What is digestive health?
Digestive health is the ability of your body to break down food, nutrients and fats into smaller pieces so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
It also involves a lot of other things like keeping your intestines clean, protecting you from toxins and infections, and producing natural digestive enzymes that help to digest protein and carbohydrates.
Digestive health is the basis for your overall health. When it's compromised, all aspects of your body and mind suffer.
Think about it: if you don't digest food properly, you'll miss out on important nutrients that fuel your brain and body. Plus, poor digestion can cause bloating and discomfort, which can lead to feelings of stress or anxiety.
Your digestive system
Your digestive system includes your mouth, oesophagus, stomach and intestines.
When you have a healthy digestive system, you can expect to have good energy levels, a strong immune system, and normal digestion - including regular bowel movements.
How to improve your digestive system
Eat a healthy diet
Eating lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products will help you get the nutrients you need.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is crucial for maintaining good digestive health. It can help your body fight off infection and control inflammation — both of which are important for maintaining a healthy gut.
Limit alcohol intake or avoid it altogether if you're having digestive problems
Alcohol can irritate the stomach lining and cause acid reflux. Cutting down on your alcohol intake could help improve your digestion issues.
Take digestive supplements
Taking digestion supplements, including digestive enzymes, and probiotics can all help improve your digestion.
Signs you might have bad digestive health
Digestive issues are the most common health complaints in the world. If you have digestive problems, you're not alone. The following signs can indicate that you have bad digestive health:
- You experience bloating after eating certain foods or at certain times of day (usually early in the morning).
- You experience gas frequently for no apparent reason.
- You feel constipated regularly and/or struggle with bowel movements that don't come out easily.
- Your stool is loose, frequent, or both—and it's accompanied by a lot of gas and cramping pains in your stomach area (sometimes called "runner's gut").
The best digestive health supplements
Digestive supplements can help with specific digestive issues or support overall digestive health. How you use them depends on what your body needs.
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D is essential for overall health, including digestive system health. It helps absorb calcium from food for strong bones and teeth; it reduces inflammation that can lead to chronic disease; and it may improve mood by balancing brain chemicals like serotonin.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an electrolyte that keeps your heart beating regularly while also relaxing your muscles so they don't become tense or spasmodic — which would be bad news if you were trying to digest food.
Calcium
Calcium is an important mineral for maintaining bone health and proper nerve function. It also helps to keep your heart beating regularly.
Zinc
Zinc plays a role in digestion by helping your body break down food into more easily digestible forms so that you can absorb the nutrients.
Probiotics
Probiotics are bacteria that can help your gut produce enzymes that break down the food you eat. They also prevent harmful bacteria from growing and causing illness.
Fibre
Fibre helps to keep us full, which means we are less likely to overeat calories later on in the day. It also helps with digestion by moving waste through the digestive tract more easily.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps to repair damaged cells and keep your immune system functioning properly.
Buy the best vitamins and minerals to improve digestive health
Digestive health is an important part of your overall health. Maintaining your digestive system can help to prevent a number of diseases and conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and arthritis.
One of the easiest ways to support digestive health is with digestion supplements. Buy digestive supplements from Sealions today and improve your health while saving money.
