It’s that time of the year again when you gather with friends and family to celebrate thanksgiving. Maybe you can’t wait to get stuck into your thanksgiving feast or perhaps the idea of it fills you with dread. Read our 7 tips for surviving Thanksgiving with a digestive disorder.
Don’t over-eat! – Stick to small portions. Eating large portions puts you at risk of stomach ache, nausea, bloating, indigestion and cramps.
Don’t eat too quickly – It may be the most delicious meal you’ll eat all year, but that’s all the more reason to savor each bite. Enjoy it! Take small bites and chew them well before swallowing. This will also help you to not over eat.
Stay hydrated – you may be wanting to enjoy an extra large glass of wine with dinner or even rustle up an early egg nog, but remember, your body needs water to work at it’s best and keep you hydrated. Alcohol has a diuretic effect which means it causes your body to lose water. That’s why if you’re having an alcoholic drink this Thanksgiving, be sure to drink some extra water. Not to mention that a well hydrated bowel works better meaning a lower chance of constipation or of developing infections such as diverticulitis.
If you get pain – switch to clear liquids only right away. It’s not worth taking chances. Pains are your body’s way of warning you that something isn’t right. Let your bowel and stomach rest by not giving them any more food.
Be prepared – Make sure you are stocked up on any medicines or products you use to ease your digestive disorder or the symptoms it causes. You don’t want to have to rush out on Thanksgiving to find somewhere to find your favourite antacid. If you’re dining at someone else’s place, take everything you need to feel comfortable. You can even make yourself a little emergency pack with some essentials: For example; any medications you usually take for your stomach e.g. for reflux, cramps etc., painkillers, wet wipes, spare underwear if needed, etc.
Avoid very fatty or rich foods – don’t go overboard with your helping of mac n cheese or your dollop of cream on your slice of pie. Also, go easy on the candied yams and glazed carrots. These foods can cause indigestion, acid reflux, nausea, IBS symptoms, diarrhea and problems if you have gallstones or have had your gallbladder removed. You can reduce fat in your meal by taking the skin off your turkey and only eating the light meat. Another idea is to only use a small amount of gravy on your food.
Keep it simple: – Only eat foods you know you are usually okay with. It may be tempting to fill up on candied yams, but will it be worth it tomorrow when you’re doubled over in pain or stuck in the bathroom all day? One suggestion is: A small plate with some roast turkey (light meat), some potatoes a little gravy and a small piece of cornbread. But remember, we are all different. What you can eat without a problem, may cause someone else a lot of pain and discomfort. You can choose foods that are safe for you and just eat a little amount. Remember: while green beans and sprouts may seem like a healthy addition to your meal, it’s best not to risk it if you haven’t eaten these foods recently or you’re recovering from diverticulitis, a flare up of IBS, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
By following this simple tips, you can avoid digestive problems and concentrate on celebrating with your loved ones. What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year and what do you plan to eat? Let me know in the comments.
Support the author and buy her a coffee by making a donation here: paypal.me/haylaki
Do you ever get a burning sensation in your throat or chest? If you do, it’s likely that you are suffering from acid reflux. People may also refer to acid reflux as ‘heartburn’ or ‘indigestion’.
So what is acid reflux? Well, in our stomach, there is a very strong acid. This acid is important for killing bad bacteria and for helping us to break down our food as a part of digestion. The stomach has a special lining to prevent this acid from damaging the walls of the stomach. However, if the acid happens to leave the stomach and move up the oesophagus (US: esophagus) then we may feel the acid burning in our throat or chest.
What are the symptoms of acid reflux?
There are a number of symptoms that people experience. For example, some people get a burning in their throat or chest, other get quite bad chest pains. Acid reflux can even wake us up in the night. In fact, a lot of sufferers find the symptoms of acid reflux worse when they lay down. Some people also experience nausea or a bitter taste in their mouth due to acid reflux
What are the causes of acid reflux?
There are many causes of acid reflux and so this list is not exhaustive, but here are a few of the most common causes.
Overindulgence – eating too much or food that is too rich in fat or sugar can cause acid reflux.
