Our brains are wired to subconsciously react to the smell, sight, and thought of food with an increased secretion of saliva. However, in our busy days, these sensory cues are often missed. We need saliva to help chew and break down food, preparing it to be digested by the stomach and intestines. But before learning more about this concept, it’s important that we understand the process of digestion, in full. Keep reading to learn more about how our food is digested, why it’s important to prime our bodies before eating, and what we can do to optimize our digestion in order to leave us feeling our best.
When Thanksgiving comes to mind, most of us get excited about our favorite fall dishes all being on one table. From the main event, the turkey (of course!), to stuffing, sweet potato casserole, roasted veggies, and obviously the dessert table, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, being grateful, and is all about the food. However, this indulgence is usually met with some uncomfortable symptoms: feeling bloated, overly full, uncomfortable, and in need of a quick power nap.
In order to optimize digestion and feel our best, our bodies use naturally occurring digestive enzymes that are already present throughout these various organs. Digestive enzymes are released when we anticipate eating, smell or taste food, and begin and continue through the digestive process.
Research shows that the food we eat has a major impact on our entire body, especially how well our digestive system is working, and another function, sleep, has also been shown to be highly correlated with healthy digestion. This means that digestion and sleep go hand-in-hand; keep reading to learn more about what consequences this has for us, why we should use both Bloat and Sleep to maximize our health, and which ingredients help us do just that. How do we optimize both of these systems to feel our best?
Research is now showing that what we eat has a major impact on our body as a whole, including feeding the microorganisms that live in our gut. One of the most important bodily functions, sleep, is highly correlated with healthy digestive health.
During sleep, our body repairs and regenerates itself, the brain stores information, and toxic waste is filtered and sent to our digestive system to be excreted. Hence, when we don’t sleep enough or when our quality of sleep is poor, our digestive system feels it, too.
Have you ever experienced bloating at home, only to go on a (much deserved) vacation and realize your bloat is nowhere to be found? Or maybe you’ve noticed that in times of stress, no matter what you eat, your belly hurts like never before? That’s because our brain and gut are connected in a bidirectional way; this means, whatever we’re thinking or feeling emotionally can have direct and drastic effects on our digestive system!
Oh, bloating. By now, we’re all much too familiar with the stomach cramping, gas, and other not-so-hot side effects that come from eating some of our favorite foods. In fact, about 30% of people say they experience bloating regularly–and many of us can relate! While we wish pizza and veggies wouldn’t make our bellies feel so full and painful, there’s relief in knowing that Bloat by Arrae has us covered.
Picture this: you’re jamming to your favorite getting ready playlist, getting glam, feeling excited for the night ahead. You know you have a fun dinner out with friends, and then you’ll see where the night takes you. But you can’t get one looming thought out of your mind: “I won’t want to go out if I’m bloated from dinner”. Or, you’re already out, and you realize your unbuttoned jeans will be visible the second you stand up.
Diet plays a large role in our overall health; we should aim to eat whole, nutritionally dense foods to optimize digestion, balance mood, and decrease inflammation. We can also use herbs to help with inflammation! Specific herbs, like ginger root, dandelion, and slippery elm have been shown to have many positive health effects.
As we know, having a routine makes life way easier, and more fun by allowing us to create space for self-care and other activities that we enjoy. Nutrition plays a major role in how we fuel our bodies throughout the day, allows us to incorporate movement that makes us feel good, and improves overall mood. One of the newest health and nutrition trends, intermittent fasting, or IF, provides a day-to-day structured eating pattern and has been shown to have multiple health benefits.
With some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, many of us are eager to book our next flight to a vacation destination far, far away. Whether you’re thinking about turning up the heat in the Caribbean or experiencing snowfall in the French Alps, one thing is for sure: you won’t want to worry about a grumpy gut.