The digestive system plays an important role in maintaining a healthy body. It is responsible for breaking down the food you eat and absorbing the essential nutrients required for your body. Due to fast pacing life, we’re unable to maintain certain strategies to have a healthy digestive system. The unhealthy lifestyle like eating too fast, drinking alcohol, eating too much junk foods, etc. often takes people to the doorsteps of medical practitioners. If we have a very unhealthy digestive system, it leads to possible diseases like stomach bloating, diarrhea, etc. Therefore, to make things run smoothly, we need to follow certain strategies to maintain proper digestion.
High-fiber diet
If you face digestive problems frequently, it is high time to analyze your diet plan. Do your eating patterns possess a high-fiber diet? According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 30 to 38 grams of fiber each day is essential for men and 21 to 25 grams of fiber each day is essential for women. They stressed the importance of eating more high-fiber fruits and veggies. No matter whether it’s at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, High fiber foods are excellent sources of phytochemicals, disease-fighting nutrients, etc. Consuming these types of foods aid in weight management can help decrease the risk of heart diseases.
So let’s find out what is the connection between fiber and our body? What are fiber-rich foods? Fiber is a complex carbohydrate found in almost all plant-based foods. It can be processed only in the large intestine. Fruits, Vegetables, Legumes, Whole grains, Nuts, and Seeds are rich in fiber. Eating these regularly helps you feel full for a long time and helps in managing weight. High-fiber foods can also help in promoting gut health and reducing the risk of cancers.
Adding both soluble and insoluble fiber
There are two categories of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble, as the name implies, it dissolves in water. It forms a gel that improves digestion in various ways. It improves blood glucose levels that aids in reducing the risk of diabetes. On the other hand, an insoluble fiber food dissolves slowly. It promotes bowel health and prevents hemorrhoids.
It is a must to know that adding too much soluble and insoluble fiber can affect digestive health, so keep in control of what you eat. In case if you take too many fiber-rich foods then try following physical activities and drink more water to help relieve the symptoms like gas, pain, and bloating.
Adding lean meats to your diet
Lean meat is a broad category used to define “white” meat, fish, poultry, etc. that has lower calories. On the other hand, red meat has more cholesterol which in turn triggers heart diseases. Protein is the essential nutrient to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Skinless chicken and pork loin are healthy choices to fill your plate. These help in keeping your stomach healthy.
Limit fatty foods
Fatty foods slow down the digestive process, which in turn causes constipation. At the same time adding healthy fatty foods won’t affect your digestive health. So instead of taking only “fatty” foods, it is better to take fatty and high-fiber in your meal plan. Some of the low-fat, high-fiber foods are skinless chicken, whole grain cereals, bread, fish, vegetables, fat-free milk, low-fat yogurt, olive oil, etc. Make sure you follow three meal plans every day and can also follow low-fat snacking for a strong digestive system.
A super healthy probiotic diet
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that aids in maintaining a good digestive system, glowing skin, reducing depression, and promoting heart health. Let’s find out what are probiotic foods that we can add to our diet regularly.
Yogurt – This is the best source that is rich in friendly bacteria to improve bowel health.
Kefir – Kefir is mainly for people who have lactose intolerance. Kefir is a fermented milk drink made from cow or goat milk. It is rich in friendly bacteria and yeast, making it a better source of probiotic food.
Sauerkraut – Sauerkraut is a finely shredded cabbage fermented by lactic acid bacteria. This sour and salty tasted traditional food is often used as a side dish or used on top of sausages. This food is popular in Europe and is not only probiotic but also contains vitamins C, B, and K.
Kimchi – Kimchi is a very popular spicy Korean dish made from fermented cabbage. Kimchi contains lactobacillus bacteria which is well-known for benefitting healthy digestive system.
Miso – This traditional dish is made by fermenting soybeans with salt and a type of fungus called koji. Miso not only promotes digestive health but also reduces the risk of cancer and stroke in women.
Stay hydrated
Fiber pulls too much water into the colon to form softer and bulkier stools. This in turn dehydrates the body faster, so to maintain the water level in your body especially when you take too much fiber, it is a must to drink plenty of water.
This supports the digestive system to continue the normal digestive processes.
Maintain a healthy eating schedule
Following the same time, each day to have your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks will help in managing your body clock properly. It is better if you follow healthy snacks and healthy meals every time.
Stay away from bad habits
Alcohols, too much caffeine, and cigarettes are very harmful to your digestive system. This leads to severe digestive tract problems like stomach ulcers and heartburn.
Stay active
Doing physical exercises regularly is necessary to reduce the risk of constipation and to improve bowel movements. Practice a weekly schedule to maintain bowel health.
Manage stress
Stress or anxiety is the biggest enemy of your overall health. Though these are unavoidable, it is better if you follow stress-reducing activities every day.
Summary
If you can follow just one, you are likely to see a difference. If you continue to follow one by one, then you can solve the entire digestive system imbalance completely.