Poor eating habits – eating too large an amount, eating large bites without sufficient chewing, Eating too quickly, swallowing air while eating, eating too late at night. Find out more, here.
Too many antacids – taking too many antacids can make acid reflux even worse by over neutralizing stomach acid
Upset stomach – stomach bugs or eating something that doesn’t agree with us can cause reflux
Overproduction of acid – The overproduction of acid can mean that it travels up the oesophagus
Gastritis – inflammation of the stomach can mean that it produces excess acid or travels up the
Hiatus hernia – this may prevent food passing properly and can make it more difficult for acid to stay down in the stomach
Diseases of the digestive system – For reasons not always understood, bowel conditions such as Diverticular Disease and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as Crohn’s and Ulcerative colitis can be linked to acid reflux.
Gallbladder problems or removal – Dysfunction or removal of the gallbladder can cause excess bile which can lead to acid reflux. If you have severe reflux immediately after gallbladder removal, speak with the surgeon.
IBS – Irritable bowel syndrome can affect the transit of food and cause cramping which may lead to acid reflux.
Stomach/Gastric ulcer – stomach ulcers can cause excess acid production
H. Pylori infection – A overgrowth of a bacteria called H. Pylori in the stomach can lead to poor digestion and acid reflux as a result.
Antibiotics/Certain medications – Antibiotics often kill both bad and good bacteria and so a lack of good bacteria that aid digestion can cause some acid reflux, also, some other medications may affect digestion or stomach acid production
Obesity – the excess pressure on the body caused by excess weight can make acid travel up into the oesophagus, causing reflux.
Gastroparesis/Delayed gastric emptying – acid reflux can occur when food stays in the stomach for too long.
Stress/Anxiety – digestion slows down when we experience stress and anxiety, because of this, food tends to stick around in the stomach a little longer and so we can experience acid reflux.
Bariatric surgery – weight loss surgeries can increase the chance of reflux due to the tiny size of the stomach pouch. If this happens, you need to speak with your surgeon to find a solution; this may include medication or further surgery.
How can I prevent acid reflux?
Good eating habits – adopting good eating habits will help prevent reflux. This means eating small meals, taking small bites, chewing well and eating slowly. It also involves not eating late at night. You can read my post on good digestion habitsto find out more.
Avoiding acidic foods – fruit juices, tomatoes, citrus fruits, alcohol, vinegar, coffee are all acidic foods that we eat. Some people can stop their reflux by simple cutting down on acidic foods or removing them from their diet.
Avoiding trigger foods – Some people are triggered by different foods, common triggers may involve nuts, cheese, carbonated drinks, etc. By using a food and symptom diary to identify trigger foods, you can cut these out of your diet.
Avoid smoking and alcohol – smoking and drinking alcohol are both thought to increase the chance of acid reflux since they are both harsh on the stomach. Smoking can also increase the chances of stomach ulcers, so if you suffer with reflux, it’s a good idea to try to quit.
Avoid taking a lot of painkillers unless told to by your doctor – taking too many painkillers can lead to stomach ulcers and excess acid production
Make sure when taking medications to follow the instructions (such as taking with food) – taking medicine on an empty stomach can be bad for the stomach, so be sure to
Avoid stressful situations – Trying our best to not get too stressed out or anxious can help prevent acid reflux.
How can I treat acid reflux?
If this is just a one-off episode of acid reflux, you can take a simple over the counter medication such as an antacid. Branded examples include Gaviscon, Pepto-Bismol, Rennie and Zantac (ranitidine). Take the lowest recommended dose and give it some time to work. This is important because if you take too much of these medicines, they can actually make the reflux worse by causing your stomach to produce even more acid.
If you are experiencing reflux regularly, have a look at if there is something specific that you are eating or doing to cause it. For example, does it only happen after a glass of wine? Or perhaps it happens after you eat tomatoes or drink coffee… The best way to investigate this is to keep a food and symptom diary, you can download a tracker from here. If you do find a trigger, consider cutting this out of your diet.
