Keeping Track Of Your Digestive Health

Posted by Nordhomewares on April 10th, 2018

Keeping your digestive tract healthy is paramount to your overall health and well-being. Your digestive tract is responsible for breaking down foods into nutrients that the body uses to repair cells and produce energy for the body. Digestion begins when you place food in your mouth. Digestive enzymes in your mouth mix with foods and begin breaking down food particles. The food then travels through the esophagus and enters the stomach. Here, the food mixes with stomach acids and is broken down even further before it enters the small intestine. The small intestine breaks down food into useable nutrients that are sent to the bloodstream. Finally, the remaining food particles enter the large intestine where excess fluids are absorbed into the body. The remaining food passes out of the body through the colon.

Just like any other bodily system, issues can occur that can affect digestion. A genetic problem, a food intolerance, a toxic environment, a bad diet or low immunity can cause gastrointestinal issues. Luckily, there are many things that you can do to maintain optimal gastrointestinal function. Let's take a look at the lifestyle changes that you can make to improve your digestion and minimize the symptoms of a poorly functioning digestive system.

Probiotics – Probiotics are live bacteria that are beneficial to the digestive tract. If you eat an unhealthy diet, are under extreme stress, have been on antibiotics or suffer from insomnia, the good bacteria in the digestive tract can become overwhelmed by bad bacteria, leading to malnutrition, poor digestion and systemic inflammation. Take a probiotic supplement and eat fermented foods to help restore the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.

Hydrate to health – Dehydration can negatively impact your gastrointestinal health, including constipation, slower digestion and other digestive woes. The Mayo Clinic reports that many people do not experience thirst until they are dehydrated. This means that you should drink plenty of water each day to prevent dehydration.

Exercise – Physical activity improves blood flow to the digestive tract and stimulates the muscles in your gastrointestinal system to speed up digestion and prevent gastrointestinal disturbances. Aim to do 30 minutes of exercise each day to improve your gastrointestinal health and protect against gastrointestinal disturbances.

Stress relief techniques – Stress can negatively impact your digestive system. When you experience stress, stress hormones are released into the body, which sends a signal to the brain to decrease digestion so that it has enough energy to react if a situation arises. Practicing stress relief techniques like aromatherapy, journaling, prayer, yoga, deep breathing exercises and meditation can help lower stress levels and improve digestion.

Eat slowly – One of the worst things you can do is to eat fast. When you eat too fast, you do not properly chew your foods, which can make it difficult for the body to digest foods. For best results, slow down while you eat and ensure that you are chewing every bite at least twenty times before swallowing.

Fiber– Fiber is your gastrointestinal tract's friend. Fiber works in two different ways. First, it mixes with fluids in the body and helps to bulk up stools and prevent constipation. Secondly, fiber helps to scrub the tight junctions in the gastrointestinal tract to remove toxins, pathogens and unhealthy bacteria.

Maintain a healthy weight – According to Doctor Oz, being overweight can increase your risk of developing GERD, which occurs when the valve connecting your esophagus and your stomach doesn't close properly and allows stomach acids to rise into the esophagus. Losing weight can reduce the pressure on this valve and reduce the risk of experiencing GERD.

Stop smoking – Most people know that smoking can have negative health consequences, including heart disease, cancer and respiratory problems; however, many do not realize that it can also negatively impact the digestive tract. Smoking weakens the sphincter connecting the esophagus and stomach, which can increase the risk of GERD. Additionally, smoking can increase the risk of gastrointestinal infections like H. pylori, which can cause peptic ulcers. Quitting smoking can improve your digestive health.

When your digestive health is not functioning properly, you can experience a number of digestive disturbances, including heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, gallstones, constipation, diarrhea, diverticulitis, peptic ulcers and celiac disease. Luckily, there are many lifestyle changes that you can make to improve your digestion. Eat a healthy diet, exercise daily, keep your weight at healthy levels and practice stress relief technique to improve your digestive health.