The Migrating Motor Complex
Eating constantly throughout the day can impact the optimal functioning of your gut! Whenever there is food in your stomach and digestive tract, the ‘Migrating Motor complex’ (MMC) stops.
The MMC, otherwise known as the housekeeper of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, is the natural mechanical and chemical cleansing mechanism of the gut. It is the movement pattern or grumbling in our stomach and small intestine that occurs between our mealtimes. It happens when there is no food being digested, in preparation for our next meal.
The MMC lasts approximately two-hours, moving contents from the stomach to the end of our GI tract. It stops once we start to eat again. If the MMC is impaired, gastric contents can remain, resulting in symptoms such as pain, early fullness and bloating. In the case of a complete absence of the MMC, bacterial overgrowth can occur.
The MMC stops when we eat. So while this doesn’t mean that you need to be fasting for long periods of time for ‘gut-cleansing’, it does mean that having meals and snacks spaced out, at least a couple of hours apart throughout the day, can help your gut do its thing. It’s the easiest gut health hack you’ll ever try!
Book now with our experienced dietitians for help.
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