Tags:
Journalism of Courage
A healthy diet may not exactly prevent digestive disturbances,which relate to the balance between the good and bad bacteria gut flora. This balance is affected by various factors such as stress,lack of sleep,travel,over-indulgence in rich food,excessive sugar and refined carbohydrates,alcohol,smoking and medication like antibiotics,steroids and hormones. Gut flora is also affected by ageing and hormonal fluctuations like menstruation and pregnancy.
Sleep
Like the rest of the body,the digestive system needs time to relax and recuperate. Current urban lifestyles dont let us catch enough sleep. Plus,late-night snacking puts our digestive system to work at a time when it should be resting. Eating in the early hours of morning coupled with insufficient sleep not only puts pressure on the digestive system but also predisposes one to weight gain.
The digestive system benefits from regular physical activity,without which it becomes sluggish,leading to a feeling of bloatedness,lethargy and abdominal pain. Keeping a diary of how much time you spend on watching television and using the computer could help you monitor your daily physical activity.
Antibiotics
When we take antibiotics,up to 60 per cent of the total amount of bacteria in our gutboth good and badcan be killed. The result can sometimes be diarrhoea. The negative effects of antibiotics can be countered by eating onions,garlic,leeks,asparagus,artichokes,banana and psyllium husk. All contain prebiotics and help the friendly bacteria in the digestive system multiply. Having a probiotic preparation everyday can also help. It contains billions of friendly bacteria to restore the balance of good bacteria in the gut.
Alcohol
Excessive alcohol is a toxin. Most of those who drink know a hangover with a throbbing headache and irritation in the tummy. It is most potent when it is consumed on an empty stomach or in large amounts. Alcohol puts tremendous pressure on the liver,which is where it is detoxified.
Smoking
This habit can further worsen heart burn,hyper-acidity and ulcers,besides increasing the risk of inflammatory disorders like Crohns disease and gallstones. Smoking and alcohol is a deadly combo as smoking reduces the guts ability to handle alcohol.
Stress
Stress induces the production of adrenaline which speeds up the rate at which food is passed through the body. It may also lead to an irritated bowel resulting in a familiar condition of nervous diarrhea. Excessive stress can cause food cravings,emotional eating,imbalanced diets,substance abuse like smoking and drinking and reduced physical activity. Coupled with adrenaline,stress can have disastrous effects on our digestion.
Ageing
With age,the bacteria living in our gut tip over in favour of harmful bacteria. Levels of beneficial bacteria drop and our immune systems become weak. As almost 80 per cent of our immune system depends on the gut,the balance between good and bad bacteria is vital. As we grow older,common digestive disorders such as diverticular disease or constipation occur due to slowing in the movement of contents through the large intestine and reduced contractions in the rectum that let us know we need to empty our bowels.
