The human digestive system plays a vital role in breaking down the foods you consume into essential nutrients for your body. Neglecting your digestive health can hinder the absorption of these crucial nutrients, leading to potential problems. Ensure optimal digestive health for better nutrient absorption and overall well-being.
While the foods you eat and the lifestyle you live directly affect your digestive health, taking steps to improve your digestive health can help your digestive system perform more efficiently and improve your overall health and sense of well-being.
The human digestive system and ways to maintain its health
Here are some rules on how to have and maintain a healthy gut:
1- Eat 30 different types of plants per week
“A lot of diet advice focuses on restriction—reducing calories and fat, but for gut health, consider additions to your diet, especially plants,” says nutritionist Christine Jackson.
She added, according to what she told the British newspaper The Guardian: “We should aim to eat at least 30 different plants a week – even coffee is one of these plants, as are spices and grains too – so don’t just stick to bread and pasta (made from wheat) all the time.” Weekly, add other types such as barley, rice, and quinoa.”
She further suggested incorporating herbs into your dishes and enjoying nuts as snacks.
2- Choose foods full of powerful polyphenols
Polyphenols are powerful micronutrients abundant in various plant-based foods and beverages. With their potent antioxidant properties, these compounds may contribute to the prevention of several common diseases linked to oxidative stress. Incorporating polyphenol-rich sources into your diet can support overall health and well-being. Explore the benefits of polyphenols and their role in disease prevention.
Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s natural repair systems are overwhelmed by a high concentration of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules containing oxygen and an uneven number of electrons. Learn more about oxidative stress and its impact on the body’s health and well-being.
This makes it unstable, so it searches for an electron to pair with its foreign electron.
Free radicals readily react with other molecules, resulting in oxidation. This oxidative damage is a significant contributor to numerous chronic diseases. Learn more about the detrimental effects of oxidative damage and its role in chronic illnesses.
Polyphenols
Polyphenols, the abundant antioxidants found in plant-based foods, play a vital role in the human body. These powerful compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, offer numerous health benefits. It is recommended to consume approximately one gram of polyphenols per day as part of a balanced diet. Explore the rich variety of foods that contain these beneficial antioxidants and elevate your well-being.
Not only are the polyphenols found in plant foods very popular in your body, but they also support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, according to the British medical website Atlas Biomed.
It’s fair to say that polyphenols are bold micronutrients: they move around your body, mate with free radicals, and ultimately protect you from chronic disease. But it doesn’t just stop there, they are also involved in the gut microbiota.
Approximately 95% of the polyphenols you consume remain undigested as they journey to the colon. Once there, they undergo breakdown into smaller metabolites.
Gut bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria have been identified
and Escherichia coli as catalysts in the metabolism of polyphenols that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and prevent the spread of opportunistic bacteria in your digestive tract.
These microbes are also important members of the gut microbiota and have beneficial effects on human health. One of their main roles is to break down the fiber in your diet and turn it into good things your body needs, like vitamins and short-chain fatty acids.
3- Get enough fiber
According to Maria Adams, an assistant professor of nutrition at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, eating a high-fiber diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes can improve your digestive system.
A diet rich in fiber promotes healthy digestion, reducing the risk of constipation. Incorporating high-fiber foods into your meals helps keep food moving smoothly through your digestive system. Say goodbye to constipation with a high-fiber diet! Adams says, according to the Everyday Health medical website .
Including a high-fiber diet in your routine can aid in preventing and managing various digestive conditions like diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Moreover, it promotes weight management and overall well-being. Start incorporating a high-fiber diet today for a healthier you!
4- Limit foods rich in fat
In general, fatty foods tend to slow down digestion, making you more susceptible to constipation.
But since it’s important to get some healthy fats in your diet, doctors recommend mixing fatty foods with high-fiber foods to help things move more smoothly.
5- Include probiotics in your diet
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria and yeasts that naturally reside in the digestive system. They play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy body, countering the impacts of an unhealthy diet, antibiotics, and stress. Discover the power of probiotics in supporting overall well-being and gut health.
Additionally, probiotics can enhance nutrient absorption, may help break down lactose, strengthen the immune system, and may help treat irritable bowel syndrome.
It is recommended to eat good sources of probiotics, such as low-fat yogurt daily.
6- Eat slowly
We are always on the go, and this may mean that we do not chew foods fully. We only focus on the food that we put in our intestines, but digestion begins before we put the food in our mouths.
When we look at food, we begin to secrete saliva, and then chewing gives the food a greater surface area, so when it meets digestive enzymes, it can break down more easily.
With larger pieces, this may mean that there is food entering parts of the intestine undigested, and this can lead to the introduction of fluids and the production of excess gas.
How do you know that you have chewed food enough? The answer is when the food becomes paste-like, you are ready to swallow it.
7- Maintain eating timing habits
Eating your healthy meals and snacks, on a regular schedule, can help keep your digestive system in top condition.
Aim to sit down for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks at about the same time each day.
8- Practice mindfulness exercises
Stress can be a major factor in gut-related symptoms, so include a daily mindfulness practice, which can take the form of breathing exercises or meditation, as this helps support the connection between the gut and the brain.
9- Move throughout the day as much as you can
Move as much as you can throughout the day. Doing intense exercise for an hour and then sitting at a desk for the rest of the day will not be good for your digestion.
Simple things like getting outside during your lunch break and trying to walk for 20 minutes can help.
We know that moving outside, in particular, will help your microbiome too, because because you’re coming into contact with more microbes, moving can help you feel less bloated.
10- Fasting from food at night
There is no doubt that we need sufficient periods of fasting between meals because we have microbes that help us digest and absorb food, and then we have a different group of microbes that cleanse and deal with infections.
This type of task occurs while fasting, and therefore it is recommended to fast for 12 hours, specifically from eight in the evening until eight in the morning.
