Digestive issues can be frustrating, and many people struggle with symptoms of indigestion on a regular basis. These are the two key techniques that have been crucial in both my personal gut healing journey and my work as a dietitian.
Making the foods you eat easier to digest
Using acidic boosters to enhance your digestive enzyme pathways.
These strategies are discussed in detail in my YouTube video, “Improving Digestion: Why Acidic Boosters and Softer Foods Make Digestion Easier,” which you can find at the bottom of this post or linked here.
This post will explore these two techniques in greater detail, giving you practical tips for how to incorporate them into your diet to improve digestion and ease discomfort.
1️⃣ Make Your Foods Easier to Digest
A key factor in improving digestion is making the food you eat easier for your body to break down. When you consume foods that are tough, undercooked, or high in roughage, your digestive system has to work much harder, leading to potential indigestion.
What Makes Softer Foods Easier to Digest?
Softer foods, especially those that are thoroughly cooked, are less taxing on the digestive system. Cooking helps to break down the cellular structures of food, making it easier for your body to digest and absorb nutrients. By choosing softer, more easily digestible options, you reduce the workload for your gut, which is particularly important for anyone dealing with indigestion or a sensitive digestive system.
Examples of Softer Food Options:
Cooked vegetables (instead of raw)
Slow cooked meats that fall apart.
Soups and stews (combining the two options above)
Purees and mashed foods
Fermented foods (which are naturally softened by the fermentation process)
Eggs are a short-cook soft food
Yogurt is an easily accessible soft food and ferment
One aspect of my own gut healing was incorporating more soups into my diet. Cooking vegetables and meats into broths made digestion easier and gave my gut a much-needed break.
***Matt's note: If you are having a hard time with digestion eating like how a toddler eats with soft foods is essential. The gut has been overworked and needs to be treated like an under-developed toddler's gut until it has had rest and enough time to get strong again. Once digestive resiliency returns a soft-food diet will no longer be necessary for 100% of the foods, but can gradually decrease over time. Those that do struggle with this type of digestive concern will probably need to conserve at least a part of a soft-foods diet to maintain digestive strength.
Remember, humans got their big-brain, and thus human intelligence from being able to cook down hunted and gathered foods to make 'easy to digest' meals that are incredibly rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water.
The Role of Fermentation
Fermentation helps by pre-digesting food, breaking down the complex components that can sometimes be harder for your body to process. For example, fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi, as well as fermented dairy like yogurt and kefir, offer easily digestible options that also come with the added benefit of probiotics, which support overall gut health.
2️⃣ Boost Your Digestive Enzyme Pathways with Acidic Foods
In addition to making foods easier to digest, boosting your digestive enzymes can make a significant difference. Digestive enzymes are essential for breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, and by increasing their production, you can enhance your body's ability to process food more effectively.
How Acidic Foods Boost Enzyme Production
Acidic foods like vinegar help trigger the release of digestive enzymes in the stomach, making it easier for your body to break down the food you eat. This is especially important for protein digestion, as acidic conditions help activate pepsin, a key enzyme that breaks down proteins.
Examples of Acidic Foods That Help Digestion:
Vinegar-based pickles
Lemon juice
Fermented foods (like yogurt, kefir, and kombucha)
These foods not only help to release more digestive enzymes, but fermented foods also bring their own enzymes to the table, further aiding in digestion. For those struggling with indigestion, incorporating more acidic and fermented foods can be a game changer.
Artificial Ingredients and Digestion
It’s important to remember that artificial ingredients and preservatives can sometimes complicate digestion. These synthetic compounds can disrupt the natural digestive process and contribute to indigestion. Opt for whole, natural foods as much as possible to support easier digestion and better overall gut health.
Practical Takeaways
Cook your food more thoroughly to make it softer and easier to digest.
Incorporate fermented foods into your diet for both easier digestion and a boost in digestive enzymes.
Use acidic foods like vinegar to help stimulate digestive enzymes and improve digestion.
These two strategies are simple yet powerful tools to improve digestion and ease the symptoms of indigestion. Whether you're dealing with occasional digestive discomfort or chronic issues, these changes can help.
Next Steps on Your Digestive Health Journey
Improving digestion takes time and consistency, but by making these two changes—eating softer foods and adding acidic boosters—you'll likely notice a significant improvement in how you feel after meals. For more insights, watch my full YouTube video below for an in-depth discussion on these techniques.
👆🏼 And stay tuned for my upcoming blog post on how soup played an indispensable role in my gut healing journey, especially when it comes to the soft food aspect!
Watch the Full Video Here:
“Improving Digestion: Why Acidic Boosters and Softer Foods Make Digestion Easier”
If you have any questions or need personalized guidance on how to improve your digestion, feel free to reach out to me through my website, Cress Dietetics, or connect with me on social media @MattsFrance.
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