10 Ways To Improve Your Digestive Health

Your digestive system contains several organs, including the esophagus, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, small intestine, stomach, and large intestine. These organs work together to help digest your food into usable nutrients your body needs for energy, cell repair, and growth. When the digestive system does not function properly, your health can become compromised. Luckily, there are several things that you can do to boost your digestive health.

1. A high-fiber diet – Fiber improves digestive health in several ways. First, it helps bulk up stools and improves gut motility. However, it is essential to understand that you must drink plenty of water for fiber to work efficiently. Fiber also scrubs the intestinal tract. It has been shown to reduce inflammation, relieve the symptoms of GERD and irritable bowel syndrome, and improve overall digestion.

2. Probiotics – The beneficial bacteria and yeasts found in the gastrointestinal tract are called probiotics. Probiotics are found in fermented foods, including pickles, yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut. Consuming these foods and taking a probiotic supplement is your first offense to ensure your digestive tract works properly.

3. Limit high-fat foods – Fatty foods can slow down digestion and make you prone to constipation. According to Health.com, high-fat foods can cause heartburn and acid reflux. When you consume too much fat, you can suffer from steatorrhea, which is excess fat in your feces, resulting in pale-colored stools. High-fat foods like butter can lead to several digestive issues, including irritable bowel syndrome.

4. Stay hydrated – There is nothing like water to boost your digestive health. Water helps speed digestion, flush toxins from your body, and ensure you are adequately hydrated. Many people think that drinking 8-ounce cups of water each day will help to ensure they are correctly hydrated; however, according to the Mayo Clinic, several things determine the amount of fluids you should intake. There is a formula that you can use to help ensure you are getting plenty of fluids. Take your weight and divide it in half. This is the number of ounces of fluids that your body needs. Remember that approximately 20 percent of your needed fluids come from your food.

5. Avoid caffeine, tobacco, and excess alcohol – Each of these substances can interfere with your digestion. Furthermore, these substances can lead to a host of digestive issues, including ulcers and heartburn. To help improve your digestion, limit your consumption and use of these substances.

6. Stress management – Stress can wreak havoc on your digestive system. When you experience stress, your adrenal glands produce more stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can slow down digestion. Stress management, including journaling, yoga, and meditation, can help lower stress and reduce the number of stress hormones traveling through your body.

7. Regular exercise—Physical activity speeds digestion and helps maintain a healthy body weight. Experts recommend that healthy individuals get 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly to maintain their health.

8. Slow down and chew your food. Many people do not realize that their digestion begins in their mouths. Chewing your food, you mix enzymes from your mouth to break it down. Proper chewing eases the load of digestion on your stomach. This, in turn, ensures that the foods you eat are wholly digested into a liquid so they can pass smoothly into your intestines.

9. Eat smaller meals – Eating smaller meals throughout the day rather than three larger meals helps to keep your digestive tract healthy and prevent heartburn. Smaller meals mean your digestive tract does not need to work as hard to digest your food. Additionally, by eating small meals throughout the day, your body will have all the energy required to maintain health.

10. Decrease your sugar intake. Sugary foods slow down digestion and promote the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Excess sugar draws water into the colon, which can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Dietary and lifestyle changes and probiotic supplementation can boost digestion and decrease abdominal discomfort. Promote digestive health by eating a high-quality diet rich in fiber and low in fat and sugar. Finally, reduce stress levels and exercise regularly to properly ensure your digestive tract functions.