Tip #
5: Poor food combinations.
Did you know that the types of foods you eat together can influence how you digest them? Some people are much more sensitive to this than others. Poor food combinations slow down digestion and can lead to bloating and indigestion.
The golden rule when it comes to food combinations is to eat fruit on its own, without combining it with other foods, especially proteins. For example, avoid eating melon or a fruit salad right after a fish meal!
Another rule of food combining is to avoid mixing proteins and carbohydrates. This becomes difficult, if not impossible, with a vegetarian diet. But if you do eat meat, poultry, or fish, try separating your starches and proteins and observe how you feel. You might find that digestion is much easier. For example, have a fruit-based breakfast; a mid-morning snack of nuts; a lunch of meat, poultry, or fish with plenty of vegetables; and finally, a carbohydrate-rich dinner, such as a sweet potato cooked with vegetables.
6. Irregular meal times.
Another common cause of bloating is simply eating at irregular times. When you go several hours without eating, or consume a large amount of food before bed, your digestion (and metabolism) suffers. For example, skipping breakfast and then eating a large meal almost always results in bloating; it’s a shock to your digestive system, and it also leads to a sharp spike in blood sugar and insulin, as explained earlier. You’ll then feel bloated and tired, and you’ll need caffeine to stay productive in the afternoon.
Our bodies function best with meals at regular times, and so does our digestive system. Try to eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, lunch at noon, and dinner before 7 p.m. Plan for mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks if needed.
7. Digestive enzyme deficiency (including lactose intolerance)
Digestive enzymes are produced by the pancreas to help break down food into forms that the body can absorb. These enzymes break down proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and lactose.
In some cases, the body does not produce enough digestive enzymes, leading to bloating, pain, indigestion, and bowel movement problems. This deficiency in digestive enzymes can be caused by: 1) food intolerances causing mild inflammation of the digestive tract; 2) bacterial, yeast, or parasitic overgrowth; 3) low stomach acid; 4) chronic stress; and 5) aging.
Lactose intolerance is also a form of enzyme deficiency: when lactase production is insufficient to break down lactose, the digestion of dairy products is impaired. Lactose intolerance can be diagnosed by a breath test or by a two-week trial period without dairy products, followed
by a gradual reintroduction to observe reactions.
A temporary solution is to take digestive enzymes with meals and avoid dairy products if you are lactose intolerant. However, it is important to address the underlying cause and correct any imbalances to encourage the body to produce sufficient enzymes on its own.
8. Other causes of dysbiosis: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or parasites.
An imbalance in the gut flora is very common. In addition to the yeasts mentioned previously, many people also harbor pathogenic bacteria, or even parasites, in their digestive tract. Recent travel (especially to Asia, Africa, or South America) can lead to contamination, but even meals eaten out can result in a parasitic infestation. This type of digestive imbalance is usually accompanied by diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue.
Accurate tests for bacterial and parasitic proliferation, combined with a complete stool analysis (those from American laboratories are the most effective), allow for the precise identification of the microorganisms involved. Treatment is then much simpler.
In short
, a naturopath looks for many causes of bloating, and it’s usually a treatable problem. It’s not normal to have to loosen your pants every night after dinner, nor to feel too heavy at the end of the day to go out and socialize. I hope this short article has given you a starting point for improving your digestive health!
