MMC stands for migrating motor complex, a pattern of electromagnetic activity that sweeps through your small intestinal tract in between meals and clears out food remnants and debris. It is often compared to a housekeeping service that is responsible for cleaning up the digestive tube.
When the MMC is not functioning optimally you are likely to experience digestive issues such as SIBO, which is the overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestinal tract, a very common cause for gas and bloating and other digestive symptoms.
The MMC can be quite noisy and while often taken as a sign of hunger, the growling sounds coming from your tummy may be nothing more than the peristaltic action of the gastrointestinal smooth muscle as it does a thorough cleaning job.
Eating does indeed stop the growling as it overrides the migrating motor complex and switches to a quieter phase of digestion. However, instead of reaching out for a snack as soon as your hear a rumble you may want to ignore the noise and let the MMC finish its job. The migrating motor complex kicks in about 2 hours after a meal and takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. This is why fasting for at least 4 hours between meals or snacks is beneficial for your digestion.
The migrating motor complex is thought to be regulated by the central nervous system and can be inhibited by stress. It is tough to get full symptom resolution without addressing the stress in your life or learn how to better cope with it. This is why yoga, meditation, massages and other stress busting techniques are such an important part of a holistic healing approach.
Here is a quick overview of how to support the migrating motor complex:
- Avoid constant eating and try fasting for at least 4 hours between meals and 12 hours overnight.
- Reduce stress and implement stress management practices such as meditation, yoga, etc.
- For gentle support of the MMC, ginger can work wonders. Chew on a ¼ tsp. of Homemade ginger “pickle”, made with grated ginger, lemon juice and a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt before meals.
- If you are trying to resolve more chronic digestive issues such as SIBO, you may need to take a natural motility supplement like MotilPro or Iberogast.
If you are looking for help with managing your gut related issues, let me know. I offer a free Nutrition Breakthrough Session to help get you on your way.
Be Well!
