The Importance of Healthy Digestive System for your Body
Nov 11, 2022
The Digestive System performs some of the most important tasks in our bodies. It is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and expelling waste from our bodies.
However, many people nowadays suffer from a bad digestive system because of poor lifestyle choices and bad eating habits. In this blog, we will understand the importance of our digestive system and how we can improve its function, health, and performance.
Importance of a Healthy Digestive System
Our digestive system contains six main organs. Those organs are the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus these along with the help of other organs like the pancreas and liver perform the breaking down of nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates, their absorption, and the ejection of the waste left as the last step of the process. A well-maintained and healthy digestive system is crucial for our body. Having a poor digestive system reduces nutrient absorption which can lead to problems like weak immunity, malnutrition etc. An unhealthy digestive system adversely affects our health and overall well-being. Some of the health problems caused by an unhealthy digestive system are:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common gastrointestinal disorder that affects the large intestine. Its symptoms include bloating, gas, and diarrhoea.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
GERD is a chronic digestive disease. In this condition, the bile juice and stomach acid flow back into the oesophagus causing irritation and inflammation.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IBD is referred to as a group of chronic inflammatory conditions like Crohn's disease (inflammation in any part of the digestive tract) and Ulcerative disease (Ulcers in the rectum and anus).
Furthermore, bad digestion not only causes physical distress, it can heavily impact your mental health too. Research conducted by Experts suggests that an imbalance in the gut microbiome which consists of trillions of microorganisms can give rise to problems like mood disorders and anxiety.
How to Improve Digestive System
We discussed how a poor digestive system badly affects our health. Many people when having digestive problems often take allopathic medicines for quick relief. However, heavy intake of these chemical-filled medicines can be harmful in the long term. But you don’t have to worry as you can improve your digestion system by just following these simple tips :
1) Improving Diet
One of the major reasons leading to poor digestion is an unbalanced diet and consuming a high quantity of processed food. It's advised to consume a diet that is rich in fibre, fruits, vegetables, and probiotics that promote good gut health. The probiotics found in yoghurts and fermented foods balance the number of healthy gut bacteria and fibre helps in promoting digestion and bowel movements.
2) Keep your Body Hydrated
Water symbolises the very essence of life, without water life won’t be possible. Keeping yourself hydrated is essential for maintaining proper digestion as it helps in the breaking down of food, absorbing nutrients, and avoiding constipation.
3) Daily Exercise
In the fast-paced and hectic lifestyle people barely do any exercise. However, in order to maintain a healthy digestive system it’s advised to exercise on a regular basis. Exercise facilitates bowel movements and helps avoid constipation.
4) Stress Management
Stress, tension, and anxiety, these three are the root causes of many health problems including an unhealthy digestive system. You can practise techniques like yoga and meditation which are proven to help relieve stress.
5) Avoid Alcohol
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to our digestive system. It damages our liver and increases the acid amount in the stomach leading to problems like stomach ulcers and acid reflux.
Conclusion
The Digestive System works as the core of our body and overall health. It impacts all aspects of our life. A healthy digestive system contributes to various important functions like absorbing nutrients from food, enhancing immunity, and stabilising our mental health. Poor digestive system can lead to problems like bloating, gas, constipation and many other health-related issues. Fortunately, we can maintain a healthy digestive system by just changing our lifestyle, maintaining a proper diet, doing regular exercise, and drinking plenty of water. These simple things help us avoid digestion-related problems without relying on chemical-filled tablets and medicines.
