Symptoms of slow and difficult digestion include bloating and heaviness in the stomach. Here’s how to cure it with natural remedies and methods that help digest well. When you suffer from slow digestion, it is hard to miss, as this disorder causes abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and, in the long run, even obesity. Most of the time, the problem of difficult digestion clears up within a few days, but when poor digestion causes discomfort and discomfort over a long period, it could be a sign of a chronic problem.
Digestion consists of breaking down food that starts from the mouth, thanks to chewing, favoring the absorption of nutrients within the body. While this process shouldn’t cause any particular problems other than sleepiness after a large meal, difficult digestion can take many hours and cause stomach heaviness, acidity and bloating. Fortunately, natural remedies and food combination theories can ease the symptoms of this disorder, promote digestion, and reduce the stomach weight that is felt after eating a high-calorie meal.
Slow Digestion: Causes
The causes of slow digestion can be of different nature, from bad eating habits to stress, from previous pathologies such as ulcers and gastritis to the too rapid consumption of meals. A hectic life characterized by stress and commitments that do not leave the necessary time to have lunch seated and calmly can negatively affect digestion. Digestion begins with chewing, which mechanically breaks down food.
When you chew too quickly for lack of time, too large chunks of food are dropped into the stomach, which will take longer to break down, slowing digestion chemically. Even meals too large, highly caloric and with the wrong combinations tend to slow down the digestive process. Poor digestion can be caused by significant diseases such as gastritis and ulcers, gastric reflux and hiatal hernia and excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs.
Slow Digestion: Common Symptoms
As previously mentioned, the symptoms associated with poor digestion are very evident:
- the feeling of weight on the stomach,
- nausea,
- heartburn, with bitter mouth and bad breath, sore throat and belching,
- swollen and stiff belly,
- drowsiness,
- bloating and flatulence,
- constipation.
The problem with digestive difficulties is that it heavily affects the quality of life, especially when it is chronic, and even a very light meal causes issues. For this reason, it is necessary to pay particular attention to one’s diet to reduce obesity. Weight gain is typical of those with slow and difficult digestion, which can cause serious diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and respiratory problems in the long term.
Slow And Difficult Digestion: Remedies To Digest Well
The remedies to digest are aimed precisely at reducing acidity and heartburn to restore the right balance in the body and avoid resorting to drugs, which have non-negligible side effects. Here’s what to do in case of slow and difficult digestion.
Lemon And Bicarbonate To Digest Well
Drinking a glass of water with bicarbonate and lemon is a real panacea for those suffering from heartburn and slow digestion. Combining these two elements dampens the acid thanks to a direct chemical reaction. To prepare the drink, dissolve a tablespoon of lemon juice and the tip of a teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of warm water. This remedy is excellent both after meals for sporadic heartburn and those chronically suffering from slow digestion. If so, drink every morning on an empty stomach.
Fennel To Digest
In addition to having a refreshing flavor, Fennel drastically reduces heartburn and helps digest well. It can be taken both in seeds, chewing them directly, and in the form of herbal tea. In herbal medicine, you can find ready-made sachets or seeds to infuse for about ten minutes in boiling water, about a teaspoon per cup, filtered and drunk warm. The herbal tea can be consumed at will both after meals and in the evening before going to bed.
Mint
Those suffering from slow digestion can benefit from mint infusions, as this aromatic plant promotes digestion (by stimulating the production of bile) and at the same time reduces stomach bloating. Furthermore, peppermint has also proved helpful in vomiting, nausea and bad breath due to digestive problems. To prepare it, boil a few dried mint leaves in water for a quarter of an hour, let it cool and drink. This remedy is not recommended for those with gastroesophageal reflux, as peppermint tends to make symptoms worse.
Cumin Seeds
Cumin is considered a spice with numerous properties. In particular, its seeds have a carminative power that reduces stomach swelling and soothes burns. The herbal tea is prepared by infusing a teaspoon of seeds with warm water for about ten minutes. The beneficial effects on difficult digestion will be felt in no time.
Liquorice
Liquorice root, which is also found in tablets in herbal medicine, is one of the most popular remedies for slow digestion problems. It is advisable to take the pills or chew the root before meals or to consume the infusion at the end. To prepare it, steep 25 grams of liquorice per cup in boiling water for an hour, filter and drink. This remedy is highly not recommended for those suffering from high blood pressure.
Ginger For Slow Digestion
Ginger certainly needs no introduction: it has known antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and even antacid powers. To reduce the acidity after meals, chew a few slices of a root, while for those who do not like the intense flavor, it is also possible to prepare the herbal tea, leaving a few pieces of meat in hot water infused and drinking half an hour before meals.
Gentian
Gentian is mainly used to relieve intestinal and stomach spasms and pains. To take advantage of its calming action, it is recommended to drink herbal tea about twenty minutes before meals on an empty stomach or use the mother tincture.
Tips To Promote Digestion
As we have seen, difficult digestion can have several causes. By excluding digestive problems caused by previous diseases, such as ulcers, poor digestion can be improved by making several lifestyle changes. First of all, it is necessary to eat slowly, to allow complete chewing of food. In addition, heavy meals, with many courses and mainly fatty foods, such as frying, pizza, leavened foods, spicy foods or in oil, carbonated drinks, sweets, alcohol and coffee should be avoided.
Again according to the theory of food combination, it is not advisable to eat fruit immediately after meals and associate several different carbohydrates in the same meal (for example, no bread and pasta – no pasta and potatoes – no pasta and pizza – no rice and potatoes). Finally, to promote digestion, it is advisable to eat one yogurt a day, combine cereals with legumes as the only main dish, drink plenty of water (but away from meals) and take a walk after heavy meals.
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