Digestion is how the body breaks down food and absorbs essential nutrients. The digestion process occurs over 24 to 72 hours. The exact time to digest food depends on the type and amount you eat. Digestive issues can interfere with the digestion period, slowing down or speeding up the process.
Some food and lifestyle choices can disrupt this process, causing poor digestive health side effects like bloating, heartburn, constipation, and more. However, with the proper diet and lifestyle changes, you can improve your digestive health naturally. Here are six ways to help your gut health.
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Eat Whole Foods
Foods high in refined carbs, saturated fats, and food additives increase the risk of digestive disorders. Research suggests that additives like glucose, salt, and other chemicals increase gut inflammation. Additionally, artificial sweeteners may increase the number of harmful gut bacteria causing irritable bowel diseases.
Eating whole food diets and cutting processed food intake is the best option to improve digestion and your digestive health. A whole food diet also supports your overall health.
Eat Fiber and Probiotics
Fiber aids digestion. Soluble fiber absorbs water by adding bulk to stool, while insoluble fiber acts like a giant brush, helping keep food moving down the digestive tract. A high fiber diet reduces the risks of digestive conditions, improving your digestive health. As you age, getting enough fiber is especially important.
Probiotics contain the same healthy bacteria found in the gut. Gut bacteria aid digestion and reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel conditions. Foods like yogurt and kefir are good sources of probiotics.
Drink Plenty of Water
Inadequate fluid intake can cause constipation. Health experts recommend drinking up to two liters of non-caffeinated fluids daily for proper digestion. Water streamlines food movement along the digestive tract.
Drinking more water isn’t the only way you can stay properly hydrated. Increase your fluid intake by consuming fruits and vegetables high in water, like cucumber, celery, and zucchini.
Manage Your Stress
Stress is a lesser known cause of digestive issues. Your brain and gut are highly connected, and what affects one affects the other. High-stress levels can cause stomach ulcers, constipation, and diarrhea.
Stress hormones directly affect your digestive process. When your body enters fight-or-flight mode, it thinks you don't have time to relax and digest yourself. Your body diverts blood and energy away from the digestive system during such periods.
Stress management and relaxation training can improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Practicing stress management techniques like deep belly breathing, yoga, or meditation may improve your digestive health.
Avoid Bad Habits
Bad habits like smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and eating late at night are not good for your digestive health. These habits are responsible for some common digestive issues.
Smoking increases the risk of developing acid reflux. It is also associated with stomach ulcers and gastrointestinal cancers.
Excessive alcohol consumption may increase acid levels in the stomach, causing heartburn and stomach ulcers. Research shows it can also cause bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract and harmful changes in gut bacteria.
Eating late at night and lying down to sleep can cause heartburn and indigestion. The body needs time to digest, and gravity helps keep food moving down the digestive tract. When you lie down, reflux may occur, prompting heartburn. Wait three to four hours after eating to go to bed.
If you want to improve your digestive health, avoid these damaging habits, which can also compromise your general health.
Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the best ways to improve your digestive health. Exercise shakes things around to push food down your gut. Research also suggests that exercise reduces gut inflammation, preventing inflammatory bowel diseases.
Taking a walk after meals alleviates bloating and constipation. It helps keep your weight in check and can improve your overall digestive health.
Support for Improving Digestive Health
It can be challenging to fit gut-healthy foods into your diet. Even more troubling may be cutting unhealthy foods from your diet. At the end of the day, you have a choice in your health. Take a step in the right direction and support your gut health with a daily supplement created for driven men.
Take proactive measures to improve your digestive health. Start by learning more about our products for digestive health such as Mdrive Greens and Mdrive Multi. Get started with Mdrive and get your drive back.