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In 2013, reports suggested that over 70% of Americans suffered from digestive symptoms including gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Current studies have also confirmed digestive problems are more common than we imagine. Approximately 62 million Americans are diagnosed with digestive disorders annually. As a person ages, the prevalence of these problems increases as well. While the United States faces obesity as an epidemic, people still ask about effective methods to manage their digestive discomfort. Are there any simple means to enhance digestion and prevent stomach-related complications? Here, we shall discuss some easy-to-understand recommendations to regulate your gastronomic issues and habits properly.
Ten easy tips for better digestive health
According to research published in 2016, 75% of Americans believe they’re eating healthy. However, more sophisticated examinations have shown that not even 3% of the US population has a healthy lifestyle! Since the previous decade, it has been reported that almost nobody in the USA takes proper measures to prevent digestive problems. Many activities may upset your GI tract and lead to digestive issues. So, eating less fiber, consuming dairy products excessively, not working out regularly, and several factors cause digestion-related problems. Let’s mention some simple yet effective methods to prevent these issues from occurring and promote digestive well-being. Follow these suggestions to improve digestion quickly:
- Prevent swelling
Many people across the globe suffer from gastritis, a condition in which the stomach swells, thereby causing severe irritation. You get it by smoking, drinking, eating spicy stuff, or consuming caffeinated beverages. The symptoms include belching, bloating, nausea, and blood in vomit/stool. Treating gastritis involves avoiding smoking/drinking and taking medicine such as PPIs, antacids, and histamine blockers. It also helps to contact professionals for assistance.
1. Prevent heartburn
It’s believed that 15 million Americans experience heartburn symptoms daily. In this condition, your stomach acid travels towards your throat, causing a burning sensation. You can prevent heartburn by losing some weight and avoiding high-impact exercises. Don’t consume processed meals and refrain from wearing tight clothes. After eating a light dinner, walk for some minutes to improve digestion. So, these strategies can help you control digestive disorders and remain healthy throughout the day.
2. Eat mindfully
Eating quickly and excessively are both harmful activities. That’s why we’ve established a process we call “mindful eating” that prevents unpleasant eating habits. It focuses on helping you consume your food properly for better digestion. We’ve broken this process down into some, which include:
- Turn off your smartphone
- Feast your eyes/nose before your mouth
- Select every mouthful carefully before eating it
- Consume your meals slowly and chew the food properly
- Drink sips of water while eating, take some breaks to talk to your friends/family, and rest for a few minutes after you’ve eaten
3. Eat more fiber
You should consume more fiber to improve your digestion; both soluble and insoluble fiber boosts your digestive well-being. Soluble fiber absorbs water during digestion, whereas insoluble fiber helps clean your GI tract like a natural toothbrush. Here’s how you get the required amount of fiber in your diet:
- Soluble fiber: Nuts, seeds, and legumes
- Insoluble fiber: Vegetables, wheat bran, and whole grains
Research suggests that a fiber-rich diet can prevent several digestive disorders such as ulcers, reflux, and even hemorrhoids. It’ll promote regular bowel movements while managing digestive problems effectively. Moreover, you can consider consuming probiotics and prebiotics to remain healthy.
4. Use probiotics
Consuming friendly bacteria can improve your digestion by strengthening your GI tract’s functioning. You can eat probiotics that are bacteria similar to those living inside your digestive system (e.g., yeast) and helping your body break down food. They help folks with poor diets by boosting nutrient absorption, bolstering your immune system, and helping your body digest lactose. You can get helpful bacteria in your stomach by eating oats, kefir, onions, bananas, legumes, low-fat yogurt, and vegetables.
5. Drink plenty of water
Constipation happens when your daily fluid intake isn’t sufficient for proper digestion. You should drink 1.5-2 liters of fluids (non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated) every day to prevent digestive issues. Don’t just drink bottled water when you can also imbibe smoothies and milkshakes. We recommend you drink diet cranberry juice to improve digestive well-being. It contains antioxidants that prevent ulcer-causing bacteria from growing inside your GI tract, thus protecting your digestive system from problems.
6. Ditch harmful habits
When your GI tract comes into contact with alcohol, it may cause burning and irritation. Alcohol prevents your digestive system from absorbing water efficiently, thereby causing indigestion. Also, drinking alcohol while eating pasta or burgers may also trigger digestive problems such as diarrhea. Similarly, we don’t recommend smoking since it’s linked with ulcers, GERD, and heartburn. Quitting this habit can reverse its harmful impact on your digestive health. So, avoid these harmful practices quickly.
7. Chew your food
Don’t forget that digestion begins from your mouth. Studies suggest that people who don’t chew well can’t absorb nutrients properly. Chewing your food helps the enzymes digest it better. When you chew your food, more saliva is produced and gets mixed with your dinner. Saliva enables your stomach to digest it effectively. Proper chewing has also been linked with decreased heartburn while promoting digestive well-being. Furthermore, the mere act of chewing leads to reduced stress, which brings us to the next point on this list.
7. Curb your stress
Stress may worsen your digestive health and produce indigestion symptoms. These symptoms often include ulcers, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. So, we recommend following stress management techniques to prevent mental distress. From behavioral therapy to energy healing practices – there are several suggestions when it comes to stress-reducing mechanics. Even listening to yourself just sitting quietly while breathing slowly can help you reduce stress, thereby improving digestion.
8. Exercise regularly
It’s a no-brainer that a proper workout routine doesn’t just help boost your physical health but also enhances your mental well-being. It stimulates the release of endorphins that manage your burnout and enable you to endure mental disorders. Exercising improves one’s digestion too by keeping the food moving inside your intestines, thereby preventing constipation. Regular activities contribute to physical fitness and reduce the chances of gaining excessive weight. Hence, you must work out daily.
Conclusion
We’ve discussed how Americans mainly don’t consume healthy meals. Therefore, they suffer from many digestive problems that have now become prevalent in society. For instance, a study shows that 75% of Americans aged 45+ experience hemorrhoids. Similarly, research estimates that one-fifth of Americans have GERD (acid reflux). So, how can you improve digestion and manage digestive problems? Consume nutritious meals that give you the required amounts of minerals and fiber. Chew your food while eating mindfully. Sleep properly, exercise regularly, and avoid smoking/drinking. Contact a professional if you’re suffering from gastric and other stomach-related issues to stop digestive disorders from harming your health.
Isreal olabanji a dental assistant and public health professionals and has years of experience in assisting the dentist with all sorts of dental issues.
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