Have you ever heard the expression, "Trust your gut"? If you're unfamiliar, it means you should listen to your intuition. But, while that's just a saying, there's a real-life connection between your brain and your gut. Tummy trouble, for example, can make you anxious, and anxiety can cause stomach pain. That's just one example of how your gut affects your overall health, but it's true across the board.
A well-functioning digestive system ensures the absorption of essential nutrients while preventing digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation and acid reflux. But digestive health is not just about the food you put in your body or what's happening in your gastrointestinal tract. Taking care of your digestive health is a holistic process, taking into account everything from your exercise routines and stress levels to your water intake and weight.
Are you ready to take charge of your digestive health? Here's a list of diet and lifestyle tips to help you enhance digestive function and your overall health.
Eat a Fiber-Rich Diet
Fiber helps your digestion and overall health in various ways, including preventing constipation, supporting heart health and controlling blood sugar. Additionally, high-fiber foods — which include whole grains, beans, popcorn, berries and nuts — are filling, so they help you eat less and maintain a healthy weight.
Move More, Sit Less
Regular exercise helps promote healthy digestion by increasing the muscle activity in your digestive tract. Conversely, sitting too much throughout the day can lead to slower digestion and constipation. Plus, exercise can curb stress, which can trigger many digestive problems. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week for adults.
Manage Stress
You may think of stress as something that goes on inside your head. But the truth is that stress affects your whole body, including your gut. Stress and anxiety can trigger chemical changes that interfere with digestion, exacerbating gastrointestinal problems like IBS or heartburn. Massage, yoga, meditation and exercise are all tools that can help you keep stress under control.
Practice Mindful Eating
Don't rush through your meals. Gobbling down your food causes you to swallow air, making you feel gassy and bloated. Mindful eating is easy. Slow down. Chew your food thoroughly, savoring each bite.
Another element of mindful eating is to show gratitude at mealtime. Think about all the work that went into getting the food you're about to put on your plate. Or, you can show gratitude to your friends and family who are eating with you. Not only will you reduce taking in air as you eat, but you will enjoy your meal more.
Hydrate
Water and fiber-rich foods go hand in hand. Once you start increasing your fiber intake, drinking plenty of water is vital to moving things promptly through your system. Additionally, water helps with nutrient absorption and gut motility.
That said, you don't have to stick to plain water. Sipping juices, teas and milk, in addition to drinking water and eating food with high water content, such as watermelon and bell peppers, throughout the day will help your body get rid of waste and stay regular.
Watch Your Diet
It's not surprising to learn that what you eat can affect your digestion. Products like cheese, fried foods or potato chips can lead to gas or irritation for some people. For others, acidic items such as tomatoes or coffee can spell tummy trouble. If you pay attention to what and how much you eat, you can identify foods that cause discomfort or worsen symptoms so you can steer clear of them.
Manage Your Weight
Along with watching your diet, you should also watch what and how much you eat to focus on achieving a healthy weight. Excess weight can worsen heartburn; conversely, losing weight can reduce heartburn symptoms. Eating frequent, smaller and healthy meals can help you slim down and also help prevent indigestion, bloating and heartburn.
Minimize Alcohol
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend drinking no more than one alcoholic beverage daily for women and two for men. Regularly drinking more than one alcoholic beverage a day can increase the acid in your stomach and lead to an irritated stomach lining. Other tummy troubles related to excess alcohol consumption are constipation, diarrhea, heartburn and liver problems.
Quit Smoking
If reducing your risk of heart disease, certain cancers and stroke are not enough reasons to quit smoking, consider your gut health. Smoking increases your risk of heartburn, peptic ulcers, Crohn's disease and gallstones. While quitting can be challenging, it is more than possible — and you can do it. You may want to consider using smoking cessation products for help and support.
Try Probiotics
Probiotics are healthy bacteria and yeasts that live in the gut and convert food into essential nutrients. They are present in fermented foods like yogurt and sourdough bread, as well as in supplements. Probiotics are known as the "good bacteria" because they counterbalance the "bad bacteria" in our gut and promote digestive health. Balancing the good and bad bacteria in our gut can result in a balanced and healthy digestive system.
You can up your probiotic quotient through food or in supplement form. Probiotics are recommended for different uses based on their ingredients; talk to your doctor to help make the right choice for you.
Get OTC Help
Everyone overdoes eating and drinking once in a while. Indulging in too many rich, heavy foods can lead to stomach pain, gas, bloating or cramps, which can interfere with your quality of life — or a good night's sleep. Fortunately, there are a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) medications that can help you relieve symptoms. Some of the most common OTC products to help soothe tummy troubles include Pepto Bismol, Mylanta and sugar-free antacid chewable tablets.
Staying Happy and Healthy
Achieving digestive health requires a holistic approach that includes mindful eating, a fiber-rich diet, consistent hydration, regular exercise and stress management. Striving for a balanced and mindful approach to your diet and lifestyle can go a long way in ensuring a happier gut and a happier, healthier you.
These articles are intended for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and are not intended to treat or cure any disease. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in these articles. Advances in medicine may cause this information to become outdated, invalid, or subject to debate. Professional opinions and interpretations of scientific literature may vary. Consult your healthcare professional before making changes to your diet, exercise or medication regimen.