Your digestive system is an incredibly important part of your body. It contains many vital organs, all as to which work together to properly digest your foods and absorb all the right vitamins. From the second food enters your mouth to the moment it exits as waste, your digestive system works tirelessly to keep things moving.
Due to being such a vital system in your body, keeping your digestive system healthy is the ultimate key. With this in mind, this guide will take you through four expert ways to support healthy digestion.
Common Symptoms Of Poor Digestion
Before we dive into how to support your digestive system, let’s take a closer look at the common signs of poor digestion. While these symptoms might stem from a variety of other problems, pointing the finger at your digestive system might be a good place to start if the following occur…
- Upset stomach
- Constipation or diarrhoea
- Indigestion or heartburn (NHS, 2021).
If the above systems remain consistent and don’t go away on their own, it’s wise to seek expert health advice. A professional will help to establish exactly what causes the problems.
4 Ways To Support Healthy Digestion
Here are four expert ways to support healthy digestion.
- Seek Help From Turmeric
Turmeric is an ancient spice that has long been used as a “medicinal herb”. While not all studies can confirm how effective it is in the medicine department, it has been proved that turmeric contributes towards a normal healthy digestive system. With this in mind, it’s worth taking turmeric supplements if you wish to support your digestive system.
- Keep Drinking Water
Water is an essential nutrient for life (EFSA, 2011). It supports all of your bodily functions, ensuring that they’re working normally. One of these bodily functions is your digestive system (mainly the gut area).
Aim to drink at least two litres of water per day to stay as hydrated as possible. This won’t just support your digestive system, so this health tip applies to all!
- Assess Your Food Choices
The food that you eat can sometimes affect your digestive system. Considering everything that enters your mouth makes its way through the system, it’s no surprise that this is the case.
With the above in mind, making healthier food choices is often the best thing to do when experiencing issues with your digestion. Make sure that you eat plenty of greens and incorporate protein into your diet. Where possible, involve foods that are high in sugar and high in fat. The less processed, the better.
For more information on making healthier food choices, check out the NHS Eatwell Guide. This guide will take you through everything worth knowing about a balanced diet.
- Monitor Food Intolerances
While unhealthy foods might cause havoc with your immune system, if the problem persists, you might be experiencing a food intolerance.
Food intolerances occur when your body struggles to digest certain foods. This can cause a whole series of issues, including the symptoms mentioned earlier in this guide.
If you notice issues occuring every time you eat particular foods, make note of the patterns and speak to a healthcare professional.
