Digestive Health: Colon Health Starts with Digestion

Digestion is a natural process wherein the body breaks down the food we eat so we can utilize the nutrients and energy. Our genetics, environment and our eating habits will greatly affect our digestive health. In order to fully understand how our digestion functions and what to do to keep it healthy, here are 5 things that we should know.

Quality Vs. Quantity

Food is an important body need. This replenishes us with energy and gives the body the essential nutrients in order to perform properly. It is important to keep track what and how much food we eat because this will greatly affect our digestive health. Choosing the right food such as food high in fiber, vitamins and probiotics is more important than focusing on consuming a lot of food that contain empty calories. Furthermore, it is important to limit food with high fat content as these may cause an imbalance of the body’s micro-flora.

Chew Carefully

We are often reminded to eat slowly. There is pure scientific wisdom in this adage since the manner we eat will also affect our digestive health. If we don’t chew our food properly, an enzyme called amylase cannot fully begin the digestive process. It is always best to take time to eat and chew slowly to avoid gas and indigestion.

Hydrate the Body

The digestive health is not only affected by the food we eat, but also by our fluid intake. It is best to keep the body hydrated with at least 8 glasses of water a day, or more if you’re on a workout. Water keeps the nutrients properly absorbed by the body and help in excreting toxins and breaking down of solid wastes.

Find a Consistent Time to Eat

Finding a consistent time to eat every day will also help you not only lose weight, but avoid digestion problems, such as having an upset stomach. Eating sporadically throughout the day will lead to giving in to unhealthy food options and excessive snacking. Space your mealtimes properly. You may eat a heavy breakfast and light lunch, depending on how active you are throughout the day. But avoid eating too much or within 3 hours of your bedtime because the body does not have much to do at night and excessive eating will only lead to weight gain.

Do Away with the Bad Habits

Smoking, drinking liquor and other bad habits will also affect how your digestive system works. Too much alcohol and smoking can block the blood flow and minimizes the absorption of essential nutrients, not to mention the possibilities of acquiring different diseases related to these disorders.

Conclusion

It is important to maintain digestive health as it can affect how the whole body functions. By making the right food decisions and living a healthy lifestyle, your digestive system should be at the pink of health.