7 Easy Ways To Get Yourself A Healthy Digestive System
Digestive issues such as gas, bloating heartburn, nausea, constipation
or diarrheoa can easily interfere with what should be one of life’s
pleasures—sharing a meal with friends.
The truth is you have to eat in order to live, but when uncomfortable digestive issues arise, what normally should be a pleasurable occurrence for you can take a turn for the worse.
As time goes on, you end up with a stressed-out stomach looking for relief. I know, have been there.
A happy, well-functioning digestive system is fundamental to keeping you healthy and feeling good. Having a disturbing tummy can ruin the best of days for anyone.
By knowing certain tricks to stop (or at least really reduce) symptoms, you can avoid tummy fluctuations and begin to improve your digestion without even noticing you’ve made any important changes.
1. Reduce sugar and fat intake
Too many calories from sugary, fatty or fried foods are hard to digest. They can irritate your stomach by slowing down the process of digestion, creating a very full, uncomfortable feeling.
Excess sugar makes your blood sugar skyrocket, setting up an unhealthy process of too much sugar in the bloodstream and too much insulin being pumped out by the pancreas to compensate for the situation.
The excess of insulin also leads to extra storage of calories, contributing to weight gain.
Instead, take more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds.
When eating meat, go for something lower in fat such as fish, poultry, lean beef and pork. Take olive oil instead of butter and margarine.
2. Fill up with water
Being adequately hydrated is key in the digestion process. Water helps speed up the transit time of food through the digestive tract, and prevents constipation by creating a softer, bulkier stool.
Aim for 9 to 13 cups of fluid each day, or enough until your urine appears clear.
Also, do not drink water in between meals, instead drink water before or after meals.
3. Move more
It’s easy to understand the benefits of exercise by noticing the changes in the appearance of your bodies on the outside, but keeping active also does wonders for you on the inside.
Physical activity is important for good digestive health. Constant exercise improves blood flow to all your organs, including the gastrointestinal tract.
This stimulates and tones muscles within your stomach and intestines, keeping contents moving quickly.
Aim for at least 30 minutes each day but you should avoid strenuous workouts right after eating.
4. Include probiotics
Do you know you have more bacteria in your digestive tracts than other cells in your bodies?
Maintaining a balance between good and bad bacteria can sometimes be tricky, and when the bad bacteria dominates, you will certainly feel it with a dysfunctional digestive system.
Aiding your good bacteria with food sources containing probiotics are usually the best way to get your gut bacteria in balance. Try integrating yogurt into your daily diet.
5. Slow down when eating
Your digestive system doesn’t like to be rushed, if you in a hurry and also hungry, drink water it will satisfy you that moment.
Taking your time when eating a snack or meal gives the stomach the chance to easily digest and absorb the nutrients within the food.
This also aids your body and brain to give you the signal of when you are satisfied.
Turn off the TV and resist looking at your computer or smartphone while eating— if you are distracted, you tend to eat more food than when they put the focus just on eating.
6. Consume more fiber
For a substance that really doesn’t get absorbed in our digestive system, it’s surprising how much healthy digestion relies on fiber to keep things running smooth.
Fiber comes in two types—soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, helping you slow down digestion and absorption, making you feel fuller for longer.
It also slows down the amount of glucose entering into your boodstream, keeping blood sugar levels at a more balance level.
Insoluble fiber passes through unabsorbed, but it attracts water to it in the colon creating a softer, bulkier, easier-to-pass bowel movement, reducing constipation and pain.
7. Achieve and keep a healthy body weight
A healthy body weight is associated with fewer symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
This disease allows contents from the stomach to flow backwards into the esophagus due to a weak valve that doesn’t close completely between the stomach and esophagus.
The strong stomach acid backs up into the esophagus causing unpleasant symptoms of pain, burning and irritation of the lining of the unprotected esophagus.
Losing excess weight reduces the pressure and can help avoid heartburn and other kind of discomfort.
In conclusion, how fast our food moves starting from when we eat to the time it leaves our body, has a substantial impact on our gut health.
