How less snacking can help your gut symptoms

 
 
 
 
 

The migratory motor complex (MMC) is a cyclical process of muscular contractions within the digestive system that ensures undigested food particles, enzymes, waste and bacteria are flushed through and removed from the body in the stool,”.

 “The MMC only functions two to three hours post-meal, and the presence of food switches it off, so the optimum spacing of eating is actually four to five hours.”

This means that eating little and often might not be so good for digestion. Impaired MMC can contribute to constipation as the waves to push food through are not strong enough also heartburn and reflux, bloating and SIBO.

A dysregulated MMC is often a contributing factor to Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) that we see a lot in IBS. A condition where the stagnation of food in the small intestine allows bacteria to migrate to migrate from the large intestine. This leads to the extreme bloating associated with SIBO as fermentation occur in small intestine when should be only taking place in the colon.      

 
 
 
 

So what can you do ?

MMC ,the smooth muscle contraction of the gut cannot occur when food is in the system so the obvious is that you need to stop eating long enough for this to happen. This is why not snaking in-between meals can be so unhelpful.

Top tips to stop snacking :

·       Number one is to eat enough at meal time. Give your meals the attention that they deserve then stop for 4 hours.

  • The composition of your meals is also important : make sure to include plenty of protein ( fish, meat, legumes if tolerated, nuts and seeds) and fiber ( fruits, vegetables ) and good fats ( olives, olive oil, fatty fish ) to keep fuller for longer. Experiment what works for you.

  •     Incorporate an overnight fast of 12 hours- MMC also takes place during the night

Prokinetic agents :

A prokinetic agent is a type of drug which enhances gastrointestinal motility by increasing the frequency or strength of contractions. You can find Natural prokinetic agents include ginger, herbal bitters (eg, gentian root, dandelion root )

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My next talk at Yolk Farm is all about kids and Nutrition. I would love to see some of you there. We will talk about blood sugar, gut health, Nutrient dense foods to support energy and mental health and how to incorporate them into their diets Book here : https://www.yolkfarm.co.uk/blog/gut-health

If you want to know more about my nutritional therapy services, let's talk. You can book a free discovery call with me

 
 
Jody Middleton