The vast majority of digestive problems that we suffer from are usually related to alterations in the digestion of food. It is not difficult to find people with a problem of this type. However, they are easy disorders to avoid. If we want to learn to get along with our digestive system and not play tricks on us, we must know some details about it.
The digestive system refers to a set of physiologically very complex organs. It is in charge of processing food so that we can extract the nutrients it stores. He works almost non-stop and spends day and night removing the packaging and jealously guarding the nutrients that allow our well-being.
In addition, there is a large bacterial community in it, the so-called intestinal microbiota (also known as intestinal flora), which we must take special care of because it is a fundamental part of digestion. In addition, it plays an essential role in protecting our health. It is as if it were another organ of our body. In fact, it is implanted at birth and leaves us when we die. Spend a lifetime by our side.
Our rhythm of life and our routines also influence our little intestinal allies. Many researchers are showing that our eating behavior and lifestyle habits can influence the microbiota and improve or worsen our health in general.
We must know that the composition of the microbial population that lives in us is directed by our genetics, but is easily altered by the environment. In this way, it can vary for better or worse; so much that some diseases we suffer from (such as obesity or hypertension) appear, among other reasons, as a result of an inadequate microbial composition.
Therefore, it is important to keep in mind what behaviors could affect the digestive process. Thus, we will identify the way to avoid symptoms of discomfort or pathological processes related to digestion.
A healthy, balanced and varied diet will be adequate to ensure that our microbiota is well constituted and we avoid problems. It is also convenient to have correct eating habits to regulate the digestive processes. Among other things, because what we eat our microscopic hosts also feed on.
Some food examples that benefit us and help digestion could be: yogurt, vegetables, especially the cabbage family, fruits, legumes, whole grains… All of them increase the fiber richness of our diet, favoring its fermentation by the microbiota and making it stronger.
On the other hand, it is important to maintain good intestinal hygiene, avoiding constipation and other damage to our body. In this way we will prevent harming our little “friends”, who are greatly affected by waste and other toxic elements.
Likewise, certain lifestyle habits, such as following regular meal times, a good rest and an active life away from a sedentary lifestyle are described as of great interest to avoid suffering from digestion disorders. In this regard, natural rest is, basically, related to circadian rhythms.
These rhythmic variations are directly involved in the rest phases and feeding periods. It has been shown that people who alter these rhythms are more likely to suffer alterations. It can happen, for example, with changes in work shifts, because their behavior and eating patterns are forced. This causes a certain tendency to suffer disorders in the digestive processes and even alterations in metabolism, leading to a greater risk of obesity.
Regarding the last of those mentioned, regular physical activity, let us remember that not only has it been shown to be beneficial for health in general, but recent studies have shown that it is also especially beneficial for our digestive system: it can influence the composition of the microbiota in a positive way.
Intestine rejects anything that irritates it
Contrary to all these positive routines, lack of food control is one of the factors that most negatively affect good digestive function. The consumption of foods with a high fat content or excessively rich in proteins, such as red meat, can cause from indigestion to more severe disorders.
Similarly, excessive consumption of sweet foods can cause digestion problems since it has been shown that substances such as glucose directly harm the development of certain bacterial species of the intestinal flora of great benefit to our health.
No less harmful to our digestive system are artificial sweeteners, as various scientific studies have highlighted the negative activity that these substances exert on the intestinal microbiota. Also, alcoholic beverages, coffee, chocolate and other irritating substances can alter the digestive process causing discomfort.
Finally, the use of medications must be very careful and they must always be taken under prescription and most especially, antibiotics. Most of the components of our intestinal flora are susceptible to being attacked by these drugs. This exposes us to problems that are often avoidable, which weaken our immune system and cause intestinal discomfort.
Given all this, if we want to have good digestion, it is time to think about our microbiota as much or more as we do about our facial skin. Although we do not see it, we can feel it every time we alter its order and it takes a digestive toll on us.
