Digestive Tips to Chew On In order to prevent digestive problems and to promote optimum digestion, adopt the following tips:

1. It is important to take the time to relax before and during meals. Doing deep breathing exercises can help with relaxation and the increased oxygen in the body will also help with the assimilation of nutrients for increased energy.
2. Chewing is also very important. Digestion starts in the mouth. Food should be chewed until the consistency is like that of apple sauce. Saliva will then coat the food and will help to break it down.
3. Try not to drink too many liquids when eating because this dilutes the hydrochloric acid in the stomach and makes it harder to assimilate food.
4. For optimal digestion take a digestive enzyme supplement before meals containing lipase, amylase, and protease.
5. Fruit and protein should never be combined with a meal because they cannot digest together. The fruit will ferment in the stomach and the result will be flatulence and poor assimilation. It is best to eat fruit by itself on an empty stomach.
6. For indigestion you can take coral calcium which will help to alkalinize the digestive system. Chamomile tea is also effective but don't drink it if you have ragweed allergies. For nausea, ginger is very effective.
7. Elimination is also very important for the whole digestive process. For proper elimination, add high fiber, whole grain sources to the diet like quinoa, buckwheat, wild and brown rice. Not only do these grains help to make you feel full but they will also help with peristalsis. Some other wonderful fiber sources are apple pectin fiber and fibrous vegetables like beans, peas, celery and asparagus to name a few.
8. Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day is also very important not only for elimination but also for all normal functions in the body.
    

Diane Kingsley is a certified Holistic Health Counselor and owner of Holistic Health Options. For an expanded article on digestion e-mail Diane at [email protected] or call 772-538-2960.