Introduction
Having a healthy digestive system is essential for overall health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, many of us don’t pay enough attention to our digestive health until something goes wrong. Knowing the signs that your digestive system isn’t as strong as it should be can help you take steps to improve your digestive health before it becomes a bigger issue. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the common signs that your digestive system isn’t functioning optimally and provide tips on what to eat and what to avoid to help improve your digestive health.
Signs Your Digestive System Isn’t as Strong as it Should Be
Your digestive system is an incredibly important part of your overall health. It helps to break down food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste. But if your digestive system isn’t functioning properly, it can lead to a variety of uncomfortable and even dangerous health issues.
Here are some signs that your digestive system isn’t as strong as it should be:
- Frequent bloating or gas
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They can help you determine the cause of your digestive issues and recommend the best course of treatment.
Eat This, Not That
Making changes to your diet can help improve your digestive health. Here are some foods to eat and avoid:
- Eat: Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kimchi.
- Avoid: Processed foods, fried foods, sugary drinks, and foods high in saturated fat.
By making the right dietary choices, you can help keep your digestive system healthy and functioning properly.
Everyone has digestive issues from time to time, but when symptoms become a regular occurrence, it could mean you have a digestive problem. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 60-70 million Americans live with digestive disease and knowing the signs iis vital to getting a quicker diagnosis and treatment. Eat This, Not That! Health spoke with Dr. Suhail Salem, M.D., Gastroenterologist with Dignity Health Northridge Hospital and United Medical Doctors who shares what to know about your digestive system and signs that indicate a problem. As always, please consult your physician for medical advice. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
Dr. Salem tells us, “Your digestive system is made up of all the organs necessary for your body to ingest food, break it down, absorb all the nutrients, as well as store and eliminate leftover waste. It begins with swallowing food down your esophagus into your stomach. The acid and enzymes in your stomach help to break down the food and propel it into your small intestine. The nutrients from food are then absorbed in the small intestine and the remaining waste is transported to the colon. In the colon, water and electrolytes are still absorbed, leaving indigestible waste to be transported and eliminated from your colon. The liver, gallbladder, and pancreas also secrete important fluids into the intestinal tract to facilitate digestion. Your digestive system is important to extract energy and nutrients to make sure the rest of your body can grow and function normally throughout life.”
Dr. Salem says, “The digestive system is a complicated, elaborate system that works in harmony. For the most part, it works incredibly well, especially if it is well cared for, but even then most people will experience some digestive symptoms from time to time. Most of these symptoms are not a sign of serious disease, but it is important to discuss them with your doctor. Depending on your medical history, additional testing or treatment may be necessary but for many people, changes in diet and lifestyle may be enough.”
“Many different things can have a negative impact on your digestive system, including an unhealthy diet or lifestyle, gastrointestinal infections, inflammatory conditions, medical conditions such as diabetes, medication side effects, cancer, or surgery,” Dr. Salem states.
Dr. Salem reminds us, “Being proactive about the health of your digestive system can help prevent disease or troublesome digestive symptoms. Consuming a healthy diet, high in fiber, with lots of fruits and vegetables can keep your gut healthy, while at the same time avoiding unhealthy habits like smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, or eating too much red meat. In addition, cancer screenings can help eliminate cancers before they develop in many patients, so it is important to participate in screening programs.”
Dr. Salem explains, “Diarrhea may be a sign of a problem in your digestive tract. A bulk forming fiber supplement such as psyllium husk is always a good start, but medical testing for conditions like Celiac disease or Inflammatory bowel disease can help identify the cause and what specific measures would be most helpful in each individual.”
“Most often this indicates a slow moving digestive system and build up of waste in the colon can cause symptoms like bloating and abdominal pain,” says Dr. Salem. “Again, fiber supplementation is a good first step in this case, though it may not work for everyone. Depending on your age, a colonoscopy may be necessary to ensure there is no physical blockage or colon cancer.”
Dr. Salem shares, “Abdominal pain is a sign that something could be wrong in your digestive system. Pain in your abdomen could indicate a problem in any of your digestive organs, including the stomach, gallbladder, small or large intestine, or pancreas. It is important to get evaluated to identify the cause of pain as best as possible, so specific treatment can be prescribed.”
Dr. Salem emphasizes, “Blood in the stool is a red flag that needs to be evaluated. There are several serious causes of internal bleeding including peptic ulcers and colon cancer, among many others. Endoscopy and colonoscopy can help identify the cause and help with facilitating the best treatment.”
Dr. Salem shares, “If food is getting stuck during swallowing, that could indicate a problem in the esophagus. There are some benign conditions such as acid reflux or allergic conditions that may cause this symptom, but in some patients it can be a symptom of a cancer in the esophagus. An endoscopy can be performed to diagnose the cause.”
Heather Newgen