4 Tips To Boost Your GI Health

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When it comes to wellness, the gastrointestinal system is often overlooked. This is somewhat surprising, given that a functioning GI system is so essential to our ability to feel at our best.


Unfortunately, GI issues are all too common, with millions of people experiencing illnesses related to this delicately-balanced biological system. From illnesses such as IBS to issues with malabsorption, the problems the GI system can cause can be genuinely life-affecting. Taking steps to ensure all is well in this area is, therefore, hugely beneficial to your overall health. While you should always visit gastro doctors if you experience continual, persistent gastrointestinal issues, there are a few things you can do to give your system the best chance of enjoying good health.

Eat a high fiber diet

Fiber is essential for GI health, and can help in the management of a variety of GI health conditions as well as promoting overall good health and well-being. Thankfully, there are plenty of sources of fiber that are both beneficial to health and genuinely delicious, so try to include foods such as lentils, grains, eggs, and avocados in your diet to ensure you’re eating adequate fiber every day.

Use probiotics

Probiotics are not a particularly new innovation; these “friendly bacteria” have made their way into the diet of the average person due to the benefits they offer to GI health. However, it’s fair to say that probiotics are not all equal, and some are more beneficial than others. Make sure to research the different strains and study packaging labels to ensure maximum efficacy.

Give fermented foods and drinks a try

It’s fair to say that most people recoil from the idea of eating fermented foods, but these foods have been part of the human diet for centuries, and most specialists believe they are particularly beneficial for GI health. For a more palatable entry into the world of fermented foods, try making your own kombucha; this beverage is well-tolerated and has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity over recent years.

Ensure you stay hydrated

Most of us know the importance of drinking water for overall health, but it’s also important to stay hydrated to support your GI system. The amount of water you should drink per day depends on your activity levels; two liters is considered a decent baseline requirement, and you should drink more if you exercise. If you’re going to aim to drink two liters per day, it’s also helpful to add a pinch of salt to the water itself; this ensures your electrolytes will stay balanced throughout the day and will help you feel much better in general.




While implementing the tips above should be beneficial to your overall GI system, if you do experience any lingering issues in this area, then it is best to visit a medical professional in order to ascertain what might be happening. GI problems can be deeply uncomfortable, and impact your ability to enjoy life to its fullest, so don’t hesitate to seek further advice when required.


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Revealed: How To Stop Stress In Its Tracks

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Stress is probably the most common health problem in the world. Most people are stressed at some point in their life, with many people dealing with it for years and years. The main issue with stress is that it can lead to all sorts of physical ailments as well.

Bearing that in mind, it’s important you do what you can to rid yourself of stress. So, here are a few ways you can stop it in its tracks:

Meditate or Do Yoga

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Meditation is a fantastic way to relieve yourself of stress and relax more. There are so many resources out there on sites like http://www.huffingtonpost.com that show all the benefits of meditation. It helps you clear your mind, relax your muscles and just float away from the world for a few minutes. Yoga goes hand in hand with meditation, and can also be used to get rid of your stress. Again, there are places like http://www.yogajournal.com/ that prove yoga helps reduce stress as well as improve other aspects of your health.

Most people that practice yoga will meditate as part of their session. So, you can combine both things into one, and start feeling less stressed. You don’t need to do yoga every day, although it will be very beneficial. Normally, you can get away with one or two sessions every week, lasting between half an hour and a full hour. Meditation, on the other hand, can be done every day for as little as ten minutes. Just set the time aside either in the morning or before bed at night, and try to destress.

 

Take Medication

Stress is a health problem just like any other physical health problem out there. What people, when they have physical problems take medicine to gain relief. If you are a medicine type of guy or gal, you can do this when you’re stressed too, you just need to know the right things to take. As seen here http://www.ibsrelief.com/reviews/ many people say that probiotics have helped reduce their stress levels. Probiotics are usually associated with stomach problems, which are also usually associated with stress! Probiotics can help to take care of your stress levels, which also could reduce the chances of stomach problems too. It’s important you take medication that doesn’t include lots of complex chemicals which lead to many side effects. You want something that’s as natural as can be, and non-addictive.

Release Your Emotions

A lot of the time, stress happens when we keep our emotions bottled up. This isn’t very good for our health or well-being, you need to let everything out. Find ways you can release your emotions, and you’ll instantly feel some stress relief. A good way you can do this is by punching a punchbag, or by listening to music at full volume and screaming out the lyrics to every song. Different people have different methods that work for them. Find out what helps you get this release, and you’ll soon wave goodbye to stress.

 

Relieve yourself of stress, and you will start to see dramatic improvements in your overall health and wellness too.

