For many people, digestion can make or break a good day. In the United States alone, the majority of Americans are living with symptoms of improper digestion. Symptoms are nowadays considered normal and many people don’t even notice their poor digestion. These symptoms include gas, bloating, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and constipation. When transitioning to a vegan or raw vegan diet, many newbies experience digestive issues from the big jump in fiber intake.
Fiber is nothing to be afraid of. It has many health benefits: promoting regular bowel movements, healthy blood sugar levels, a healthy gut microbiome long-term, and more. However, it can be a big change for the body to go from low-fiber foods to high-fiber foods within a short period. Raw foods that are naturally colder can also disrupt digestion. In the long run, it is healthier for your body and mind to eat a vegan or raw vegan diet, despite the digestive troubles that can arise in the beginning. Here are 7 tips to make that transition easier.
Drink more water
Your body is composed of around 60% water. Without it, the body cannot perform the functions it’s made to do as effectively. Cooked and processed foods contain an unbalanced ratio of nutrients and fiber to water. This is why constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in our society. It’s worrisome that many people go several days without having a bowel movement. Most don’t even know that they’re constipated. Starting your day with water and drinking it throughout the day will significantly aid in digestion, no matter the diet. Drinking room temperature or warm water is fine too. Some people like to add lemon juice to their water. While I don’t do that to give my teeth a break from fruit acids in between meals, it’s fine to do it temporarily if it helps you. Drinking more water will hydrate your tissues and keep your gastrointestinal tract moist for better movement of digested food.
Juicing
Juicing is a kick-butt tool for anyone that is transitioning to a vegan or raw vegan diet. Most people will be consuming double or even triple the amount of fiber their body is used to. Our body loves fiber, but it’s important to give it time to get used to the increase in daily intake. This is where juicing comes into play. Juicing is essentially extracting the juice from plant food, and leaving the fiber content out. You can do this by using a juicer or a blender with a nut milk bag. Juicing is an easy way to get nutrients into your body without having to commit to the digestion of fiber.
Many people transitioning to a vegan diet will experience bloating, gas, and cramps due to the body figuring out how to digest all the fiber. Fiber consumed from one day’s eating can take hours for your body to digest as it’s adapting to the change in diet. Often, this leads to beginners not being able to get enough nutrients and calories because they feel full quicker. This is where juices can make a big difference. Incorporating a few juices in your day will ensure that you’re packing in enough nutrients while giving your body time to adapt.
Water-rich fruits
Keep in mind that fruits, in general, are highest in water content. Together with drinking plenty of water, water-rich fruits are essential for those looking to ease digestion for their bodies. Fruits break down in your digestive tract easier and require less energy from your body to do this. Fruit digestion yields more energy than digesting a boiled potato, for example, which robs your energy in the end. Remember: fruit is the easiest food for the human body to digest. We are natural frugivores.
Fruit first, fat later
When first starting out on a vegan or raw vegan diet, the timing of your food is important to consider. Try sticking to fruits in the morning, and leaving fats for the afternoon or evening. Fruits digest quicker, require less energy to do so, and give you energy via fructose and electrolytes in the process. Fats digest slower and require more energy to break down. Consume foods that digest slower later in the day. Then, you won’t feel tired mid-day when you want to be most active. Fats will digest better in the evening since most people are sedentary around this time. Your body will have all night to break them down thoroughly.
Keep your morning to eating fruit and leave the avocado, nuts, seeds, and oils for later. For those who have slow digestion to begin with, this is an essential habit to build with food. The next morning, start back with the fruits.
Food combinations
Combining food can be fun when starting a vegan or raw vegan diet. It’s often said that the more colorful your meal is, the more nutrition it contains. This is doable for someone who’s been raw for many years and has built a cleaner and efficient gut. However, the newer vegan may have issues doing this. This is not to say that no one can combine foods when starting out. But, for those who are more attune to their digestion, or typically have digestive issues in general, start out simple. Especially for those with a history of parasites, candida overgrowth, antibiotic use, or dairy consumption, stay away from food combining. For those that have this kind of history, you are starting out with a dirty gastrointestinal tract. Simple fruit mono meals are best to stick to. Fruit mono meals consist of eating one type of fruit for a meal. This will cleanse and nourish your gut better than any combination of foods, even fruit combinations.
As stated previously, water-rich foods digest quicker than fat-containing foods. Keep this in mind when preparing your vegan meals. Do not combine 2 foods that have different digestion rates. This will cause the food with quicker digestion to stay inside longer, leading to fermentation and rotting.
Eat smaller, more frequent meals
Digestion works best when your gastrointestinal tract isn’t pressured to work quickly and hard. Eating a big meal in one sitting and stuffing your stomach with too much food at once, hinders optimal digestion. Eating smaller and more frequent meals gives your body what it needs while leaving room for efficient digestion.
Think of when you’re at a crowded event and there’s only one exit. The most efficient and safe way to exit is to let people walk through in small groups, little by little. If everyone ran to the exit and pushed through, they would get stuck, injuries would occur, and it would take longer to fully evacuate. Similarly in your digestive tract, it prefers your meals to not be excessive and lead to obstruction. Eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re satisfied is a good rule to follow.
Play with herbal teas
Peppermint, ginger, chamomile, anis, and dandelion teas are wonderful for digestion. You can find these teas almost anywhere and they’re great to stock up on and keep in your cabinet. The warm water will help dilate blood vessels in your gastrointestinal tract which will promote better digestion and absorption. The added herbs can further assist in cleansing, de-bloating, and soothing your stomach. Microbiome changes in the gut from moving to a vegan or raw vegan diet can be difficult from the increase in fiber and water-rich plant foods. Herbal teas are an easy and affordable way to make the transition smoother.
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Remember, the more plant (preferably raw) foods that you incorporate into your diet, the healthier you will be. Eventually, as you stick to a 100% plant-based or raw vegan diet, your digestion will become smooth and trouble-free. Be patient with your body, as healing and health take time.