Nourish yourself wisely and lightly and listen to your body.

1. Try to eat while relaxed in a pleasant setting, and take your time. If you’re under emotional stress or in a hurry, select simple foods such as fresh juice, fruit, yogurt, a handful of sunflower seeds, or a protein bar.
   
   
2. Keep up your exercise regimen. Walking and yoga are particularly good for digestion.
   
   
3. Drink lots of pure water—but not at mealtimes, unless you’re trying to lower food intake as part of a weight-loss diet. (Still, too much fluid during meals dilutes the digestive juices.)
   
   
4. Minimize intake of ice-cold drinks. Instead, choose soothing warm drinks such as hot lemon water or herbal teas, or drink room temperature water.
   
   
5. Get enough fiber in your diet from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, or take additional bran or psyllium.
   
   
6. Learn your best personal remedies for digestive upsets. Foods, herbs, and nutrients can help prevent or improve common ailments. For example, peppermint or chamomile tea may help.
   
   
7. Minimize toxins and irritants; choose organic foods whenever possible.
   
   
8. If you have chronic indigestion, consider supplementing meals with enzymes. You may also benefit from healthy bacteria (probiotics).
   
   
9. For ongoing symptoms of digestive upset consult your healthcare practitioner. He or she can test you for food allergies, low or high stomach acid, and more.
   
   
10. Remember: Find the foods that feel right to you, and CHEW thoroughly.

Elson M. Haas, MD;
TasteForLife.com Contributor

Elson M. Haas, MD, has been in medical practice for more than 30 years and is the founder and director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California. Dr. Haas is the author of seven books on health and nutrition including the new twenty-first-century edition of Staying Healthy with Nutrition: The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine ($39.95, Celestial Arts, 2006), as well as The New Detox Diet, The False Fat Diet, and the latest 2003 edition of Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Visit his Web site for more tips on healthy living.

More about Elson M. Haas, MD on the web at:

http://www.elsonhaas.com