Five Tips for Restoring Your Digestive Health
Jan 01, 2022
Eating healthy food consisting of natural probiotics can promote a healthy gut. The right kind of bacteria living in your GI tract can aid in proper digestion and keep inflammation at bay. However, many people don’t know which foods to turn to when their digestive system seems out of whack. Getting your digestive health back on track isn’t as complicated as you might think.
Below are five tips you should follow to restore your digestive health, manage discomfort or pain, and prevent serious GI conditions from developing.
You might think you can reap the benefits of fruit by drinking fruit juice. Unfortunately, fruit juice contains added sugar that can absorb into your bloodstream quickly and cause a spike in your insulin. Too much sugar in a person’s diet can contribute to weight gain. Additionally, simple sugars allow bacteria to thrive and lead to gut inflammation.
Eating fruit is a better option. The fiber in fruit creates a buffer to slow sugar absorption in the body. It also nourishes healthy bacteria in the gut and can promote better digestion. Over time, you can alleviate unpleasant symptoms associated with intestinal inflammation and manage poor digestion issues by eating whole foods, such as fruit.
Superfruits you can add to your diet to strengthen your gut wall, restore your intestinal lining, and fight off inflammation include:
Restoring your digestive health requires more than just eating right. Exercise could help too. You don’t have to participate in strenuous activity or spend money on a gym membership you’ll never use. However, you should exercise. Physical activity engages your body and gets your heart pumping to improve not only your overall health but also your digestive health.
Take a brisk walk or jog in the morning, go for a swim in the pool, dance around your house to music, or play a sport with a friend. Exercise provides a range of benefits. When you work out, you can promote a more balanced gut and resolve issues regarding constipation and bloating. Physical activity could even produce substances in the GI system to reduce inflammation.
Supporting your microbiome and improving gut health might be as simple as adding whole grains to your daily diet. Include wild or brown rice, grains, and legumes with your meals. Eating grains and legumes can promote healthier gut bacteria and help with easier digestion.
Legumes and grains are rich in dietary fiber. Since fiber is a vital part of a well-balanced diet, your body gets the fiber it needs while restoring your digestive health.
Types of legumes and grains you can add to any meal include:
You might think popcorn is bad for you. Many people avoid snack foods because they believe they’re unhealthy. However, popcorn contains a lot of fiber. Additionally, it’s considered a whole grain. You can improve gut health by eating 100 grams of popped corn, which also contains ten grams of fiber.
You should avoid pre-popped bags of popcorn. Typically, processed popcorn has a significant amount of salt and sugar. Excessive amounts of either won’t benefit your gut in any way. If you make your own popcorn at home, you can manage how much butter and salt you add to it.
Many foods consist of probiotics that can promote gut health and offer additional benefits, such as boosting immunity against infections, improving brain function, and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Adding the foods below to your diet could help restore your digestive health:
If adding probiotics to your health regimen with food seems like a complicated task, you could take a supplement. Various probiotic supplements are available at your local pharmacy or grocery store. Be sure to choose a supplement that contains at least one of the strains below to benefit your gut:
GastroCare LI has experience diagnosing and treating a range of issues related to the gastrointestinal system. We know how to manage symptoms and alleviate the pain our patients experience from GI conditions. You can count on our team of professionals to provide the treatment and support you need to promote better digestive health and improve your quality of life.
If you’re suffering from a GI issue and want to learn about your options for treating your condition, do not hesitate to call GastroCare LI at 516-265-7049 for an appointment with a gastroenterologist in Glendale or Valley Stream.