How Can We Increase Our Digestive Capacity

By: on September 13th, 2016 in Diet & Nutrition, Preventive Health, Sickness & Disease

 

HOW CAN WE INCREASE DIGESTIVE CAPACITY:

INTRODUCTION:

Our digestive tract is 30-foot long tube which helps to transport food into the body and thus helps in digestion and absorption process. Most of us forget the interrelationship between quantities, quality of food with digestion which is a vital factor for well functioning of the digestive system.

PROPER STEPS OF  DIGESTION:

  • Chew well as it is the first step of digestion.
  • Main digestion process starts at stomach where food comes in contact with stomach acids- second step of digestion. Though stomach doesn’t digest food directly but it plays a role in protein breakdown by triggering pepsin enzyme.
  • Old age, unhealthy diet and lifestyle can make our blood acidic and thus our stomach stops to secrete enough stomach acids needed for protein  digestion  which results-heartburn, gas and bloating.
  • The third step of digestion starts at small intestine where Pancreases play an important role in producing digestive enzymes and bile with the help of gallbladder and liver which helps in the breakdown of food like carbohydrates, proteins and fats for healthy digestion.
  • Then the food comes to the large intestine which comprises of colon and rectum, the last step of the digestion process.
  • Colon is the place where unabsorbed foods get fermented with the help of gut bacteria and it also reabsorbs water and salts and passes the  waste products into the rectum
  • Waste products stored in the rectum for few hours till they come out as stools through the anus.

THE COMMON DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEMS ARE:

  • Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
  • Gallstones
  • Celiac disease
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Diverticulitis
  • Anal Fissures
  • Ulcerative Colitis

WAYS TO HEALTHY DIGESTION:

  • Choose food carefully i.e good quality, fresh and natural safe foods.
  • Chew our food well.
  • Include always high fibre rich diet,  must be both soluble and insoluble fibre.
  • SOLUBLE FIBRE: Oats, Peas, Beans, Apples, Citrus fruit, Carrots and Barley which controls our blood sugar and cholesterol level.
  • INSOLUBLE FIBRE: Whole wheat flour, Wheat bran, Nuts, Vegetables : Cauliflower, green beans which improve regular bowel movements and fight against constipation.
  • Limit foods that are high in sugar, salt and fat i.e.- packaged and processed foods as they slow down the digestion process
  • Choose lean meats and fish instead of fatty meats as it leads to improper digestion.
  • Include fermented foods rich in probiotics like yoghurt to grow healthy gut bacteria and maintain normal flora of the gut
  • Drink enough water and keep hydrated by avoiding soda and coffee which impairs our digestion process
  • Quit Smoking and avoid alcohol and excessive use of caffeinated drinks to prevent heartburn, ulcers and other diseases of the G.I tract
  • Avoid spicy foods as it irritates G.I tract and interferes with digestion
  • Regular eating at scheduled time
  • Light exercise everyday to manage stress and which also keeps us  healthy by improving our digestive system

OTHER MEASURES:

  • Eat small, frequent meals
  • Keep records of the food ourselves which are intolerable and allergic to our digestive system and eliminate it from our meal plan.
  • Avoid lactose-containing foods found in milk if we are having problem with lactose tolerance
  • Avoid gluten a protein found in wheat and its products, rye and barley if we have gluten allergy
  • If allergic to soy, corn and fructose avoid it
  • Avoid fatty foods like butter, ghee, cheese, deep fried foods, fast food and roadside foods
  • Include digestive enzyme supplements which maintain HCL secretion into the stomach and aids in digestion.