Tips for a Healthier Digestive System
Eat a balance diet, increasing fruits and vegetables in your diet. Nowadays people are fond of eating processed and refined foods, they forgot the importance of whole grains, legumes, variety of vegetables and at least 5 servings of various fruits everyday that plays a major role not just in our digestive system but health in general.
Insoluble fibers from plant foods help prevent colon cancer and digestive disorders. It helps eliminate constipation and sometimes prevent hemorrhoids. Fibers also help prevent and treat diverticulosis, small pouches in the wall of colon that can become inflamed. For more info about fibers just click here. Nutritionists agree that it is best to get fiber in foods rather than in supplements, but supplements are better than no fibers at all.
Plant foods contain phytochemicals that protects our cells against cancer causing agents.
Raw plant food diet is rich in enzymes that may aid in digestion process.
Here is a list of some enzymes that are useful in digestion process:
Bromelain and Papain are general and both break down many foods. We can get bromelain from fresh pineapple and papain from papaya.
Lipase – breaks down fats and oils. We can get lipase from avocado, eggplant, oats, coconut and some beans.
Amylase – breaks down starch and sugar
Protease – breaks down proteins
Lactase – breaks down dairy products
Cellulase – breaks down vegetables and cellulose material
Have a regular mealtime, and eat your meal leisurely and chew thoroughly. Our body needs structure and routine, regular mealtime provides rhythm to our digestive system. You will have healthier digestive system if you introduce food at the same regular interval and almost the same amount each meal.
Eat with all your senses, masticate the food properly, slowly chew and savor the food before swallowing. Remember that proper digestion begins at the mouth.
Control nervous tension and emotional upsets. Anger, excitement, fatigue, worry, and anxiety tend to retard digestion by slowing down the flow of digestive juices.
Exercise to stimulate activity of the digestive organ. Another way to maintain a healthy digestive system is by exercising at least 30 minutes every day. When your muscles in the abdomen are strengthened your digestive system will be more efficient. Sluggish feeling may come from a poor digestive system; keeping fit will help you feel better.
Drink 8 glasses of water every day. We need water for proper digestion, bowel functioning and cleansing. Fiber will not work properly without adequate water. Fiber especially insoluble fiber is good for our digestive system but it can form a plug inside you if you do not drink enough water.
Drinking water between your meals cleans the stomach and digestive tract. It gives rest to the stomach so it can stop producing acids.
Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks because these drinks are diuretics, fluids may be drawn from your colon -leaving your stool hard.
For more info about water please visit the following:
Water, how important is it to you?
Water, The Lubricant of Your Functionality
Water for Skin Rejuvenation and Beauty
Consume probiotic drinks or supplements at least ones a week. It maintains the natural balance of organisms in the intestines. We can find lactic acid bacteria (probiotic bacteria) in yogurt and in dietary supplements. Water, enzymes and good bacteria all work together to maintain optimum digestion, nutrient absorption and health.
Establish regular bowel habit. Bowel movement usually occur just about the same time each day.
Tags: balance diet, cancer, colon cancer, constipation, digestive system, diverticulosis, emotional upsets, Enzymes, Exercise, fibers, fruits and vegetables, health, hemorrhoids, insoluble fibers, legumes, nervous tension, phytochemicals, plant foods, probiotic drinks, processed food, raw food, refined food, regular bowel habit, supplements, water, Whole grains
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