Does your digestion slow you down or cause discomfort? There are many lifestyle and diet changes you can try that may help improve your digestive health.
Healthy Habits
To avoid or lessen digestion challenges, Dr. Hall suggests creating healthy habits and making better nutrition choices. Here are some quick tips to try:
- Eat smaller meals and chew your food well so your digestion doesn’t have to work so hard.
- Drink more water throughout the day to assist in flushing bodily waste and improve your overall digestive health.
- Exercise more to keep your body, and other things, moving.
- Get a good night’s sleep and try to avoid stress.
Smart Nutrition
Digestion helps turn food into nutrients that your body needs for energy, growth and cell function. You can help that process along by giving your body what it needs, and avoiding things that may cause disruptions. Dr. Hall advises her patients to:
- Cut down or avoid alcohol and caffeine.
- Be aware of spicy food and avoid it if it causes irritation.
- Stay away from sugar and carbs.
- Eat more yogurt and fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, and kombucha.
- Choose high-fiber foods to help regulate digestion, such as:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Legumes
- Nuts and seeds
- Whole grains
- Fill nutritional gaps with supplements.
Healthy digestion is a key part of every day health and wellness. Your gut is a strong line of defense against disease. In fact, 70 percent of your immune system is made up of tissues located in your GI tract. To optimize overall health and wellness, it’s important to keep your digestion healthy.