Sometimes alcohol triggers acid reflux – in some cases it’s best to just avoid it completely…
If you can’t find a specific trigger but you’re a smoker, consider quitting smoking to see if it makes a difference.
Now, if the acid reflux is happens regularly and you are unable to find relief by changing your diets or habits, then it is time to visit your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about any other symptoms you are experiencing, for example, abdominal pains or cramps, a change in bowel habits, nausea or vomiting, excessive belching/burping or passing gas and any disruptions to your sleep. If you have been keeping a food and symptom diary, take this along to your appointment. It will really help the doctor to understand your symptoms and provide an accurate diagnosis.
Your doctor may prescribe you a medication to take regularly in order to reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces such as ppis (proton pump inhibitors) such as Omeprazole. However, it is important to find the cause of the reflux rather than only treating the symptoms. To diagnose problems, a doctor may suggest you take a breath test for H. Pylori (a bacteria that can survive in the stomach’s acidic conditions) or undergo an endoscopy/gastroscopy where a camera inserted into the stomach. This allows a doctor to identify problems such as ulcers or inflammation. They can also take tissue biopsies during the endoscopy to test for further problems.
Why you shouldn’t ignore acid reflux…
If you get acid reflux regularly, it’s very important to not ignore it and make sure to get it treated because long-term acid reflux can cause bigger problems. For example, regular acid reflux can cause tooth decay/and tooth acid erosion. It can also cause stomach ulcers, and can even increase your risk of stomach and oesophageal (US: esophageal) cancer in the future.
Do you suffer with acid reflux? Do you have a trigger food or drink? How do you deal with it?
So, you’re waiting to get your gallbladder removed – Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it sounds. In fact you can read about what gallbladder removal surgery entails here or you can read my own story on getting my gallbladder removed.
To avoid extremely painful gallbladder attacks or the worsening of your condition while waiting for your surgery, you can aim to have a low-fat diet. A diet low in fat will hopefully ward off any painful attacks and prevent gallstones from getting larger.
You can eat:
fruit and vegetables
white fish and white meats (no skin and cooked without the addition of fat)
Potatoes (not fried)
2% or less milk and yoghurts
Low-fat cheese such as cottage cheese, feta, etc (check for fat contents of 4% of less)
Try not to do a no-fat diet because this can cause the gallbladder to become even worse. Stick to low-fat and try not to eat large portions. Instead aim to have smaller snacks and portions throughout the day. This will help your gallbladder keep working and prevent discomfort after eating.
Want to know more about what comes next? Read Gallbladder Removal Surgery – Cholescystectomy and let me know what you think.
People who have digestive conditions often find that their symptoms differ from day-to-day. Some days, they might feel okay and at other times, they may experience a ‘flare up’ of their condition. This happens with lots of digestive ailments such as IBS, diverticular disease, Crohn’s and other IBDs.
During these flare ups, lots of patients are advised to eat a low-residue diet. But what exactly is that? Well, it’s a diet that produces little waste in the bowel and can be mostly absorbed by the body. The foods that are low-residue tend to be low in fibre (US: fiber) since fibre cannot be absorbed by the body and so makes up the bulk of our stools.
Eating a low-residue diet allows our bowel to rest a little until we are feeling better. But, don’t worry, it’s not as restrictive as you might think. In fact, it’s definitely possible to enjoy your food while on a low-residue diet.
So, what foods are included in a low-residue diet?
Go ahead :
white refined grains such as white breads and white crackers
Cooked cereal such as cream of wheat or grits
Cold cereal such as puffed rice (Rice Krispies/Coco Pops/Ricicles), or corn flakes.
White pasta, white noodles, white rice, White rice noodles, etc.
Boiled/mashed/baked potatoes with no skins
Well cooked carrots, beetroot, mushrooms, spinach and pumpkin (no seeds)
canned/cooked fruits without seeds and skins such as applesauce, tinned pears/peaches, etc.
