Healthy Lifestyle

Food Ingredients ~ Diet

Make changes to your diet
Changes in what you eat and drink can keep your digestive tract healthy. For maximum digestive health, try to follow each instructions:

• Eat plenty of fiber. Foods that contain fiber — such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains — pass more easily and quickly through your digestive tract. Fiber gives stool bulk and also softens it, which helps prevent constipation, diarrhea and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Fiber can decrease pressure in the intestinal tract, reducing your risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease). A fiber-rich diet may also play a part in lowering your risk of colon and rectal cancer.
• Reduce fat and oils. Excess fat slows digestion, which can lead to heartburn, bloating and constipation. A high-fat diet may also worsen the symptoms of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatitis and Crohn's disease. A diet high in saturated fat — animal fat — may increase your risk of colon cancer.
• Drink ample fluids. Fluids lubricate food waste so that it passes more easily through your digestive tract. Fluids also soften stool, helping to prevent constipation. They dissolve minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, making them easier for your tissues to absorb. Water is best, but milk, juice and most other beverages are more than 90 percent water, so they also can help meet your daily fluid needs.
• Drink less alcohol, if you drink at all. Anything more than a moderate amount of alcohol — no more than one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men — can lead to digestive disorders. Alcohol can inflame your stomach lining and relax your lower esophageal sphincter — the valve that prevents stomach acid from backing up into your esophagus. This can cause bleeding or heartburn. Alcohol can also aggravate symptoms such as diarrhea or nausea.

posted by Unknown @ 1:58 PM