The digestive system is a group of organs that work together to change the food you eat into the energy and nutrients your body needs. After you consume food and liquids, the digestive system then breaks them down into their basic parts: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and vitamins.
These basic nutrients are then absorbed into the bloodstream, which carries them to cells throughout the body. Nutrients provide the cells with the energy they need for growth and repair. Everything in your body, from your hormones to your heart, needs the nutrients from the digestive process to work correctly.
Food’s journey through the digestive system begins in the mouth. It passes down the esophagus and into the stomach, where digestion begins. Next stop: the small intestine, which in the average person is more than 20 feet long. The small intestine further breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and sends them into the bloodstream. The remaining watery food residue moves into your large intestine, a muscular tube about 4 feet long. As undigested food passes through it, bacteria feed off the remnants. The wall of the large intestine soaks up most of the remaining water. Any undigested food that remains is expelled by a highly efficient disposal system.
Like all complicated machinery, the digestive tract doesn’t always run smoothly. In some people, the problem is genetic. In others, the immune system mistakenly attacks the digestive system, causing various digestive woes. If your digestive health is neglected, your body could run into problems absorbing those essential nutrients. The foods you eat and the lifestyle you live have a direct impact on your digestive health.
So how do you know when your digestive system is in good health or not?
Everyone at some point experiences digestive problems such as abdominal pain, bloating, loose stools, constipation, heartburn, nausea or vomiting. When symptoms persist, it may be a sign of an underlying problem that needs medical attention. Weight loss without a good reason, blood in the stool, black stool (a sign of bleeding in the gut), severe vomiting, fever, severe stomach aches, trouble swallowing food, pain in the throat or chest when food is swallowed, or jaundice (a yellow discoloration of the skin or eyes) could potentially indicate an underlying gastrointestinal problem with serious consequences
Digestive problems, such as gas, constipation and diarrhea, affect millions, with 15 percent of people in Western countries experiencing a severe form of gut sensitivity called irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Taking steps to improve your digestive health can help your digestive system function more efficiently. So how do you improve your digestive health?
Your food choices are an important part in a healthy diet as well as regular sleep and adequate exercise. But today, we shall be focusing on the right food choices in improving your digestive health with the following tips;
- Fill up on fibre; It’s a good idea to try to eat more fibre or roughage, consuming a high-fiber diet that’s rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes can improve your digestive health and prevent constipation. A high-fiber diet helps to keep food moving through your digestive tract, making you less likely to get constipated. A high-fiber diet can also help you prevent or treat various digestive conditions, such as diverticulosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In addition, it can help you achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
Aim for the recommended dietary intake of 30g of fibre a day. It’s important to consume both types of fiber, since they help your digestive system in different ways. Insoluble fiber, also known as roughage, can’t be digested by the body and therefore helps add bulk to the stools while soluble fiber draws in water and can help prevent stools that are too watery.
Good sources of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains; you can get soluble fiber from oat bran, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
2. Drink Plenty Fluids: Drinking plenty of water is good for your digestive health, according to Adams. Fiber pulls water into the colon to create softer, bulkier stools, allowing them to pass through more easily. A good way to make sure you’re getting enough fluids is to drink a glass of water with every meal.
3. Limit foods that are high in fat: Generally, fatty foods tend to slow down the digestive process, making you more prone to constipation. But since it’s important to get some healthy fat in your diet, It’s better to pair fatty foods with high-fiber foods to help things move along more smoothly. Protein is an essential part of a healthful diet, but fatty cuts of meat can lead to digestive discomfort. When you eat meat, select lean cuts, such as pork loin and skinless poultry and limit portion size.
4. Beware of gut symptom triggers; Some people find particular foods cause them problems. Acidic foods, such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, salad dressings and fizzy drinks, can trigger heartburn. And if you cannot digest lactose or the sugar in milk, you may have diarrhoea after drinking milk or eating dairy products, including cream, cheese, yoghurt and chocolate. Choose the right drinks to ease digestion, drinks with caffeine, such as coffee, colas, tea and some fizzy drinks, boost acid in the stomach, leading to heartburn in some people.
To make digestive problems less likely, choose drinks that are not fizzy and do not contain caffeine, such as herbal teas and plain water
Try to stay away from foods and drinks that trigger digestive symptoms. Keep a food diary to work out which foods cause your symptoms.
5. Incorporate probiotics and prebiotics into your diet; Probiotics are the same kind of healthy bacteria and yeasts naturally present in your digestive tract. They help keep the body healthy by combating the effects of a poor diet, antibiotics, and stress. In addition, probiotics can enhance nutrient absorption, may help break down lactose, and strengthen your immune system. You can get probiotics from foods prepared by bacterial fermentation as well as supplements. Probiotic foods include yogurt, and even common fermented foods from local staples in Nigeria.
Prebiotics are compounds in food that induce the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. Dietary prebiotics are typically non digestible fiber compounds. Read more on probiotics and prebiotics here https://ndaliblog.medium.com/between-two-ps-and-their-affair-with-our-gut-health-aa3e0ca3444f
Liquor and cigarettes can interfere with the functioning of your digestive system and lead to problems like stomach ulcers and heartburn. So it is advisable to skip them.
All food is ultimately broken down in the gut to a simple form that can enter the bloodstream and be delivered as nutrients throughout our bodies. This is only possible with a healthy digestive system. A healthy digestive system (gut) contains healthy bacteria and immune cells that ward off infectious agents like bacteria, viruses and fungi. A healthy gut also communicates with the brain through nerves and hormones, which helps maintain general health and well-being. So it is better to ensure that we keep our digestive system by eating well.
I hope we have all been able to learn from today’s blog. Don’t forget to share this post and follow us on all our social media pages
REFERENCES
