For some of us, digestive discomfort has become a fact of life. Our diets can contribute to digestive system difficulties. Many people eat too much processed food and sugar, and not enough fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Poor eating habits, such as eating too quickly or skipping meals, can also be part of the problem. Many digestive problems can be prevented through lifestyle. We complain about everyday ailments such as occasional gas, bloating and irregularity, assuming they are inevitable. But they don’t have to be. By paying attention and making some healthy simple changes, you can help your digestive system do its job– absorbing nutrients and keeping things running smoothly.
In theory, you should be able to digest just about any type of food you put in your mouth. But changes in food processing and preparation (think fried foods) not to mention lifestyle (think sedentary) mean our stomachs don’t always react well to everything we eat. It’s best to avoid some food—like fatty meats—to avoid upset stomachs. But, fortunately, nature also provides foods that can ease our digestion.
The following five tips can help improve your digestive health. By doing some of these things you can greatly improve your digestive health and keep everything running smoothly:
- Stay hydrated. There is nothing better for your overall and digestive health than drinking water. Drinking too little slows down digestion making your stool harder. TIP: adding lemon to your water helps detoxify.
- Add probiotics. These “good bacteria” are used to prevent and alleviate many different conditions but particularly those that affect the gastrointestinal tract. They are really good at regulating the amount of healthy bacteria in your system and normalizing bowel movements.
- Get moving. Exercise! Physical activity speeds up digestion, increases blood flow to all your organs, and stimulates muscles in the GI tract, helping your organs work more efficiently.
- Add fiber. Make fiber a regular part of your day and you will be REGULAR everyday. Fiber helps everything move smoothly through the intestine and also increases weight and size of excrement, eliminating toxins.
- Slow down when eating. Slow down and chew each bite at least 20 times. That gives your stomach plenty of time to prepare to properly digest the nutrients you are giving it, and allows your body and brain to tell you when you’ve had enough. I cannot stress enough how important digestive health is for your overall health! Make the necessary changes toward a healthy system and your body will thank you for it!
Thank you for reading!
Felicia Romero