Soft cantaloupe or honeydew melon
White fish, chicken or turkey (no skin) and cooked without too much fat
Jelly (US: Jello)
Decaffeinated drinks
Fruit and vegetable juices without pulp
In moderation:
dairy such as milk, cream, ice cream, custard and butter (avoid these if you are lactose intolerant)
Meats such as lean beef and lean pork (opt for lean cuts or remove as much fat as possible before consumption)
Plain cakes and biscuits/cookies
Eggs
Avocado
Avoid:
Brown bread, grains, rice, pasta, noodles
Prune juice and juices with pulp
raw fruit and vegetables
beans, lentils and tofu
nuts and seeds
popcorn
sweetcorn/corn on the cob/cornbread
fatty or cured meats (prosciutto, lamb, duck, Serrano ham and other deli meats, bacon)
coconut
pickles, olives, dressings and burger relishes or chutneys
Jams (US: jelly)
Certain cooked vegetables, including peas, broccoli, winter squash, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, baked beans
NOTE: A low residue diet is NOT a low FODMAP diet. These are different things. Some people get confused between the two. For now, I haven’t written a post on a FODMAPs, but when I do, I’ll link it right here.
Of course, as with any food guidelines, you may find that some of the foods on the ‘go ahead’ or ‘in moderation’ lists bother you and cause undesirable symptoms, if this happens, just simply cut it out of your diet.
It can be difficult to figure out which foods cause your problems.
Having trouble figuring out which foods are causing you issues? Use my Diverticular Disease Tracker to monitor your food intake and any symptoms you get (You don’t need to have diverticular disease to find this document useful). You may also need to introduce new foods gradually and one at a time. Also, when you are over your flare up, it’s important to slowly increase your fibre intake otherwise you may cause yourself discomfort.
Diverticulitis is an inflammation or infection of one or more diverticula (pouches) in the bowel. It can cause diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain or discomfort, blood in the stools, a fever and various other symptoms. If you have been diagnosed with diverticulitis, chances are that you’ll be taking antibiotics to help clear the infection. You may also be advised in some cases to undertake a clear liquid diet. For a detailed explanation of what this entails, click here.
You may also be told you are allowed a soft foods/low residue/low fibre diet. This means plain/bland and easily digestible foods that do not contain much fibre. This allows the bowel to rest.
Include:
white bread
white pasta
white rice
white crackers (e.g. Saltines)
chicken/turkey breast (no skin and cooked without adding fat)
white fish (no skin and cooked without adding fat)
boiled/mashed potatoes (no skin)
clear Jelly/Jello
limited low fat dairy (a small portion of low/no fat yoghurt)
limited eggs (preferably cooked without the addition of fats)
decaffeinated tea/coffee and carbonated drinks
applesauce, stewed fruits without seeds of skins
well boiled carrot and courgette with no skin
strained fruit juices without pulp
Even crackers can taste yummy after a clear liquid diet…
Please avoid:
fried foods (including fried eggs, potatoes, etc)
rare or medium cooked meat
fatty meats such as duck, lamb and pork
bacon and sausages
high fat dairy products such as cream and butter
brown, high-fibre bread, pasta, rice, quinoa, etc.
fruit juices with pulp
raw fruit and vegetables with seeds and skin
alcoholic beverages
caffeinated beverages such as tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks
very high sugar sweets
chocolate
unhealthy fatty and salty snacks such as crisps, biscuits, cakes, etc.
Save the cake for when you’re feeling better…
Remember that everyone is different and sometimes even these foods may cause discomfort. Because of this, I recommend tracking your food and water intake alongside your symptoms to have a clear picture of what is going on. You can do this by using my Diverticular Disease Tracker which is available to download for free and print out immediately.
In addition, I’d recommend eating slowly, and having small portions regularly so that your digestive system isn’t overwhelmed by large meals. You can pick up more tips for good digestion by reading this post.
What do you eat when you have diverticulitis? Are you able to tolerate all of the foods on this suggested list? If not, which are unsuitable foods for you?
