Dos and Don’ts after Meals for Better Digestion

Most people who like to keep their health under check always prefer being careful about their diet. However, the most beneficial of all foods will not help you if your body is not able to digest them well. While some people like to have a cup of tea right after their meal, some like to head directly for the bed and all these habits can hamper the digestive system. So, what one must follow other than a healthy meal is healthier habits. Here is a list of few dos and don’ts which you must remember to practice each time you put something into your belly.

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There are many people who eat dinner late and then head straight to bed or eat lunch and grab a pillow for a quick nap. This hampers digestion and leads to bloating and discomfort. When you lie on your back or even on your side, the digestive juices slide to the oesophagus causing heartburn. Stay upright at least for an hour after eating your meal to help the digestive juices perform their function properly.

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Different foods get digested at different speeds by the body. Fruits get digested easily and therefore, if you eat them after a meal they sit on the top of other food, getting fermented and causing gas. You can always eat fruits an hour or two before the meals.

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Drinking tea after meal can disrupt the digestive system in several ways. For example, tea leaves are acidic hence, they affect the body’s ability to digest the food. Tea also contains polyphenols and tannins which stick to the iron in your food and prevent it from being absorbed.

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Sipping little water during meals is fine but, you must avoid gulping down a lot of water during or after meal. Drinking water can thin digestive juices, making it difficult for them to break down the food.

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To make enough time in the morning, many people eat breakfast before taking a shower or take bath after eating dinner. For some, these habits may be a part of their routine but such habits can hamper your digestion. Bathing can increase your body temperature which pulls most of your blood to the surface of your skin and to your extremities, taking it away from the digestive system and slowing down the break down of food.

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Stress causes the central nervous system to shut down the blood supply to your digestive system, affecting contraction of the digestive muscles and decreasing secretions needed for digestion.

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Ayurveda recommends drinking ginger tea after meals as it improves digestive fire. It fastens movement of food from the stomach to the small intestines, stimulates production of digestive enzyme and relieves gas and stomach cramps.

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