Improve Your Digestive Health for the New Year

As we kick off the new year, you might be deciding on a New Year’s resolution. Consider letting the new year begin your journey to a healthier you by concentrating on ways to improve your digestive health. Maintaining a healthy digestive system can improve your general health in many ways you may not have even thought about.

The dedicated GI team at GI Alliance of Illinois has provided some general information about methods to enhance digestion. Find out how it's possible to increase your overall gut health with some suggestions from our Illinois digestive specialists.

What are some advantages of great gut wellness?

When your gut wellness is poor, it can influence every facet of your life. Our stomach and entire gut have a detailed balance between good and bad microbes. Once this microbiome is off-balance, it can be the reason for multiple issues. Poor quality GI health could negatively affect your sleep, aggravate your levels of stress, and make you susceptible to additional health concerns. However, when we monitor our gut health, the perks are infinite. A couple of the ways that maintaining good GI health can positively increase your overall GI health involve:

• Heart health benefits
• Management of weight
• Improving your quality of sleep
• Boosting your mood
• Brain to health advantages
• Improving your immune system
• Strengthening your bones

Overall, it seems clear that the gut microbiome is crucial for overall well-being. Any lifestyle changes to enrich your gastrointestinal health will not only involve ways to assist in digestion, but can also serve as methods to boost your entire well-being.

How can I boost my gut health?

There are multiple steps that you can take to elevate your GI wellness. A number of these are centered around the types of sustenance we give our body, which directly links to how effectively we absorb foods and the overall health of our gut. Some of the changes we may make surrounding our dietary selections include eating:

• Prebiotic foods like (peas, oats, berries, bananas, legumes, and beans)
• Whole grains
• Large amounts of vegetables and fruits (raspberries, artichokes, broccoli, bananas, and apples)
• A plant-based diet
• A polyphenol-rich diet (dark chocolate, blueberries, almonds, green tea)

You can also enhance your digestive health by consuming foods with probiotics, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, or yogurt.

What can I do to enhance my digestion?

When you make the alterations indicated above to your diet to improve your gastrointestinal health, these modifications ought to, in turn, also aid in digestion. You can also make a number of lifestyle changes to assist with your digestion. A few extra measures involve:

• Getting enough rest
• Staying hydrated
• Sustaining a healthy weight
• Getting standard exercise
• Quitting smoking, or refraining from smoking
• Reducing stress

If you have altered your diet and lifestyle and are experiencing gastrointestinal issues lasting more than two consecutive weeks, you should connect with a digestive doctor at GI Alliance of Illinois for further examination. Repeated constipation, stomach or abdominal pain, diarrhea, or other GI problems are signs that you should consider contacting one of our Illinois GI specialists to request a consultation.

Connect with a knowledgeable digestive specialist in Illinois

At GI Alliance of Illinois, we have a team of skilled gastrointestinal specialists that aims to provide complete care not only for troubles as they develop, but also to help you achieve great GI health for optimum wellness. If you're grappling with digestive concerns and need help with improving your GI health, request an appointment at one of our Illinois offices to begin your path toward a healthier you this new year.