A lot of people don’t like to talk toilet, but it’s a natural function of the human body. We all need to eliminate waste from our body and are doing so all the time. For example, we eliminate carbon dioxide by breathing it out, we eliminate broken down proteins and excess water by producing urine, and finally, we eliminate unwanted food and fibre by producing solid faeces (stools/poo/poop).
So, why should we pay attention to the waste we produce? Because it can tell us a lot about the current state of our health.
There are different characteristics we can look for to judge a healthy bowel movement. Of course, the ideal bowel movement would be easy to pass (without straining or pain) and would be soft but formed and brown in colour. However, for people with stomach problems, we can see a lot of different characteristics so keep reading to find out what your poo could be saying about you.
Where does it fit on the Bristol stool chart?
Ideally, you want a Type 4 stool, but a type 3 can happen frequently too.
If you find you are type 1 or 2, you need to read Coping with Constipation. if you have type 5 you may try adding a little extra fibre to your diet, for example with fresh fruit and vegetables or by switching your white bread, rice and pasta with brown alternatives. If however, your stools are type 6 or 7 regularly or over a period of time, you may wish to speak to doctor to figure out what the problem is. If you have type 7, you can look at my post about Dealing with Diarrhoea for tips.
What colour is it?
Stool is most often brown, but sometimes people find that it is other colours. This can be an indication that something isn’t right. So, look below and see if any of the following could be the problem. Please make sure to record any out of character bowel movements and mention it to your doctor.
Are there any of the following?
Now, you’ve looked at the type and the colour. What about anything not mentioned so far?
Undigested food – Sometimes we see pieces of undigested food in our stool. One good example of this is corn. It may appear undigested because it has an outer coating of cellulose. A substance that humans can’t break down easily. Because of this some foods, especially plant-based foods that contain cellulose may appear undigested in our stools. If this happens from time-to-time, it’s no cause for concern. However, if you are finding that a lot of your food is being passed through undigested, it’s worth mentioning to your doctor.
Red blood – seeing a little blood in the stool could be due to various reasons, perhaps haemorrhoids, or a damaged anus. Or it could be bleeding from the lower digestive tract. If this hasn’t happened before, or is a lot of blood or is happening on a regular basis, see a doctor to get checked out.
Mucus – our stool always has mucus in or on it, but often it’s such a small amount that it isn’t visible to us. However, if your bowel movement is accompanied by mucus, it could be a sign of constipation or of inflammation in the bowel. Mucus can vary in colour and appear clear, yellow or even white and can look stringy. Again, if this is happening on a regular basis, it’s important to discuss it with your doctor.
Remember if you have any change in bowel habits, report them to your doctor since they can be a sign of an underlying health issue. Don’t be embarrassed, doctors are trained to discuss bowel habits and reporting yours could change your life or even save your life!
This article is for people wanting to know about foods to eat if they have diverticular disease/diverticulosis NOT diverticulitis. If you aren’t sure what the difference is or what you have, click here to find out.
One of the most common questions people have when they are diagnosed with Diverticular disease (DD) /Diverticulosis is ‘What can I eat?’. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question. As an active member of various Facebook support groups, I see people all the time asking can I eat this or that. And the answer to the question is as follows.
There is no answer. Based on the latest medical research, there are no disallowed foods for diverticular disease/diverticulosis. This means, anything you ate before diagnosis, should be safe afterwards. Since you ate them just fine before you discovered the diverticula/pouches in the bowel. However, it is largely believed that eating a diet high in fibre is beneficial for those who have diverticular disease since it keeps the bowels moving and prevents stool causing the diverticula to become inflamed or infected. So perhaps upon discovering you have diverticular disease, you may choose to adopt a higher-fibre diet or a healthier one. This could include swapping white bread, rice and pasta for their healthier brown alternatives, eating more fresh fruit and veg or perhaps eating a high-fibre cereal for breakfast. However, there are cases where a high-fibre diet doesnt work out for various reasons and so, you may be advised to adopt a low-fibre diet instead.
Some doctors will advise their patients that they shouldn’t eat seeds, nuts, popcorn, sweetcorn, etc due to the chance of them being lodged in the diverticula/pouches. Although, current research shows this not to be the case. However, some people do have problems with these foods and if it makes you feel better to avoid them, then that’s fine, too.
