10 Tips to Improve Your Digestive Health

Your digestive system is responsible for breaking down the food you consume into nutrients needed by the body. Neglecting your digestive system may cause problems in absorbing essential nutrients along the way. Complications may arise and disrupt your daily tasks. Nonetheless, lifestyle changes may help you improve the way your digestive health operates. Here are ten tips that can help you improve your digestive health.

Tip # 1: Eat a High-Fiber Diet

A high-fiber diet assists the food entering your digestive tract to move continuously. An unhampered path can reduce the risk of constipation. Similarly, a high-fiber diet may treat and prevent different digestive problems like hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). A high-fiber diet consists of legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.

Tip # 2: Include Healthy Fats in Your Diet

Good digestion, which gives you a feeling of satisfaction after every meal, requires good fat or omega-3 fatty acids. Healthy fats help you feel fuller after meals. The omega-3 fatty acids aid in proper nutrient absorption and decrease your risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases.

Tip # 3: Consume Five to Seven Servings of Vegetables and Fruits Daily

Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and other nutrients that can improve your digestive and overall health. Some people dislike the taste of bland vegetables or fruits. To make your meal more exciting, you may opt to get creative with your plate. For a rainbow view, you may arrange your food by color. You can also try eating a fruit bowl or try recipes that use various spices to make your veggies tastier.

Tip # 4: Try Healthier Cooking Methods

Many prefer frying foods because it’s convenient and makes the food taste better. However, this is an unhealthy way of preparing food, especially if you use this method often. You should try steaming, poaching, braising, boiling, and microwaving instead of frying.

If you are going to eat fried food every once in a while, make sure you thoroughly cook the meat to avoid health risks like salmonella.

Tip # 5: Include Probiotics in Your Diet

Probiotics are the same type of yeasts and bacteria naturally found in the digestive tract. They are responsible for combating the side effects of stress, antibiotics, and poor diet. They can also help break down lactose, treat IBS, strengthen the immune system, and enhance nutrient absorption. The best sources of probiotics are kefir and low-fat yogurt.

Tip # 6: Stay Hydrated

Another primary cause of constipation is low fluid intake. Medical professionals recommend drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. However, you may need to add another liter to this standard amount if you live in an area with warm weather or if you exercise. In addition to improving your digestive health, water also lubricates your joints, regulates body temperature, and flushes toxins from the body.

Tip # 7: Limit Intake of Food with Added Sugars

Over time, added sugars may produce harmful chemicals dangerous to the gastrointestinal tract. Make sure to read food labels for possible unhealthy sources of sugar. Doing this may be tricky since many manufacturers may try to hide sugar content in the labels.

Tip # 8: Do Not Eat Too Much Red Meat and Processed Meat

Studies show that high amounts of processed meat and red meat may be harmful to the digestive system. These products contain increased levels of chemicals and additives, which may damage the body. Unless you have certain food requirements, the general recommendation is to stick to a maximum of three servings per week. Instead of treating it as part of the main course, use processed or red meat in side dishes instead.

You may also opt to change your menu by replacing meat with beans, as it contains the same amount of protein as meat.

Tip # 9: Chew Your Food Properly

The primary role of teeth is to break down foods into smaller pieces to aid in digestion. Smaller food pieces will enable the enzymes to break down food better in your digestive tract. Therefore, make sure to chew your food correctly and thoroughly. Proper chewing may also prevent symptoms like heartburn and indigestion.

Tip # 10: Eat on Schedule

Not eating regularly can lead to a confused and abnormal digestive system. The digestive process may not run smoothly as compared to when you stick to an eating schedule. Target to sit down for breakfast, lunch, and dinner around the same time each day. You may also do this with in-between snacks.

Gastroenterologist in Lancaster, CA

Improving your digestive health does not mean you have to make immediate and big changes in your lifestyle. You can start with any of the tips we’ve shared today, so you can reduce your risk of developing digestive problems.

However, if you’re experiencing symptoms that indicate a problem with your digestive tract, don’t hesitate to reach out to our specialists at inSite Digestive Health Care. We provide high-quality care from our doctors across California. For your convenience, use our office locator to find a clinic near you, or call (818) 706-6096. We also offer telehealth services.

How to have a healthy digestive system

While good digestion is important to overall health, it can be affected by cancer treatment.

“Digestion is the way your body obtains nutrients from the food you eat and the beverages you drink,” says Corey Tolbert, RD, LD, a licensed and registered dietitian at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. “It’s also the way your body eliminates waste and toxins. If your digestive system isn’t working properly, your body isn’t going to function properly. It’s not going to get the nutrients it needs and eliminate what needs to be eliminated.”

Chemotherapy can have many side effects that affect digestion, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and bloating. Radiation treatment near the gastrointestinal tract can disrupt digestion.

What is considered normal, healthy digestion?

Having a daily bowel movement is typically a sign of good digestive health, says Tolbert. Some people “go” two to three times a day.

If you have any of the following symptoms on a regular basis, contact your healthcare provider:

These are all red flags that your digestive system isn’t working properly.

What to eat and avoid for good digestion

Certain foods can make digestion more difficult.

“If you have a diet high in fat, your gallbladder will have to work in overdrive to digest the food,” says Tolbert. “If you eat a lot of foods that are high in sugar, your pancreas will have to work in overdrive and release more insulin to digest. Eating a lot of unhealthy foods makes the body have to work harder to digest. Also, this can trigger an inflammatory response in the body.”

