Daily Mail Online spoke with registered dietitian and nutritionist Amy Shapiro, founder of Real Nutrition NYC, about changes in the diet people can make to promote an efficient digestive system.
1. AVOID DRINKING COLD LIQUIDS WITH MEALS
Instead, make a cup of tea. Shapiro recommends her clients to focus on the food instead of drinking liquids when eating.
"You end up diluting your digestive enzymes," Shapiro said.
Digestive enzymes are released in the saliva when someone starts consuming a meal.
But if they are mixed with a lot of water or other liquids, then the enzymes are unable to properly break down the food before it hits the stomach.
This can hinder the digestive processes and cause someone to feel more bloated.
Also, Shapiro advises her clients to drink room temperature or warm liquids instead of cold.
"It is easier for the body to digest room temperature or warm fluids because it doesn't have to heat it up to its temperature," she said.
Warm liquids, such as water, reduces metabolic waste in the body that can build up from the immune system.
It does this by breaking down food faster that is passing through the digestive system instead of letting it become waste.
Drinking warm liquids can also promote healthier bowel movements and prevent people from feeling bloated throughout the day.
2. CUT OUT "HEALTHY" FOODS THAT HINDER DIGESTION
The body can't easily break down certain foods for digestion.
Shapiro said both lactose and kale are two common foods she finds her clients have a hard time digesting.
Kale is full of dietary fiber and some sugars that can be difficult on the digestive system if consumed in large quantities.
Because it is a leafy green, kale has a high insoluble fiber count, which is found in the walls of the plant.
The digestive system is unable to digest this part of the plant, so it passes through the body as waste instead and makes it harder on the gastrointestinal system.
Steaming the leaves can help soften the kale to help when the body digests it.
Lactose is the main type of sugar found in most dairy products.
People might have a hard time digesting this sugar if their small intestine doesn't produce lactase, the enzyme that consumes lactose.
Shapiro also said sugar alcohol found in zero calorie sweeteners can hinder the digestive system.
The lack of calories might make it seem like consuming the product will be healthier, but the body is not equipped to digest those.
3. LEARN HOW TO CHEW PROPERLY
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"The first step of digestion happens in the mouth," Shapiro said.
Feeling bloated after eating could be a sign that chewing the food wasn't done efficiently.
Eating too fast and swallowing often can make someone feel more bloated after a meal.
"We tend to swallow excess air, which can cause bloating and gas," Shapiro said.
Chewing more and eating slower can prevent this from happening as the body digests the food.
Saliva contains digestive enzymes to help break down the food before it enters into the stomach.
But this process doesn't occur if someone doesn't take the time to slowly chew the food in their mouth.
"Properly chewing helps you break it down," Shapiro said.
This will lessen the burden on the stomach to grind down all of the food and will maximize the amount of nutrients the body receives from each item.
4. ADD DIGESTIVE "FUEL" TO GET THINGS MOVING
"Papaya and pineapple have naturally occurring enzymes," Shapiro said.
These fruits work with the digestive system to break down the nutrients as they are pushed through the gastrointestinal tract.
Peppermint and ginger also help with digestion.
Both have anti-spasmodic properties, which means they work to relax the digestive system and calm any unnecessary muscle contractions.
They also aid in the digestive process by promoting a release of saliva, gastric juices and bile to break down the proteins and other properties of the food.
Fennel seed and cumin work similarly to peppermint and ginger.
When consumed, the liver will release bile that helps digest fats and other nutrients in the stomach.