A lot of discovering what you can eat, is about trial and error. Everyone is different. Many people with diverticular disease/diverticulosis also suffer with other digestive problems such as IBS that can cause symptoms in response to particular foods. So my advice is that if you are feeling unwell, you can try an elimination diet, or you can simply go day by day and keep track of your food intake by keeping a food diary. I’d recommend for those newly diagnosed especially, keeping track of your food and water intake, your symptoms and your bowel movements. You can do this easily using the Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis Tracker which you can find here and download for free. It includes instructions for how to fill it out. You can even take your completed tracker pages to the doctor or nutritionist so that they can help you look at what foods may or may not work well with you and your needs.
Some advice I can give to ALL sufferers of Diverticular Disease/Divertiulosis is to drink LOTS of water. Two to three litres (4 – 6 pints/70-100 fl. oz) per day. This will help keep you hydrated, healthy and prevent constipation. Also chew your food well and avoid large portions. In fact, simply following my Tips for Good Digestion may help you avoid digestive discomfort.
It is quite common for people with digestive problems to suffer with nausea. This can be because of food choices, poor eating habits, stress, gastritis, medication or could even be unexplained. If this isn’t something you suffer with frequently, you don’t need to worry because everyone feels nauseous from time-to-time. However, if you are feeling nauseous on a regular basis, you should mention it to your GP/PCP or gastroenterologist.
Nausea isn’t always followed by vomiting and there are things you can do to reduce nausea without relying on drugs.
Drink water – Drinking a little water can help to settle your stomach, but take small slow sips and drink water from the cold tap rather than chilled water from the refrigerator.
Take your mind off it – Thinking about how you feel sick can make you feel even worse. Try to take deep breaths and think about something else. For example, put on a TV show or a movie that you enjoy.
Try some ginger – sipping on ginger tea, eating a ginger biscuit or chewing on a little crystallized ginger can really help to reduce nausea. You could also try sipping ginger ale – but again, slowly and small sips.
Get some fresh air – Go and sit in the garden or on the balcony, or even open a window or door
Sniff a perfume – put a spray of fragrance on a wrist and sniff it. Avoid food smells and stick to fragrances you enjoy. Having a little sniff of your wrist can help. If you don’t have a perfume or fragrance, an essential oil or even vapour rub can help alleviate nausea.
If none of the above work, then it’s time to consider a nausea medication. The best idea is to speak to your doctor or your local pharmacist about which product is the best for you!
Do you suffer with nausea? How do you cope with it? Let me know in the comments.
Keeping a
diary isn’t always easy, but…it can come in very handy, especially if you are
still learning to manage a health condition. If you are someone that already
keeps a daily diary or journal, it may be easy to add this information in to
your entries. However, if you’re not someone used to keeping a diary, then you
can find other ways to do it, for example, you can use the downloadable
attachment here, and complete that each day before filing it away, or you can
create your own version that applies more specifically for you. Not only will
this help you identify trigger foods or patterns in your symptoms but it could
also be a great tool to help your doctors monitor and manage your health.
NOTES:
Be honest! Write what you really ate and drank….snacks, junk and alcohol included…you need to see the whole picture, exactly as it is.
Take it to
doctor’s appointments with you even if you don’t need to use it. You never know
when the info could come in handy.
If you have
a bullet journal, you can get really creative with this. I’ve given you guys a
free downloadable and printable version of what I use. Now, unfortunately you
do need to print it to get the best use out of it. I would recommend filing
them each day in a binder to keep a continuous diary. How much additional
information you record is totally up to you. However women may benefit also by
tracking their menstrual cycle, too.
DD Tracker Printable
I’ve put together a little Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis Tracker. You can use this to monitor what you eat, how you feel and even keep tabs on your bowel movements. I hope this proves to be helpful. The file even has it’s very own instructions that show you exactly how to use it. Just click on the download button below for FREE and you can print it out right away. Support the creator and buy her a coffee by making a donation here: paypal.me/haylaki
Food Diary: The food sections allow space for you to write about what you ate and drank for the day.
