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Swallowing pills and capsules can be challenging for many people. Here we explore some solutions to this fairly common issue.
One of the most common issues talked about online in relation to supplementation and taking medication relates to how best to swallow capsules/pills without discomfort and difficulty.
If this is something that you can relate to, whether it’s a physical challenge or something you don’t like the idea of, there are a couple of options available to you:
- Keep reading this blog post, where we explore some top tips for making swallowing pills of all sizes, easier.
- Consider alternative methods of delivering the best supplements to your body - the most popular of which are outlined at the end of this post.
Make your supplements and medication easier to swallow
There are a number of reasons why people can find it difficult to swallow pills - from a fear of choking through to more physical challenges such as a dry throat, and difficulties with swallowing as a result of an underlying condition like dysphagia.
The following tips are designed to make it easier for you to swallow pills - with our first piece of advice being to speak to your pharmacist and make them aware of your challenges. Whether or not they can deliver an alternative form of medicine will depend on what you are taking, however once they are aware of your struggles then they will be able to do what they can to support you.
Tips for making it easier to swallow pills
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Lubricate your throat with cold water or a cold drink before. It is common knowledge that pills are easier to swallow with a drink, but did you know that lubricating your throat prior to popping the capsule in your mouth can help it to slide down into your system more easily? Once the pill is inside your mouth, take another swig of your drink and keep drinking to help the pill go down.
- Tilt your head forwards slightly when swallowing. This may feel counterintuitive - after all, you want the pill to move backwards towards your throat, not down towards your lips - however tilting your head forwards will open up your throat and make swallowing much easier.
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A spoonful of sugar (or something a little healthier!). As Mary Poppins once said, a spoonful of sugar will make the medicine go down - and in this case, placing your capsule into the centre of a spoon holding something sweet and delicious can disguise any residual taste on the outside of the pill and can help it slide down your throat more easily.
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Ask if the pill can be broken down into smaller chunks, crushed, or opened and poured onto something edible. This will not be possible for every medication and/or supplement and it’s crucial that you ask your doctor before crushing any pills as some cannot be tampered with before taking them - however in some cases it can be a great way to make your daily intake easier.
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Try different head postures and find out what works for you. Everyone is different and our bodies have their own ways of coping with things we don’t like - for example, some people are best taking pills with their head tilted a certain way, while others need to be standing, sitting, or stood somewhere on their own without anyone watching!
- Practice with Tic Tac’s before attempting the real thing. Tic Tac’s are the same size and shape as many pills, so are an ideal test subject before you swallow the real thing. And if your pills happen to be round rather than long and thin, try the same thing with smarties or M&Ms.
And of course, if all else fails then why not ask your pharmacist if the pill or medicine is available in liquid form?
Alternative methods for those who struggle to swallow pills
If you try but find that the above tips and methods have all failed, then here at Inspired Health we have a range of alternative products to try - ensuring that you still get the nutrients and vitamins you need but in a different format.
Search for the One Nutrition oral spray, and the Udo’s Choice collection of oils and greens as part of your research - delivering the same hit of goodness without the difficulty of swallowing large pills.
Our Norvia range also includes multivitamin drinks which deliver a wealth of goodness directly into your body - all without the need for pills, tablets, or capsules.
