bath. The sauna can also have a calming effect on the stomach.
If you want, you can also do it with Healing earth* try. Dissolve a tablespoon of it in a glass of water and drink it before meals. The minerals in it bind toxins and gently stimulate digestion.
This smoothie boosts your digestion!
3. go to the toilet regularly
If you have problems with digestion, then listen to your body especially well. If you have to, drop everything and go to the toilet. Don't put off having a bowel movement until later; an offended bowel can react with constipation.
4. dietary fiber is good for digestion
Especially Dietary fiber help you the Stimulate digestion. You can find them in indigestible plant fibers from vegetables and legumes.
Cooked vegetables are good for the stomach. Indeed, it still contains a large number of vitamins and minerals that are lost during normal cooking.
The vegetable swells in the intestine and exerts a stimulus on the intestinal wall. This stimulus stimulates the perineal muscles to continue working and get everything going again a little.
By the way, prunes are a wonderful source of dietary fiber. It works best if you soak 5 prunes in water in the evening and eat them after getting up. Including the liquid. But be careful if you are fructose intolerant!
Overall, in order for fiber to swell better, you need to drink a lot.
This veggie lentil stew is particularly high in fiber!
5. dairy products are good for the belly
Whether yogurt, kefir, milk or quark - dairy products are good for our digestion. The digestive effect strengthens the intestinal flora. In addition, milk is said to have a digestion-regulating effect in all.
Especially sour whey, buttermilk and kefir are said to have superpowers as far as our intestines are concerned. They are among the classic "probiotic foods", which are good for intestinal health.
However, if your stomach has problems with milk, you should stay away from it. Milk sugar can have a laxative effect - especially if you suffer from lactose intolerance. Attention, there are many Foods that contain hidden lactose!
6. abdominal massages can stimulate digestion.
An abdominal massage can work wonders. The circular movements stimulate the gastrointestinal region. This speeds up the usual work and can even relieve stress-related cramps.
Lie flat on a yoga mat. Bend your knees in a relaxed manner - this relaxes the abdominal muscles.
Very gently stroke your hand from the stomach towards the navel.
After a while, you move on to circular movements. Important: Always in a clockwise direction!
Breathe calmly and evenly!
7. bitter substances for the intestine
Spices and fresh herbs by the way, also do our belly a lot of good. They contain ingredients that stimulate the Stimulate digestion. And at the same time can relieve discomfort.
Especially herbs and plants with bitter substances are particularly healthy. They can prevent or at least mitigate bloating and flatulence.
You can find bitters in these salads
- Chicory
- Endive
- Radicchio
- Frisée
- Arugula
- Dandelion
In addition to the bitter substances, the essential oils of some plants also help us with digestion.
Anise, caraway, peppermint, oregano and turmeric contain oil compounds that make us produce more gastric juice and bile.
- Anise helps against flatulence, bloating and mild stomach cramps.
- Caraway can stimulate digestion, help against stomach cramps and flatulence.
- Dandelion helps with general digestive problems. Look at our dandelion salad recipes over!
- Peppermint strengthens the stomach and is effective against nausea.
- Rosemary supports digestion.
Try this delicious chicory orange salad!
8. stimulate digestion with protein and fat
Besides fiber, protein and healthy fats are very important for our gastrointestinal tract. However, this does not apply if you are struggling with constipation at this very moment!
You can find protein in fish, eggs, dairy products, meat, legumes and whole grains. However, caution is advised with legumes. Beans in particular can cause additional flatulence.
Protein is good for digestion because it is used to build new cells and tissues. Especially the digestive organs build new cells quickly.
With the fat you must pay attention to good quality. That means: cold pressed vegetable oils, preferably in organic quality.
If you have a very sensitive intestine, you should try vegetables with some fat and protein.
Suitable for this Fish with oven vegetables very good. The recipe is not heavy on the stomach, provides protein, fat and fiber. For an extra digestive boost, make yourself a tasty salad.
Extra protein and fiber are in this Protein Bowl!
9. apples make the intestine healthy
"An apple a day..." we all know how this saying goes on. There are quite a few studies that confirm this English saying. Apples are real nutrient bombs. They have a very positive effect on cholesterol levels and in cardiovascular diseases.
But the apple can also regulate digestion.
Experts still disagree about why this is so. However, they suspect that it is due to the many indigestible dietary fibers in apples. The pectins in apples have a digestive effect and support intestinal health.
Very important: Do not peel the apple before eating! This is where most of the nutrients are!
By the way, this effect also applies to applesauce. And you don't even have to buy it. Because Applesauce is very easy to make yourself.
10. ginger relaxes the stomach
Ginger is simply great! It tastes great and can do so much for our digestion.