Water Intake: You can cross out or tick the glass of water to show how much you drink each day.
Bowel Movements: The stool section provides boxes for you to keep a record of your bowel movements. There is space to write a time and or comment and a number that corresponds to the Bristol stool chart.
Symptoms/other notes: here you can mention any other feelings or symptoms you experience even if you feel they aren’t relevant. For example, headache, joint pain, nausea, delicate mood, etc. or even record that you took pain medication or anything that you don’t usually take. In addition, you could note anything else there you wish.
Medication: It’s always worth making a note of any medication you had to take, whether it seems related or not. But taking medication such as painkillers or antacids is a good way to keep a record of how often your symptoms bother you enough to reach for the medicine cupboard.
Tracker Previews
Preview of the DD Tracker Instuctions and examples
Let me know what you think and even share with me what you record in your diary to help you…do you do anything differently?
Eating is something we do to get all of the nutrients that we need to be healthy and live an active lifestyle. A lot of people suffer with poor digestion and get symptoms such as stomach ache, bloating, indigestion, acid reflux or even just feeling sluggish. So, what can we do to prevent these problems?
Try these 7 tips to help your digestive system work in tip-top condition.
1. Eat slowly
When eating, it’s a good idea to eat slowly. This way you’re more likely to chew your food and not eat more than your stomach needs to satisfy your hunger.
2. Chew your food well
Digestion begins in the mouth, here we physically break down food by using our teeth, but we also begin to chemically digest food using our saliva. An enzyme in our saliva called Amylase helps us break down carbohydrates into sugars that will give us energy before we even swallow our food. To make food easier for our stomach to digest, we should chew our food very well until it is like a paste and is easy to swallow.
3. Avoid drinking lots of liquid while eating
Drinking lots of water at the same time as eating can overfill our stomach and cause us a lot of discomfort. It can even cause our stomach to stretch over time. It’s best to avoid drinking for around 20-30 minutes either side of your meal. Of course, you can have a couple of small sips to cleanse your palette or wet a dry mouth, but our stomach and stomach acid can do a better job to digest our food without a lot of water entering the stomach at the same time.
4 . Avoid eating after 7 pm
A lot of people suffer with indigestion or acid reflux in the evening or when in bed at night and one cause of this could be eating too late in the evening. When we sleep, our digestive system slows down and doesn’t work as efficiently as it does during the day. Because of this, it’s a good idea to avoid eating after around 7pm or for about 4 hours before you go to bed. This gives food time to be digested and exit the stomach, meaning there isn’t lots of acid when you go to bed. However, there are lots of other reasons why you might be getting acid reflux or indigestion on a regular basis and this should be discussed with your doctor.
5. Avoid laying down or napping after a meal
Just as I mentioned above, sleeping after a meal, although tempting isn’t good for digestion since it slows the process down, causing food to stay around in the stomach for longer than usual. Laying down is also not a great idea because it can mean acid is more likely to escape from the stomach and go up into the oesophagus, giving us that burning sensation in our throat.
6. Stop eating if you don’t feel hungry
We know it’s rude to waste our food, but, it’s bad for our health and our digestion to eat portions that are much too large for us. Large portions are difficult for us to break down all at one time and can also stretch our stomach and make us feel bloated and uncomfortable. Remember, it takes around 20 minutes for the hormones produced by the stomach to tell your brain that you’re full. This means that many of us overeat. Eating slowly will certainly help us to receive that signal before we indulge too much.
It’s okay to say ‘no thank you’ – in fact, your digestive system might even thank you for it!
7. Eat small portions regularly
As we’ve seen above, large meals are hard on the digestive system. It’s much better for your body to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day than going hungry all day and sitting down to a huge meal in the evening. But doesn’t eating more meals each day mean more cooking? Not necessarily…you can easily cook your lunch and split it into several portions to eat later in the day.
Do you get discomfort after eating and have any of these tips helped you? Let me know in the comments below.
Tummy Trouble 