Digestive health benefits overall health

A Ndong

Keeping your digestive tract in balance is key to your good health. Your digestive tract plays a big role in delivering to your body the nutrients it needs — and removing the toxins and waste it doesn’t.

Certain foods and liquids can increase gas and bloating, including broccoli, baked beans, cabbage, cauliflower, soft drinks and other carbonated beverages. Chewing gum can aggravate abdominal distension by increasing the amount of air in the gut.

Counter the bloat by eating fewer gas-producing foods, strengthening the abdominal muscles with sit-ups and adding "good" bacteria, to your diet.

Too much

Heartburn can be caused by smoking, drinking alcohol, caffeine, high-fat diet, eating too much, eating too close to bedtime, wearing tight-fitting clothes, engaging in heavy lifting or straining, and eating foods like peppermint and chocolate. It is normal to pass gas eight to ten times a day on average.

Probiotics are helpful bacteria that live in the intestinal tract and aid in digestion. Good sources of probiotics in food include yogurt, mala, cultured cheese and fermented vegetables such as pickles. To relieve constipation, be sure to get plenty of exercise, add fiber to your diet, reduce stress, and drink eight to ten glasses of water per day. The recommended amount of fiber you should eat per day is 20 to 35 grams or half as much as the recommended amount for optimum digestive health.

Whole grains

Fruits, vegetables, beans, bran cereals, and whole grains such as oatmeal and 100 per cent whole-wheat bread are excellent sources of dietary fiber. Animal proteins, including dairy products, chicken and other meats, contain no dietary fiber.

While antibiotics are a boon in the treatment of many illnesses, they can’t distinguish between "good" and "bad" bacteria within the body. Some medical evidence suggest that after or during a course of antibiotics, it’s a good to help your digestive tract regain its beneficial bacteria levels by eating foods that contain probiotics.

But for severe cases, a probiotic supplement may be recommended. Check with your nutritionst. Digestion experts include gastroenterologists. This is a doctor who specialises in treating problems of the digestive system.