What is the Healthy Diet to Prevent Digestive Disorders

The digestive system starts at the mouth and goes all the way down to the rectum. Along the way, your digestive system breaks down the food you eat so you can absorb its nutrients and use them for energy.

Digestive disorders can cause gas, bloating, pain, heartburn, and other symptoms. They can prevent your digestive system from doing its job. Healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle can help you avoid many common digestive disorders.

What nutrition changes can be made?

Start by eating a balanced diet. Eat healthy foods from all the major food groups. These include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Other changes you can make include to:

• Eat enough fiber. Fiber is a healthy carbohydrate that cleans out your digestive system. Fiber absorbs water and helps you have regular bowel movements. Fiber comes from plants. To get enough fiber in your diet, eat 4–5 servings of fruits, vegetables, and legumes every day. Include beans and whole grains. Most people should get 20‒35 grams of fiber each day.
• Drink enough water to keep your urine clear or pale yellow. Water helps your body digest food. It can also help prevent constipation.
• Avoid fatty proteins. Full-fat dairy products and fatty meats are hard to digest. Fats you want to avoid are those that get solid at room temperature (saturated fats). Instead of eating these kinds of fats, eat plant-based unsaturated fats found in olives, canola, corn, avocado, and nuts.
• If you have trouble with gas, belching, or flatulence, avoid gas-producing foods. These include beans, carbonated beverages, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. If you are lactose intolerant, avoid dairy products or choose lactose-free dairy products.
• If you have frequent heartburn, stay away from alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods, chocolate, and peppermint. Avoid lying down within two hours of eating a full meal. Overeating and lying down too soon after a meal can cause heartburn.
• Add probiotics to your diet. Healthy digestion depends on having the right balance of good bacteria in your colon. Probiotics can help restore the balance of good bacteria in your digestive system. Probiotics are live active cultures that are found in yogurt, kefir, and cultured foods like sauerkraut and miso. You can also add good bacteria with probiotic supplements.
• Make sure to chew your food slowly and completely.
• Instead of eating three large meals each day, eat three small meals with three small snacks.

What other changes can I make?

You can help your digestive system stay healthy by making these lifestyle changes:

• Stay active and exercise every day.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat on a regular schedule.
• Avoid tight-fitting clothes. They can restrict digestion.
• If you have frequent heartburn, raise the head of your bed 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm).
• Do not use any tobacco products, such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 drink a day for nonpregnant women and 2 drinks a day for men. One drink equals 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1½ oz of hard liquor.
• Avoid stress. Find ways to reduce stress, such as meditation, exercise, or taking time for activities that relax you.

Why should I make these changes?

Making these changes will help your digestive system function at its best. A healthy digestive system can help you avoid or improve your management of digestive disorders such as:

• Bloating, gas, and flatulence.
• Heartburn.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Peptic ulcer disease.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Diverticulitis.
• Constipation.
• Diarrhea.
• Gall stones
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Malnutrition.
• Fatty liver disease.

What can happen if changes are not made?

Not making these changes could put you at risk for many conditions caused by a poor diet or an unhealthy weight, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Where can I get more information?

Learn more about healthy eating and digestive disorders by visiting these websites:

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: http://www.eatright.org/resources/health/wellness/digestive-health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.womenshealth.gov/files/assets/docs/the-healthy-woman/digestive_health.pdf

Summary

• A heathy diet can help prevent many digestive disorders.
• Eat a balanced diet consisting of fiber, unsaturated fats, lean protein, fruits, and vegetables.
• Eat three small meals with three small snacks per day.
• Drink plenty of water every day.
• Get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy weight.