Unexpected Foods That Can Wreck Your Digestive System

Lisette Marie

23. Excess Snacking: Disrupting the Migrating Motor Complex

Man Eating Healthy Snack at Workplace. Photo Credit: Envato @seventyfourimages

Constant snacking, even on healthy foods, prevents your gut from completing one of its key cleanup functions—the migrating motor complex (MMC). This wave-like motion clears undigested food and bacteria between meals. Without enough time between eating, food can ferment, causing bloating, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), and indigestion. Spacing meals at least 3–4 hours apart (or practicing intermittent fasting) can improve motility and gut health.

24. Tap Water Contaminants: Invisible Gut Stressors

refilling glass of water from a faucet tap. Photo Credit: Envato @towfiqu98

While drinking water is essential for digestion, not all tap water is created equal. Depending on your location, it may contain chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, and trace pharmaceuticals—all of which can harm gut bacteria over time. Using a quality water filter helps eliminate these contaminants and supports a healthier gut microbiome. You don’t need fancy bottled water—just cleaner hydration to keep your gut thriving.

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23. Excess Snacking: Disrupting the Migrating Motor Complex

24. Tap Water Contaminants: Invisible Gut Stressors

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