If you’re like many health-conscious people, you pay a lot of attention to what you eat. But even the highest quality foods won’t necessarily help you build health if you don’t digest them well. Listed below are some tips for optimizing your digestive process and preventing digestive problems from arising in the first place:

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Q: I quite often suffer from indigestion. I try to avoid fatty foods but wonder if there is anything you recommend for occasional indigestion?

I was taking antacids but have now stopped them. I realise it is probably best to avoid taking medication and so wonder if you know of any alternatives? I sometimes take slippery elm tablets and I often have peppermint tea and also try not to go to bed directly after eating.

A: The symptoms of indigestion can include pain or fullness in the chest area after eating, heartburn, burping and belching. The medical term for indigestion is dyspepsia.

As with any problem the most important thing is to try and find the cause, because if you can track down the cause the problem will be eliminated. At the same time, it is useful to have some natural remedies on hand when needed.

The main causes of indigestion are overeating, obesity, chocolate, fried foods, carbonated beverages, alcohol, stress, coffee, and cigarettes. The first thing is to see whether any of these are a trigger for you.

Also make sure that you are eating slowly. The first part of digestion is in the mouth so by mixing and breaking down your food well with saliva before it is swallowed the next part of your digestive system has less work to do. Don’t drink with meals as this dilutes the saliva while it is trying to do its job. Use fruit as a snack between meals and don’t have it straight after a meal.

Leave a couple of hours between eating and going to bed and try to sleep in a slightly more upright position so that gravity helps to prevent the stomach contents moving back into the food pipe (oesophagus).

Natural remedies can be helpful. Slippery elm helps to form a protective coating in the stomach and chamomile tea can have a calming effect on the digestive system. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) helps to soothe the tissue lining the digestive system and a good combination I use in the clinic contains DGL, cabbage and zinc (called Enteroplex). Also you can use an alkalising carbonate 30 minutes after eating for symptom relief (Bio-carbonate).

If the dietary recommendations do not make a difference then it is important to see your doctor to see whether there is another cause such as a hiatus hernia or helicobacter pylori. H. pylori is a bacteria that lives in the stomach and can cause symptoms like indigestion and heartburn. Up to 90% of people with a stomach ulcer have these bacteria. A simple breath test can show you whether you have an active H. pylori infection.

Your stomach feels so swollen you can barely button the trousers or skirt that fitted perfectly a few days ago. What’s going on? Bloating is caused by excess gas in the intestines. Bad eating habits, certain foods, or hormones can bring the feeling on — and it’s extremely common in women, especially in the run up to a period. To help you feel better fast, check out these smart ways to beat the bloat.