The longer food stays in our digestive tract, the more harmful bacteria degradation products are created.
A shorter transit time means a healthier digestive system.
The truth is you have to eat in order to live, but when uncomfortable digestive issues arise, what normally should be a pleasurable occurrence for you can take a turn for the worse.
As time goes on, you end up with a stressed-out stomach looking for relief. I know, have been there.
A happy, well-functioning digestive system is fundamental to keeping you healthy and feeling good. Having a disturbing tummy can ruin the best of days for anyone.
By knowing certain tricks to stop (or at least really reduce) symptoms, you can avoid tummy fluctuations and begin to improve your digestion without even noticing you’ve made any important changes.
1. Reduce sugar and fat intake
Too many calories from sugary, fatty or fried foods are hard to digest. They can irritate your stomach by slowing down the process of digestion, creating a very full, uncomfortable feeling.
Excess sugar makes your blood sugar skyrocket, setting up an unhealthy process of too much sugar in the bloodstream and too much insulin being pumped out by the pancreas to compensate for the situation.
The excess of insulin also leads to extra storage of calories, contributing to weight gain.
Instead, take more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds.
When eating meat, go for something lower in fat such as fish, poultry, lean beef and pork. Take olive oil instead of butter and margarine.
2. Fill up with water
Being adequately hydrated is key in the digestion process. Water helps speed up the transit time of food through the digestive tract, and prevents constipation by creating a softer, bulkier stool.
Aim for 9 to 13 cups of fluid each day, or enough until your urine appears clear.
Also, do not drink water in between meals, instead drink water before or after meals.
3. Move more
It’s easy to understand the benefits of exercise by noticing the changes in the appearance of your bodies on the outside, but keeping active also does wonders for you on the inside.
Physical activity is important for good digestive health. Constant exercise improves blood flow to all your organs, including the gastrointestinal tract.
This stimulates and tones muscles within your stomach and intestines, keeping contents moving quickly.
Aim for at least 30 minutes each day but you should avoid strenuous workouts right after eating.
4. Include probiotics
Do you know you have more bacteria in your digestive tracts than other cells in your bodies?
Maintaining a balance between good and bad bacteria can sometimes be tricky, and when the bad bacteria dominates, you will certainly feel it with a dysfunctional digestive system.
Aiding your good bacteria with food sources containing probiotics are usually the best way to get your gut bacteria in balance. Try integrating yogurt into your daily diet.
5. Slow down when eating
Your digestive system doesn’t like to be rushed, if you in a hurry and also hungry, drink water it will satisfy you that moment.
Taking your time when eating a snack or meal gives the stomach the chance to easily digest and absorb the nutrients within the food.
This also aids your body and brain to give you the signal of when you are satisfied.
Turn off the TV and resist looking at your computer or smartphone while eating— if you are distracted, you tend to eat more food than when they put the focus just on eating.
6. Consume more fiber
For a substance that really doesn’t get absorbed in our digestive system, it’s surprising how much healthy digestion relies on fiber to keep things running smooth.
Fiber comes in two types—soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water, helping you slow down digestion and absorption, making you feel fuller for longer.
It also slows down the amount of glucose entering into your boodstream, keeping blood sugar levels at a more balance level.
Insoluble fiber passes through unabsorbed, but it attracts water to it in the colon creating a softer, bulkier, easier-to-pass bowel movement, reducing constipation and pain.
7. Achieve and keep a healthy body weight
A healthy body weight is associated with fewer symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
This disease allows contents from the stomach to flow backwards into the esophagus due to a weak valve that doesn’t close completely between the stomach and esophagus.
The strong stomach acid backs up into the esophagus causing unpleasant symptoms of pain, burning and irritation of the lining of the unprotected esophagus.
Losing excess weight reduces the pressure and can help avoid heartburn and other kind of discomfort.
In conclusion, how fast our food moves starting from when we eat to the time it leaves our body, has a substantial impact on our gut health.
The longer food stays in our digestive tract, the more harmful bacteria degradation products are created.
A shorter transit time means a healthier digestive system.
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