What to do to keep your stomach healthy?

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Having a healthy body is beneficial not only for your physical and immune health, but also for your mental health, significantly increasing your self-esteem.

The stomach is one of the vital organs of our body and should always be in good working condition.

But what to do to keep the stomach healthy? Well, this post was developed especially to give you tips on simple habits so that you can have a healthy stomach without worries.

Practical tips to keep your stomach healthy

There is not much secret when it comes to stomach health, because if you follow a series of simple and effective habits your stomach will be able to maintain good functioning.

See below practical tips to keep your stomach healthy and increase your quality of life.

Include more fiber in your daily diet

Fibers are characterized by being compounds of plant origin not digested by the body.

By including an adequate amount of fiber in your diet, they will help maintain a healthy stomach, as well as prevent and combat health problems such as obesity, diabetes, constipation and also cardiovascular diseases.

Another positive point of these compounds is that some fibers have a prebiotic effect. Therefore, they are a food for beneficial gut bacteria that strengthen the immune system.

There are two variations of fibers, soluble and insoluble, and most foods contain these two types of fibers. 

The daily fiber intake recommended for an adult varies from 25 to 38 grams.

Some of the foods with high fiber rates are:

• legumes: beans, lentils and chickpeas;
• whole grain breads and biscuits;
• grains, whole flours, bran: oats, rice and flaxseed;
• fruits: pineapple, banana, blackberry, cashew, mango and papaya;
• vegetables: pumpkin, lettuce, chard, broccoli and okra.

Consume foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics

Foods rich in probiotics are those that contain live microorganisms, the known beneficial bacteria. When correctly ingesting these microorganisms, they will act in promoting the balance of the intestinal microbiota.

Prebiotic foods, on the other hand, are those that contain food components that are not digestible and are derived from carbohydrates, such as fibers, which contribute greatly to the development of probiotics.

Thus, foods like natural yogurt, fermented milk, kombucha and kefir are rich in probiotics while foods like oats, apple, soy, onion and garlic are rich in prebiotics.

Stay physically active every day

Physical exercises are great for the human body, because when we exercise, our body can enjoy benefits such as increased disposition, muscle strengthening and stress reduction. In addition, exercises also contribute to the stomach functioning normally with a quick digestion.

Physical activities facilitate the passage of food through the intestine more effectively, increasing the speed of food bolus conduction and making future evacuation more effective.

Exercising properly can greatly help people who suffer from constipation and gas.

Limit the abuses of alcohol, caffeine and tobacco

Excessive alcohol, tobacco and caffeine are responsible for causing many damages to the human body, affecting both the stomach and the brain and liver.

Because of this, it is essential not to overdo the consumption of these components and keep your body hydrated.

Hydrate properly throughout the day

Water participates in all physiological processes of our body, helps in the transport of nutrients, enzymes, hormones and blood cells in the body, in addition to providing the correct functioning of the stomach

Therefore, it is extremely important to drink at least 2 liters of water daily to hydrate your body.

Opt for healthier desserts

It is possible to consume healthier desserts in order to avoid the problems caused by excess sugar.

Desserts and sweets that use a lot of sugar and chocolates harm the health of the stomach in several ways and can cause diseases.

There are several options for desserts with fruits, which are healthy and have high rates of vitamins for the body.

Warning signs that your stomach is not healthy

In the modern era we are always busy, with a routine full of tasks and chores. With this, it is common to forget to take care of our stomach health.

The result of this often are health problems that end up appearing over time. These problems can cause headaches and anxiety, in addition to the fact of disrupting the individual’s daily life.

Some warning signs that indicate that your stomach is not healthy are:

• Bad breath: caused by gum inflammation, periodontal inflammation, dental prostheses and tongue coating. Bad breath can also be an indication of the existence of gastrointestinal diseases, such as gastroesophageal reflux and bacterial infection of the stomach;
• Abdominal pains: abdominal pains may be linked to the malfunctioning of the stomach and the digestive system in general. When these pains are related to the digestive system, they concentrate in the upper region of the abdomen, being indications of diseases that develop in the stomach like ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastritis, gallstones and its inflammation. If you feel recurrent pains in the abdomen consult a doctor immediately;
• Gastroesophageal reflux: symptoms such as heartburn and burning are signs that are related to gastroesophageal reflux disease. This problem happens when the gastric juice returns to the esophagus and causes irritation in the organ with heartburn, burning, abdominal pain, regurgitation and even cough. Other problems that you should be aware of are frequent vomiting, weight loss, bleeding in stools, pains in the abdomen region and also the existence of a history of gastric cancer in the family;
• Diarrhea: when this problem continues for a significant time, more than a month, it can be a warning about the existence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract such as inflammatory bowel disease, food intolerances and even irritable bowel syndrome.

Conclusion

To keep your stomach healthy, free from diseases and with full functioning conditions, you should adopt some habits that may seem simple, but are very effective.

If you notice abnormalities in your body, seek a specialized doctor as soon as possible to make the correct diagnosis.

Photo: Image by cookie_studio on Freepik