Best practices for making sure you have a healthy digestive system
In assessing the efficiency of the digestive system, the proper functioning of all the above mentioned organs have to be taken into consideration. Every organ in this system is one dependent on the other and hence works as a team in a perfect digestive system scenario. The accessory organs are instrumental in producing or storing the digestive juices necessary for break down and absorption of the food.
The reason why organisms (primarily in the Animal Kingdom), have a digestive system is because the food that is ingested is not in the easily absorbable form. Food bits vary from grains to vegetable pieces, meat, fish, bread, processed food, fruits, etc. The cells utilize the absorbed food, only when the food has been broken down into its basic components such as carbohydrates, salts, fats, oils, elements, minerals, vitamins and proteins.
Some Common Digestive System Disorders:
# 1. Gas in the digestive track:
Gas is a byproduct of improper digestion and bad eating habits. Simple acts like swallowing food too fast can lead to gas formation. Approximately 1 to 3 pints of gas is formed per day which can cause discomfort and give misleading signs of other ailments.
2. Heartburn:
Heartburn, otherwise called Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a common digestive disorder quite commonly seen. Sever heartburn with symptoms of chest pain may present misleading symptoms, indicating heart related problems. GERD occurs when the gastric juices moved upwards from the stomach to the oesophagus.
# 3. Hepatitis:
Hepatitis is a condition affecting the liver and directly and indirectly affects the proper functioning of the digestive system.
# 4. Diventricular Disease:
The colon is made up of small bulging pouches on the inside. Inflammation of these pouches leads to an infection called Diventricular Disease.
# 5. Diarrhea:
Bacterial or viral infection of the digestive track can lead to a condition called diarrhea. Diarrhea is essentially an increase in the normal amount of stools passed with recurring frequency. The consistency of the stools may vary from loose to semi-solid and solid. Chronic diarrhea is indicative of major digestive malfunction or an intestinal infection or intestinal disorder.
# 6. Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
It is abbreviated as IBS and is indicated by the symptoms of acute or severe stomach cramps, gassiness, bloating, irregular and unpredictable bowel habits, and series of diarrhea followed by periods of constipation.
# 7. Constipation:
When bowel movements or the passing of stool is lesser than three times a week it is called constipation. Constipation, although not a disease but is rather a symptom, is caused by food eating habits, eating foods that do not suit the body or an excessive intake of select foods. It affects the digestive functioning and is a symptom associated with ailments like IBS.
# 8. Lactose Intolerance:
Lactose Intolerance is essentially the body ‘s resistance to food containing lactose, viz., milk, cheese, and all forms of dairy. This resistance is caused due to the absence of the enzyme lactase in the body to break down such food. Symptoms are indicated as cramps, bloating, diarrhea, nausea and or vomiting.
# 9. Stomach Cancer:
Research has found out that Stomach Cancer, also called Gastric Cancer is noticed primarily in people who consume smoked food, foods high in starch and low in fibers, salted meat and fish, pickles, and foods containing nitrates and nitrites like beverages. Age group ranged from 60 to 70 years and was indicated by Helicobacter Pylori Infection.
# 10. Colon and Rectal Cancer (Colorectal Cancer):
This is malignant cell formation either in the colon or rectum, or both, and is exhibited by similar symptoms. It is the second largest cancer related cause of death in the U.S.
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Best practices for making sure you have a healthy digestive system:
# 1. Eat Slowly:
It is imperative that for proper digestion of food, food has to be eaten slowly. Eating food slowly helps reduce the amount of air swallowed which in turn reduces the condition of gas in the digestive track.
# 2. Eat Regularly and at Fixed Times:
The human body requires that the heaviest meal be eaten at breakfast in order to help a person go through the day. Lunch and dinner may be minimal with dinner being the least in proportion. Additional food intake may be at specific snack time like evening tea, where intake is again in controlled measures. Keeping specific times for eating food help the body to not only recognize work timings for digestion, but also helps regulate efficient regulate proper gastric acid secretion while assigning periods of rest too for the digestive system.
# 3. Eat Healthy & drink plenty of water:
One of the hardest things to follow is to eat foods form all the food groups in the Food Pyramid. The essential food groups are
* orange – (grains)
* green — (vegetables)
* red — (fruits)
* yellow — (fats and oils)
* blue — (milk and dairy products)
* purple — (meat, beans, fish, and nuts)
Following the food chart can lead to very healthy food related decisions that will help the body become healthy and overcome a lot of digestive disorders.
An ideal amount of water that has to be drunk per day is 8 glasses. Water is essential for the well being of the body and for the timely movement, flow and excretory processes of the digestive system.
# 4. Avoid Smoking:
Smoking is one of the causes of heartburn and Diventricular disease. It also helps with the formation of ulcers in the stomach and intestinal tracks which if undetected and untreated may lead to cancer.
# 5. Sleep well:
A proper, good night’s sleep is the body’s way of shutting down for the night so as to help all the absorbed food to be utilized for growth, nourishment of the body, cell and tissue repair and replacement and the proper recharge of energy for the body to overcome yet another day of activity.
#6. Exercise:
While sleep is essential from time to time, exercise if also vitally important for the body. Lethargy leads to disorders like gas, constipation, improper digestion, IBS and heartburn. It is essential for the body to be on the move for efficient digestion to happen in the body.
# 7. Avoid excessive Fatty Foods:
Foods containing fats have a nasty way of coating the insides of the digestive track such as the oesophagus, stomach and intestines. When this happens excess amounts of gastric juices too have to be secreted. This leads to over working of the pancreas and liver. Coating of the inside of the digestive track also leads to other problems like heaviness in the chest, heartburn, indigestion, gas, cramps and nausea.
# 8. Eat Anise (Jeera) after food:
It has been noticed that when warm aniseed water (jeera water) is drunk after a meal, it prevents fatty foods from coating the digestive track. The warm water accelerates digestions while the aniseed (Anise) contains Anethol, a volatile oil which aids in digestion and helps the stomach to settle. It contains anti-fungal and anti-spasmodic properties and can be used as a natural agent to relieve one of gas, cramps, IBS, indigestion and the early stages of fungal infection in the digestive tract. It also reduces belching (burping) and helps bring diarrhoea under control.
# 9. Avoid cold liquids after a heavy meal:
Just like fats line the digestive tract, so does cold liquids during and after food help worsen the condition. Cold beverages (even cold water) are some of the reasons why disorders like gas, heartburn, and stomach cramps happen.
# 10. Control Stress:
The digestion system is an important part of the body and is dependent on other organs and parts of the body for total efficiency. Stress is one factor that affects not only the mental well being of a person, but is also manifested in physical conditions; some symptoms being severe stomach cramps, nausea and diarrhoea.
If proper eating habits are maintained, enough water is drunk, timely periods of rest and exercise is taken care of, various kinds of foods may be indulged in as per choice with a good digestive system maintained. However, it is also necessary to maintain the basics of good food and nutrition which is one of the main ways to stay fit and healthy and maintain a healthy digestive system.
Best practices for making sure you have a healthy digestive system
Learn more about this author, Amanda Dcosta.
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