Improve Digestion Without Changing What You Eat (7 Meal Hygiene Habits) (Ep. 92)

Struggling with bloating? You can improve digestion without changing what you eat.

We spend so much energy on what we eat that we skip over how we eat. You can eat the most nutrient-dense meal in the world and still leave nutrients on the table if your body isn't in the right state to digest it.

In this episode of The Wellness Effect, Jensen, Lacey and Kira walk through seven easy meal hygiene habits for better digestion, less bloating, steadier energy and improved nutrient absorption. We cover rest-and-digest, eating without distractions, chewing, walking after meals, food order for blood sugar, digestive bitters and apple cider vinegar for low stomach acid, and why chugging water with meals may be a sign you're eating too fast.

These habits work when you're traveling, solo parenting or in a busy season, and they're a great first step if you're new to functional health. Start with one habit this week.

Key takeaways

Digestion starts before the first bite. Seeing and smelling your food kicks off digestive enzymes and stomach acid. Eating in fight-or-flight pulls blood away from your gut. Digestive bitters or diluted apple cider vinegar before meals can support your body's natural stomach acid and digestive juices. If you need to chug water during a meal, it's often a sign you're eating too fast. Choose room temperature over ice cold. Chapters

(00:00) - Why how you eat matters for digestion

(03:52) - Habit 1: Rest-and-digest (calm your nervous system before eating)

(09:56) - Habit 2: Eat without distractions

(17:26) - Habit 3: Chew your food properly

(22:18) - Habit 4: Walk after meals

(27:15) - Habit 5: Food order for blood sugar and digestion