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Are You Listening? You're Digestive System has A LOT to Tell You

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When it comes to health and wellness, the focus is usually on the same few things. You think about weight, feeling good, having energy and waking up with a smile on your face. It's all yoga poses in front of a sunset and paleo dieting, but there is one area that's overlooked.

Part of that reasoning might be because it's not the most pleasant of topics. You might obsess about the things you eat, but the actual process of digestion? It's a bit gross. No one wants to think about stomach acid and bowel movements; they don't fit with the clean, sparse image we have of wellness.

This is a massive problem, because of how vital your digestive system is. Your stomach is your engine, but it's also the entire source of nutrients in your body. If it's not working, then nothing is going to work right. It doesn't matter how many vitamins you take if you can't absorb them. It's irrelevant if you eat "clean" if you don't get the benefit from the nutrients.

When it comes to managing health and wellness, you have to start from the inside out. That means managing your stomach and gut health is essential, because without those, nothing much else matters. Digestive complaints are all too common, and there are various reasons behind them. Some have their roots in lifestyle choices and some are genetic, while others are spontaneous illnesses from the just-bad-luck pile.

There are symptoms you have to be aware of, because identifying them is the only way to know your stomach is working as it should. Most of the time, digestion should be something that you can forget about. You should be managing it so well that you can afford to overlook it. But if you are suffering from one of the symptoms below, then it's something you need to rectify.

Bloating

It may seem normal to bloat after eating, and to an extent that's true. But there is a difference between your stomach expanding as you eat, and bloating that's being caused by excess gas.

You'll produce more gas if your stomach is having a tough time digesting something. So if this is a regular complaint, your diet is the first place to look. Complex carbohydrates are more difficult to digest; if you only have the problem after eating these foods, it's likely the source.

But if you're bloating after every meal, even those rich in protein, then it might be worth further examination.

 

Poop Problems

Yes, sorry, we're going to have to go there! It's pretty difficult to talk about GI complaints without going into the less attractive side of things. As icky as it sounds, it pays to be aware of your bowel movements.

As a rule, your poop should be solid and a light brown color. If it's dark to the point of being black, that could be a medical emergency due to bleeding in the GI tract. Look for medical advice immediately. A lighter color or floating issues, as The Alternative Daily details can mean you are eating too much fat. This can also be a sign of Celiac Disease.

Regularity is something that is very individual. Some people have to go two or three times a day, and for them, that's normal. Others once every two days. The only way to know what's right is to judge what's right for you. If your movements change in frequency, then it's worth keeping a food diary to see if there is any obvious cause.

Finally, blood in a bowel movement is not necessarily a cause of alarm. In most cases - and particularly if you're younger - it will be hemorrhoids, which are unpleasant but treatable. Nevertheless, seek medical advice if you see blood anywhere it shouldn't be.

 

Acid Reflux

This is a burning feeling in the chest and windpipe, which can occur at any time but primarily after eating. It's often grouped into a disorder known as GERD. There is no specific test for GERD; it's more an easy way of associating several symptoms.

Anxiety can worsen GERD, so look at lifestyle changes that can help calm stress if that is an issue (or consider seeking help from a therapist). Eating spicy food is also responsible, and carbohydrates don't help either.

Spices are fine in moderation, however, acid reflux can be a sign of a more serious problem like a stomach ulcer. In these cases, it will be accompanied by a pinching pain in the stomach. Ulcers are not life-threatening, but they can make you feel horrific and should be dealt with by a medical professional.

 

Stomach Cramps

Nine times out of ten, this is going to be down to something that you have eaten. Again, the more complex a food the more likely it is to hurt as it takes time to digest it.

However, it's worth considering if you have an allergy or a sensitivity. There are a few ways to try and identify this. You can go for allergy testing, but this can sometimes give false negatives. It also doesn't identify a sensitivity.

You can try taking an over-the-counter antihistamine and seeing if that eliminates the problem. This will likely only be effective, however, if your digestion is good enough to digest the pill effectively. And, again, it won't show a sensitivity.

Your best bet is to keep a food diary. If it's being caused by a particular food, then you will be able to track it. The FODMAP elimination diet is effective in helping find issues, and if it's a chronic issue, well worth doing. It will allow you to make the changes you need. If you don't find an effective culprit, then visit a doctor.

Diarrhea

There are many causes for this, though the top suspect will be Celiac Disease. This is relatively easy to test for, with a blood test being the first step. This can be followed by an endoscopy, but is not always necessary.

So the weapons in your arsenal are food diaries, elimination and knowing what works for you. If you see a change, seek medical advice. You can consider supplements and probiotics - and perhaps should - but these are just treating the symptom. Find the cause, treat it, and you will soon get the most of your wellness efforts.

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