After over a year of home-cooked meals and drinking cold water from the fridge, we might start picking up lunches at the drive-thru and our favorite carbonated drink at the vending machine down the hall now that we’re returning to the office. Luckily we can avoid throwing away all that hard work!

Dr. Vikki Petersen, certified clinical nutritionist, chiropractor, and certified functional medicine practitioner, shares with HOLA! USA, ways to boost digestion naturally and why what goes into your body matters.

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“You have 10 trillion cells in your body, and all of them need to “eat” or be fueled to function. Add to that; your gut is host to your microbiome, 30 trillion (estimated) organisms that assist your digestion, brain health, immunity, and hormonal balance. It is not an overstatement to say that without proper digestion, it is impossible to be healthy,” says Dr. Vikki Petersen.

Here are Dr. Vikki Petersen’s top ways to boost digestion naturally

Hydrate Regularly

• Most Americans are dehydrated. Getting about eight glasses of purified water per day (not more than one glass or 8 oz per hour) is genuinely critical to optimize your digestion. It allows for better absorption of nutrients as well as better elimination of toxins. Drinking enough water can help you feel better in ways you probably wouldn’t realize.

Stay Away From Processed Foods

• Processed foods should not even be called “food,” as they provide more toxic exposure and body burden than they do nutrition. The non-food, harmful oils and chemicals in processed foods will “feed” the bad bacteria in your gut and introduce chemicals that burden your body’s ability to digest and absorb good nutrients.

Eat More Vegetables & More Fiber

• Fiber is a critical component that drives good nutrients down into your lower colon, feeding your healthy bacteria. Fiber helps with elimination, builds toxins, and is also vital for blood sugar regulation. Natural fiber, contained in vegetables and fruits, is loaded with Phyto (plant) -nutrients and antioxidants that help prevent disease due to their high nutrient content.

Get Up and Move

• Moving your body helps you to digest better. While you don’t want to go for a run or hit the weights with a full stomach, waiting a good hour after a meal or enjoying a pleasant stroll after dinner are good ways to enhance nutrient absorption and keep your weight under control.

Chew Your Food

• It is a fact that digestion begins in your mouth. The enzymes in your saliva start the digestion process, and chewing your food well facilitates your stomach’s digestive process. Avoid eating quickly and not chewing adequately to enhance your digestion, especially if you have sluggish digestion.