The Importance of Digestive Wellness

In recent years, Digestive Wellness has become a popular topic in the public health forum. One of the reasons it has begun to gain so much recognition is the increased awareness of the devastating effect poor digestion has upon the body. We are beginning to understand how important having a healthy digestive system is to good overall health. Many of our hormones and other essential nutrients are produced in the gut.

Gut health issues are very common in the U.S. Many people suffer from digestive disorders such as ulcers, diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). And colon cancer is the third most common cancer found in the United States. It is estimated that there will be more than 100,000 new cases of colon cancer and more than 40,000 cases of rectal cancer this year. These two cancers will lead to more than 55,000 deaths.

Many factors can lead to an unhealthy digestive system. Stress, improper food intake, the onset of disease, lack of rest, harmful environmental conditions and the ingestion of medicines and antibiotics can all lead to an unhealthy gut.

There are more immune cells in our gut than in any other area of our body. So, having a healthy gut is imperative for digestive wellness.

A poorly functioning digestive system can make life miserable. Whether it is an upset stomach , and nausea or the more serious conditions such as acid reflux or Chrone’s disease having problems with the gut take their toll physically. And the pain that comes with inflamed hemorrhoids or bleeding ulcers can lead to severe emotional anguish.

How do we improve our digestive wellness? Here are some tips for good gut health:

1) Moderate the pace of your eating and chew your food well.2) Be peaceful and relaxed when you eat.3) Eat simply. Never eat more than three different types of food.4) Drink hot water and hot herb teas.5) Eat freshly cooked foods.6) Never overeat.7) Sit still and relax after eating.8) Eat fruit between meals.9) See a doctor if digestive problems persist.

Foods that will aid in digestion include: red beets and beet greens, gold potatoes, avocados, oats, cod liver oil, apricots, crackers, pretzels, raisins, dates, yogurt, pasta, white rice, pineapples, bagels, bran, mint, ginger, fish, bananas, asparagus, and low fat milk. If you can't incorporate better food into your diet there are some wonderful supplements out there to help with better digestive health

You’ll want to avoid these foods to have a healthy gut: fatty foods, very spicy dishes, rich foods such as pastry, full fat dairy products, caffeine and alcohol.