Your digestive system is how your body breaks down food into the nutrients it needs. Gas, bloating, diarrhea, reflux, and constipation are just a few digestive ailments people face daily. While it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider about what foods and lifestyle habits are best for your specific condition, here are five remedies to consider for optimal digestion.

Chew Your Food Well

The digestions process begins right when food hits your mouth. The saliva that is produced when you chew food contains an enzyme called amylase that helps breaks down the food while you chew. The better you chew your food, the smaller the food particles will be that enter your stomachs, which means less energy and digestive enzymes are needed resulting in better digestion of the food.

Add Fermented and Cultured Foods

Fermented and cultured foods have natural probiotics and prebiotics, which contain bacteria for your gut that research shows helps with digestion, inflammation, allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Add foods that have naturally occurring probiotics such as Kimchi, fermented sauerkraut, and kombucha to name a few.

Fill Up on Fiber

Fiber is the body’s natural detox. It’s mostly found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, beans, and whole grains. The general recommendation is to aim for 25-35 grams of fiber each day.

Stay Hydrated

Hydration is essential to our health as our bodies are made up of 60 percent water by weight. “Water is necessary for all body functions, including digestion. Eating more fiber is often recommended, but without enough water fiber can’t do its job. The exact amount of water your body needs depends on such factors as climate, body weight, exercise, and age. However, as a general guideline the Institute of Medicine recommends women drink 9 cups of water a day and men drink 13 cups of water a day.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute as medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.