Your lifestyle and the foods you eat don’t only affect your weight — they affect all of your body including your digestive health. Your digestive system can play a key role in weight management by training your mind and body to choose healthy foods and behaviors.
A Glance at Your Digestive System
Your digestive system functions to break down the foods you eat and absorb all of the nutrients from those foods. As a result, you gain energy, vitamins, minerals, proteins, electrolytes, etc. If you neglect it, you’re in for a whole host of problems affecting numerous parts of your body!
PLUS – Did you know that more than half of your body’s immune system dwells in your digestive tract? That’s another reason for focusing on your well-being and paying special attention to your digestive health. From the moment you begin to swallow to the moment your food passes, YOU play a role in your digestive health at every step!
Tips for Boosting your Digestive Health
- Drink Water All Day, Every Day – Water flushes out toxins and keeps your organs functioning properly. Not only will it help control your appetite, but it will help move food through your body smoothly.
- Eat Foods High in Fiber – Fiber also keeps food moving through your digestive tract and reduces your risk for constipation. Foods high in fiber include whole grains, dark leafy green vegetables, fruits and legumes.
- Exercise Consistently – Has your stomach ever felt better after a good workout? That’s because movement helps your digestive health. The Centers for Disease Control recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
- Incorporate Probiotics into Your Diet – Just like vitamins, probiotics can give you an extra boost of health beyond the food you eat. They increase the amount of healthy bacteria into your digestive tract to keep things functioning properly.
- Manage Stress – Controlling stress will not only help your weight directly, but it will help your digestive system. Too much stress or anxiety can cause it to go into over-drive or slow down.
- Eat Regularly – Eating on a consistent schedule is good for giving your body a routine it can get used to. Aim to take your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks at around the same time every day.
What you consume and when you consume it can have a significant impact on your digestive health, and your weight as a result!
