The 4 Best Ways To Improve Your Digestion, From A Functional Medicine Doctor

At mindbodygreen, digestive health is a priority. That's one of the many reasons mbg created probiotic+, a supplement that features a combination of four targeted probiotic strains, specifically designed to beat bloating and aid digestion.

Functional medicine practitioners consider the gut to be the epicenter of health and therefore recommend eating foods that support strong digestion and nourish and replenish the good bacteria that live there. To do this, we recommend regular intake of beneficial bacteria, both in supplementation and foods.

Food sensitivities are a common cause of bloating and gas. If you haven’t already experimented with removing common food irritants such as gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, nightshade vegetables, beans, or grains from your diet, it's definitely worth a try. After two to three weeks of elimination, you can experiment by having each food, one at a time, and noticing if your body responds. Common symptoms include indigestion or heartburn, nausea, gas, bloating, constipation or loose stool, and can also include skin irritations such as hives or acne, along with brain fog or energy crashes.

Seriously, don't forget to chew! Did you know that great digestion starts in the mouth? Your saliva begins the process of breaking down carbohydrates before it even hits your stomach. Not chewing thoroughly causes more work for your stomach, which further impedes the digestive process down the line—it’s a negative ripple effect. So just remember, chew, chew, chew! Aim to chew until your food is liquefied, which is usually about 20 to 30 chews.