If you feel nauseous after a meal, you should prepare a cup of fresh ginger tea. Ginger root has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. In addition, ginger can activate intestinal activity.
Ginger is used for abdominal complaints such as flatulence, bloating, nausea, vomiting. But it is also used for dizziness and motion sickness.
11. eat food that is not in the stomach
Digestive problems arise mainly when digestion itself takes too long. There are many foods that take a very long time to pass through our intestines.
This has to do with the composition of the food. Because not every food needs the same amount of time to be digested.
This is how long food takes to digest
- Leafy vegetables (about 30 minutes)
- Fruit (approx. 30-40 minutes)
- Fish (approx. 30-60 minutes) depending on the variety
- Egg (approx. 45 minutes)
- Starchy vegetables (approx. 60 minutes)
- Cereals and pulses (approx. 1 to 1.5 hours)
- Dairy products (approx. 1.5 hours)
- Chicken and turkey (approx. 1.5-2.5 hours)
- Nuts (about 2.5-3 hours)
- Lamb and beef (about 3-4 hours)
- Hard cheese and pork (approx. 4-5 hours)
So if you don't want to cheat your digestion, bet on easily digestible food.
12. give your sluggish bowels a break
If your digestion is sluggish, you should give your body breaks of 2 to 3 hours between meals. This relieves the intestines and gives them time to process what they have eaten.
13. move a lot for a healthy digestion
To avoid having a sluggish bowel in the first place, you should exercise regularly and a lot. It doesn't matter what kind of sport you choose.
Even a short walk is better than sitting on the couch. It's best to move around in the fresh air. You should only go for a slow stroll if you are really in pain.
Otherwise, you can and should go fast. The boosts the metabolism. Of course, it's even better if you start doing sports properly. So go running 2-3 times a week. You can also strength training or Body weight exercises do. However, you should always combine this with running or fast walking. Your digestion will thank you.
When we exercise, our blood circulation is boosted. And this is not only noticeable in the intestines. Anyone who exercises regularly will quickly feel an improvement.
14. give up the digestive liquor
Especially at family gatherings, the bottle of digestive liquor is often passed around. It is supposed to help stimulate digestion and eliminate the feeling of fullness.
But can a digestive liquor help? The answer is quite clear: No. The alcohol relaxes the stomach. But only for a very short time. After that, digestion becomes much slower. You feel even more tired and stuffed.
15. drink coffee for digestion
Finally a free pass for your coffee addiction? :) Well, almost. You should not overdo it but the one or other cup of coffee can stimulate the digestion. By the way: decaffeinated coffee also has a positive effect on the stomach and intestines.
Why coffee helps? The reason is the hormone gastrin. Our body produces it when food reaches the stomach and the stomach walls are stretched. And precisely when we drink coffee.
This hormone stimulates gastric acid production, which normally breaks down food pulp. And gastrin also ensures that light muscle contractions are triggered in the stomach.
No more air in the belly! This really helps!
16. give up sugar
Yes, this is really very hard for many. But sugar is not at all good for our stomach. It is in many ready-made foods.
With some, like soda, we know that right away. But sugar is also in foods we don't expect it in. Like ready-made sauces, dressings, spreads or convenience foods.
Sugar can make the intestines sluggish, so you should avoid it as much as possible. You should therefore know, How much sugar a day is just ok and when you cross the line.
17. meditate against digestive problems
What do meditation and stimulate digestion have to do with each other? A lot!
Try to avoid stress as much as possible.
Stress is a big problem - it hits us in the stomach. It tempts us to eat very unhealthily, to exercise too little and to stuff ourselves with unhealthy things. The result: digestive problems!
To avoid wondering how to stimulate digestion in the first place, take regular rest breaks. Avoiding stress is a preventive measure.
Meditating and yoga can help to get a sluggish digestion going. For example, there are special yoga Exercises against a bloated belly, which stimulate digestion.
If you're not a fan of this, try
- a relaxing bath
- Listen to relaxation music
- read a book
- a Beauty evening with face masks To be inserted
- go into nature
When do I need to see a doctor?
Often the best home remedies no longer help. Constipations are not to be trifled with, they can mean that we cannot get toxins out of our bodies. Therefore, in these cases you should go to the doctor:
- You can not go to the bathroom and at the same time have severe abdominal pain
- Constipation and diarrhea occur simultaneously
- There is blood in your stool
- You have severe pain during bowel movements
- The constipation does not dissolve even after 3 days
Our conclusion
As you can see, you can stimulate your digestion in many ways. Basically, the article can be summarized like this: Eat healthy, drink plenty of fluids, exercise more, and stress less. If you follow these three things, your digestion will love you.
If you continue to have problems, you should definitely see a doctor. Because perhaps allergies or intolerances are hidden behind the digestive problems.
All the best for you!
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