1. Drink up: Boosting your water intake can work wonders. Water flushes waste out of your system and helps get things moving if you’re constipated — a frequent cause of bloating, especially in pregnant women and new mums. And don’t forget to eat lots of fruits and veggies, because they’re about 80 to 90 percent water. Oranges and watermelon are two great options.
2. Think Zen: Be mindful of your eating habits. Chew slowly and don’t bite off more than you can chew. Gulping fast food and drinking on the run causes you to swallow too much air, which can cause bloating. Listen to your body’s timeless wisdom and choose healthful, nourishing foods you enjoy for meals and snacks; then savour every bite. Digestion begins in the mouth. If you chew slowly, it helps your digestive system operate more effectively, allowing your body to get the proper nutrients and energy it needs from the food you eat. Avoid drinking with food so that your digestive system can work at its optimum.
3. Eat more fibre: Fibre prevents constipation by adding bulk, which helps everything move through the intestines more quickly. Women need at least 25 grams of fibre daily, yet most of us get barely half that amount. To fix the fibre shortage, start your morning with a whole grain cereal like porridge sprinkled with ground linseeds (flaxseeds) or muesli. Throughout the day, snack on other high-fibre foods like strawberries, blueberries, dried apricots, and dried plums. But be careful that you don’t add too much fibre too fast, or you’ll feel even more bloated than before. Your body needs time to get used to processing the increased bulk.
4. Peppermint and papaya supplements are two refreshing bloat-busters: Soothing peppermint relaxes the muscles that allow the body to rid itself of painful digestive gas, and the menthol in this aromatic herb aids digestion by stimulating the flow of natural digestive juices and bile, making it a safe and natural de-bloater. The luscious, exotic tropical fruit papaya contains papain, a digestive enzyme that encourages proper digestion and absorption of foods.
5. Cut back on gassy foods: Beans and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage contain sugars that are difficult for some people to digest. But you don’t have to give them up entirely. Instead, eat just a small portion of these foods at a time. Once your body adjusts to them, you can gradually increase the serving size over the course of a few weeks.
6. Live yogurt: Lactobacillus acidophilus is one of the friendly bacteria that live in the intestines. When eaten it travels to the intestines and crowds out the harmful bacteria that may be causing symptoms of painful gas and bloating. One source of these bacteria is yoghurts that contain live, active culture. It’s important to look for yogurts that specifically say they contain live culture, as many types of yogurts are heat-treated to kill the bacteria before being sold. Avoid fruit yogurts as they can contain up to 8 teaspoons of sugar and buy organic where possible. For people who either can’t tolerate dairy or who choose not to eat dairy, use a good probiotic containing these friendly bacteria. The one I use in the clinic is called BioKult.
7. Go Bananas: Bloating can be relieved by vitamin B6 which is a natural diuretic. Healthy foods that are rich in vitamin B6 include bananas, alfalfa, lentils, oily fish, soya, raw nuts and seeds, especially walnuts, green leafy vegetables, rye, oats and brown rice. Other natural diuretics include asparagus, celery, watermelon, and parsley (the parsley will help freshen your breath as well!). These diuretic “super foods” will help to flush excess water out of your system.
8. Shake the salt habit: Hold the salt or at least cut down, especially the week before your period. Too much salt makes your body retain fluids. And that’s pretty much a sure fire way to bring on the bloat. Instead of shaking on the salt or consuming high-sodium commercially prepared foods, experiment with flavourful spices and herbs such as cumin, garlic, cayenne, and lemon and lime zest.
9. You also need to eat more often: If you leave your stomach empty for long periods of time the secretion of digestive enzymes slows down. On the other hand, if you eat too much this can overload your stomach which can cause gas and bloating so remember to eat regular meals and snacks every two to three hours.
10. Get moving: Even a quick ten-minute walk can relieve bloating. Exercise helps gas pass through the digestive tract more quickly, so you feel better faster.
11. Do dairy wisely: If milk, yogurt, and other dairy products give you gas then take a break from them. You might find that you can digest yogurt but struggle with milk, as milk contains more lactose.
12. Don’t bite off more than you can chew: One big cause of bloating is swallowing too much air when you eat. For example, you might gulp air if you snack on the run and eat too quickly, talk while eating, drink from a straw, or down a lot of soft fizzy drinks or sparkling water. Force yourself to take more time for meals, skip carbonated drinks, and eat smaller amounts of food at each sitting. One of the easiest ways to reduce the amount of air you swallow: Chew with your mouth closed.
13. Aromatherapy oils can be helpful for bloating: Add juniper, fennel or chamomile to a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes. Alternatively before you go to bed drink a tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice and lie down on your right hand side and massage your stomach. And if you feel constipated, another cause of bloating, take two tablespoons of olive oil in the morning on an empty stomach. Olive oil can help reduce constipation and bloating because it is very well tolerated by the stomach due to its high oleic acid content. Another good tip for constipation is to soak a tablespoon of whole linseeds (flaxseeds) over night and swallow in the morning.
14. You might also want to settle down with the odd cup of fennel tea: Just brew a tablespoon or so of fennel in a tea strainer and drink several cups a day. Fennel tastes like liquorice and has anti-gas as well as anti-spasmodic properties, making it especially helpful for bloating.
15. Monitor your medication: Numerous over-the-counter and pre-scription drugs, such as antidepressants, antihistamines, iron pills, and calcium supplements with calcium carbonate, can cause constipation and bloating, especially when you first start to take them. Talk to your doctor if you think that a medication may be giving you side effects.