Tips for Better Digestive Health

Your gastrointestinal system breaks down the foods you fret the nutrients your body needs. If you neglect your digestive health, your body could run into problems absorbing those essential nutrients.

The foods you eat and therefore the lifestyle you reside have an immediate impact on your digestive health. Taking steps to enhance your digestive health can help your gastrointestinal system function more efficiently and improve your overall health and sense of well-being.

Not sure where to start? Try incorporating these strategies into your lifestyle to stay things running smoothly:

1. Eat a high-fiber diet. consistent with Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RDN, owner of Halsa Nutrition and adjunct professor of nutrition at Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts, consuming a high-fiber diet that's rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes can improve your digestive health. "A high-fiber diet helps to stay food moving through your alimentary canal , making you less likely to urge constipated," Adams says, adding that a high-fiber diet also can assist you prevent or treat various digestive conditions, like diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). additionally , it can assist you achieve or maintain a healthy weight.

2. Get both insoluble and soluble fiber. it is vital to consume both sorts of fiber, since they assist your gastrointestinal system in several ways. "Insoluble fiber, also referred to as roughage, cannot be digested by the body and thus helps add bulk to the stools," says Adams. "Soluble fiber draws in water and may help prevent stools that are too watery." Good sources of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains; you'll get soluble fiber from oat bran, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

3. Limit foods that are high in fat. "In general, fatty foods tend to hamper the digestive process, making you more susceptible to constipation," says Adams. But since it is vital to urge some healthy fat in your diet, Adams recommends pairing fatty foods with high-fiber foods to assist things move along more smoothly.