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14 Tips For Optimal Digestive Health

Feeling gassy and bloated is NOT normal.

A good meal should leave you feeling full and satisfied, not bloated and uncomfortable.

But for many, that gassy, puffed-up feeling is so common it's considered "normal." But as Jason Marr, naturopathic doctor and brand ambassador for Genuine Health tells The Huffington Post Canada, "normal" doesn't necessarily mean healthy.

"Both gas and bloating are commonly due to poor, incomplete or improper digestion of foods, or inflammation caused by food reactions," Marr says. In some cases, gas can also be a symptom of digestive disorders like celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Chron's disease and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

"When symptoms begin to impact on how you make decisions, or how you schedule your day, you should check in with your licensed healthcare provider," Marr notes.

Of course, you should always visit your doctor if you notice blood or mucus in your stool, dark black coloured stool, chronic diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain and/or persistent heartburn.

Below, Marr shares his 14 tips for improving your digestive health. From what you should and shouldn't eat to advice for healthy hydration, these tips will help make your gut happy again.

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