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Tip #1: Cover the Basics, You are What You Eat
By choosing high quality, fresh, organic foods you can experience dramatic changes in your digestive system. When organic foods are consumed, they aid in the body's natural process of digesting foods more efficiently because the stomach and digestive tract does not need to process the additives and preservatives that are contained in boxed and canned foods. Raw foods in particular have their own enzymes which are particularly important when your body is healing and may be low on enzymes to begin with.
Tip #2: Chew Your Food Thoroughly
Many people chew their food quickly and swallow whole pieces just as fast. This makes the digestive process that much more difficult for your system. By thoroughly chewing your food, you will be breaking it down into the smaller components that your digestive system was designed to deal with. Food swallowed "whole" strains the digestive system unnecessarily.
Tip #3: Get Enough Water
Water is an essential component of life. It hydrates every cell and organ of the body so that they will function properly. Insufficient water in-take can cause constipation. Constipation in the body then causes an imbalance in bacteria, which a key element in the digestive process. This imbalance promotes inflammation of the intestinal lining and can also lead to the absorption of larger molecules which is a condition known as intestinal permeability.
Tip #4: Increase Your Dietary Fiber
Fiber in the digestive tract can be compared to what sandpaper is like to woodworking. The grainy molecules of fiber aid the digestive tract to break down and absorb food. Without the abrasive qualities of fiber, the digestive tract has to work much harder to accomplish its task. Although bacteria in the digestive tract breaks down food, it does this much more efficiently with the aid of fiber. Fiber is an essential ingredient of a healthy, productive digestive tract.
Tip #5: Address Food Sensitivities and Allergies
Food sensitivities are responsible for many digestive disorders. It has been reported that between 33% and 66% of patients have one or more food intolerances. This can result in bloating, gas, and abdominal pain. The most common intolerances are milk and dairy (40-44%) and grains (40-60%). If you think that you might suffer from this, consult a doctor.
Tip #6: Increase Good Gut Bacteria
Some bacteria are bad but not all of it is. "Good" bacteria are essential to the digestive tract. There are over 400 different varieties of bacteria and yeasts in the digestive system. Of these, the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifid bacterium are considered to be good probiotic bacteria that can help to maintain intestinal health. The probiotic bacteria break down foods in the digestive tract so that they can be absorbed by your system. You can increase the amount of these "good" bacteria by eating plenty of yogurt. When doing this, look for good quality organic yogurts that add the active cultures after pasteurization. This is important because the pasteurization process destroys both good and bad bacteria. If the good bacteria cultures are not added after pasteurization, then they will not be present in the yogurt you eat.
Tip #7: Supplements can Help Restore Digestive Health
• Enteric-Coated Peppermint Oil - Peppermint oil can reduce pain in the abdomen, bloating and gas.
• Digestive Enzymes - Enzyme supplements have been shown to support the body's own digestive enzymes. They also aid digestion and help with other issues related to poor digestion.
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