In contrast, eating nourishing foods that are high in fiber and rich in probiotics will help digestion. Tolbert recommends eating probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods every day.

Probiotic-rich foods can help build up good bacteria in your gut microbiome. These include:

Prebiotics serve as “food” for good bacteria. They include high-fiber foods like:

How alcohol and caffeine affect digestion

Tolbert recommends avoiding caffeine and alcohol during active cancer treatment.

“Caffeine is an appetite suppressant and diuretic, so it can cause you to become more dehydrated or have less of an appetite,” she says. “Alcohol messes with your hydration and electrolytes. It’s also higher in sugar, which can trigger blood sugar to become abnormal. Both caffeinated and alcoholic drinks can also trigger reflux.”

Other lifestyle tips to improve digestion

Exercise, stress management and good sleep hygiene can help improve your digestion.

Exercise. “Being physically active can help with digestion,” says Tolbert. “When you’re up and moving around, that increases your gut mobility and helps speed along the digestive process. Exercise will prevent constipation and bloating. ”

Get enough sleep and manage stress. “Anytime you’re not getting the sleep you need or have more stress than your body can handle, that’s going to affect every function of your body, including digestion,” she explains. “Stress and lack of sleep can also impact the hormones that regulate appetite. If you’re depressed or stressed, you may find you have less of an appetite or want to binge eat. Your body is like a machine – if one thing isn’t functioning properly, it can throw off the whole process.”

If you have concerns about your digestive health, cancer treatment symptoms or diet, talk to your healthcare provider.

Check out more nutrition tips from Cancer Wellness experts.

On what factors does the health of the dog’s digestive system depend?

11/08/2019

A healthy digestive system affects the overall health of a dog. What impact does healthy digestion have on a dog’s overall well-being, and how can you tell if your pet’s gastrointestinal tract isn’t working well enough?

By helping your dog maintain a healthy digestive system, you can improve many aspects of their health, from stool quality to appearance.

How the dog’s digestive system works

Like other mammals, the dog’s digestive system works to break down and digest food, as well as to absorb essential nutrients during the transit of food through the digestive tract.

The small intestine is the main organ of the digestive system where vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates are absorbed. It has a large surface area and is made up of different types of cells, which promotes efficient digestion and absorption of nutrients, as well as stimulates the formation of microflora (so-called “good” bacteria) that helps maintain intestinal health. In addition, the dog’s digestive system contains the largest number of immune cells that help protect the animal’s health.

A healthy dog’s digestive system is characterized by the right balance of “good” bacteria and the proper functioning of immune cells. Keeping the digestive system healthy can be achieved through nutrition that takes into account the individual needs of animals.

Signs of Digestive Health Problems

If your dog has sensitive digestion caused by an acute episode (usually caused by the dog eating something inappropriate), parasites, or a chronic illness, he may develop the following symptoms:

• vomiting;
• diarrhea or constipation;
• weight loss;
• possible changes in eating habits;
• dry, dull or brittle coat.

How nutrition affects the dog’s digestive system

A dog’s diet affects the entire body, including the digestive system. A specific diet tailored to your dog’s needs can go a long way in controlling sensitive digestion and maintaining a healthy digestive system.

Food containing prebiotics can help restore the balance of microflora in the intestines and improve the health of her digestive tract. Prebiotics are carbohydrates that stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria and therefore can affect the composition of bacteria in the gut.

Easily digestible and high quality proteins are essential as a building material for cell growth in the dog’s body. A diet that uses high quality proteins can help support digestive health and prevent sensitive digestion from being adversely affected.

In addition, dogs also need the right ratio of different types of fiber in their food. High-quality food should contain a balanced amount of fiber so that the dog can absorb nutrients easily without putting too much stress on the intestines.

When choosing a food that will support the health of your dog’s digestive system, it is important to consider his age, breed, size and lifestyle. Your veterinarian will provide you with additional information and advice on choosing the right food for your pet.

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⚕ 5 tips for a healthy digestive system

Today we have a holiday! Congratulations to our employee, sorceress and assistant – the Digestive system.

On May 29 we celebrate World Digestive Health Day together with the whole planet!

This holiday was introduced at 1958 by the World Gastroenterological Organization. The holiday has a lofty goal:

To draw the attention of mankind to a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition and to facilitate the task of the digestive system, which withstands daily stress.

Today we give you 5 tips for the health of your digestive system:

1. Breakfast is the main meal. It should be loaded with carbohydrates that are slowly digested. These are various cereals and cereals. The body burns old reserves of carbohydrates overnight, and replenishes the supply for the whole day at breakfast. Those carbohydrates that you ate in the morning begin to be digested immediately and are not deposited in extra pounds.
2. Do a “hunger test” periodically. We often confuse thirst and hunger. Therefore, if you are too hungry, drink a glass of water or tea. Wait 10 minutes. If the feeling of hunger does not leave you, look at the apple: “Do you want to eat it? Just be honest!” If not, then you are not hungry, drink more water.
3. Have a good night’s rest. Fatigue is the main enemy of healthy digestion. Lack of sleep causes a decrease in metabolism, and food is digested more slowly. Fatigue, on the other hand, increases the feeling of hunger.
4. Add fruits and vegetables to your diet. They are full of vitamins and minerals that help with healthy digestion and the whole body. Fruit can be a healthy dessert and replace heavy pastries, cakes and sweets. And vegetables can be taken in any form – stew, make salads, just eat with a side dish.