Five Steps to Better Digestive Health | HuffPost

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Spring is the perfect time to refresh and renew with simple steps towards better digestive health. The body constantly requires adaptation in response to related periods of life, the change of seasons, as well as everyday environmental and lifestyle factors. I'm thrilled to share with you my top five steps to refresh and renew your digestive system this spring season.

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Registered Dietitian, Author and Food Consultant

Registered Dietitian, Author and Food Consultant

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Spring is the perfect time to refresh and renew with simple steps towards better digestive health. The body constantly requires adaptation in response to related periods of life, the change of seasons, as well as everyday environmental and lifestyle factors. My advice to combat these changes includes maintaining a healthy digestive system. I'm thrilled to share with you my top five steps to refresh and renew your digestive system this spring season.

Food Choices

Our digestive health is greatly influenced by the foods and beverages we eat (and overeat). Did you know we have 10 times more bacterial cells inside of us than we do human cells, and most of those are in the gut? I call it the gut ecosystem. Eating a variety of nutritious foods with fibre and probiotics is my top recommendation to promote digestive health. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are great sources of fibre. Women should aim for 25 grams of fibre per day and men should aim for 38 grams per day. Start slowly, adding more fibre every few days, and drink lots of water. This will help prevent the gas, cramping and bloating that can occur if you add fibre too quickly. Fermented foods and cultured foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and sourdough bread all contain some level of probiotics. Probiotics are friendly bacteria and they help improve the ratio of good to bad bacteria in your gut ecosystem. So follow your gut instinct and fuel your body with a daily dose of foods high in fibre and probiotics.

Stay Hydrated

Healthy digestion requires adequate fluid intake. The human body contains about 60 per cent water and the more muscular and younger you are the more water your body contains. The brain, lungs, heart, liver and kidneys all contain water -- about 65 per cent to 85 per cent -- and the bones contain about 31 per cent! Water has many crucial roles in the body including the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Many factors such as exercise, weather, weight and health affect how much water is right for you. The eight glasses (8 ounces) of water per day rule is supported by some nutrition researchers and challenged by others. The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly 3 litres (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 litres (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day. The Mayo Clinic suggests one way to make sure you are properly hydrated is to check your urine. If it's clear, pale or straw-coloured, it's okay. If it's darker than that, keep hydrating. Try adding lemon or cucumber slices to water for a refreshing twist. Decaffeinated herbal teas are also a great way to hydrate.

Be Active

A healthy lifestyle includes activity and a fitness strategy. Just 30 minutes of activity a day will promote digestive health. Being active accelerates digestion as it stimulates your system and assists with the action of the intestines. Plus, adding a fitness strategy to your healthy lifestyle will provide a more positive mood and energetic body. When we exercise there is a release of chemicals, called beta-endorphins. These chemicals enhance a state of euphoria, commonly referred to as a "runner's high." As part of your fitness strategy, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, doing activities you enjoy, such as walking, biking, hiking and strength-building activities. In addition to cardio and weight-training exercises, incorporate lifestyle activity every day. Take the stairs rather than the elevator, walk to work and conduct a walking meeting with colleagues. All these small activities can make a big difference.

Restful Sleep

Another significant factor in the healthy digestive system equation is sleep. I'm a person who needs at least seven to eight hours of unbroken sleep to be at my best. And research confirms this is true. It's recommended that adults get 7.5 to 9 hours of restful sleep each night. When we get less than 7.5 hours, it has negative influences on both our mind and body. Not getting enough sleep can cause a decrease in the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin and can increase the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin. This is not good news! This change can make us crave high sugar, salty and starchy foods leading to overconsumption and promoting negative effects on digestive health. Rest allows your body, including your digestive system, to renew and refresh. I recommend developing a relaxing routine before going to bed at the same time each night.

Manage Stress

Stress has a direct effect on digestive health. Taking care of your emotional well-being is important for your physical well-being. Stress can affect the way the digestive system functions. Depending on the way your body reacts, stress can cause the passage of food through the digestive system to slow down or to speed up, which can cause constipation, abdominal pain and/or diarrhea. Too much stress can also worsen symptoms of digestive health conditions including irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis. Throughout the day your body and mind need time to refresh and renew. Build a few 10-minute mini relaxation segments into your daily routine and a longer meditative period at the beginning and/or end of the day. Implement what works best for you.

These simple steps as part of a healthy lifestyle will have you feeling renewed and refreshed - ready for the spring season!

MORE ON HUFFPOST:

The Best And Worst Foods For Digestion

BEST: Fruits And Vegetables(01 of13)

Fruits and vegetables are great for digestion because most are high in fiber, King says. Bechtold adds that the fiber in produce has an added benefit of regulating bowel movements. (credit:Getty Images)

BEST: Whole Grains(02 of13)

Whole grain foods, including brown rice and wheat, also contain lots of fiber, making them another top food group good for digestion, King says.(Obviously this advice may not apply for people with chronic conditions like celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities, since wheat contains gluten.) (credit:Getty Images)

BEST: Bananas(03 of13)

While all fruits and vegetables are generally good for digestion, bananas in particular are great because they don't irritate the stomach. That's why they're part of the "BRAT Diet" for vomiting or diarrhea -- that is, the bananas, rice, applesauce and dry toast diet. "Those are the four things that tend to be the easiest tolerated amongst people and they tend to be bland, so they won't irritate the stomach like other foods," King says. They are also good for replacing the body's electrolytes, she adds. (credit:Getty Images)

BEST: Water(04 of13)

"Water is excellent for digestion, and that's one thing I think people don't drink enough of," King says. Water helps the digestive process because it helps move things through the intestines. (credit:Flickr:Muffet)

BEST: Ginger(05 of13)

Spices and herbs like ginger, turmeric and peppermint are great for settling an upset stomach, King says. Try drinking ginger or peppermint tea, or sucking on a peppermint lozenge. (credit:Flickr:William Brawley)

BEST: Probiotic-Containing Foods Like Yogurt(06 of13)

Probiotics are good for the digestive system because they contain good bacteria that crowds out any bad bacteria that you may have in your gut, King says. You want to look specifically for foods that contain live bacteria, such as yogurt and kefir. (credit:Flickr:gyroscopio)

BEST: Prebiotic-Containing Foods Like Asparagus And Oats(07 of13)

Prebiotic foods contain a type of fiber the probiotics feed off of to multiply, "so it’s good food for your good bacteria," King says. Prebiotics are found in foods such as asparagus, onions, lentils and whole grains. (credit:Shutterstock)

WORST: Spicy Foods(08 of13)

Spicy foods can be bad for digestion because they may trigger acid reflux symptoms for some people, King notes. (credit:Alamy)

WORST: Caffeine(09 of13)

Similarly to spicy foods, those containing caffeine can also trigger acid reflux, as it relaxes the esophageal sphincter -- the flap that keeps what you've eaten down in your stomach -- causing food to come back up into the esophagus, King says. What about coffee, which is high in caffeine yet always seems to help us "go?" King says coffee is powerful for triggering peristalsis -- the term for movement of food through the intestines -- it does contain caffeine, which means it can still cause reflux. But it could help someone who is struggling with constipation, she notes. (credit:Getty Images)

WORST: Acidic Foods Like Soda(10 of13)

Like spicy and caffeinated foods, acidic picks like soda can also trigger reflux, King says. (credit:Getty Images)

WORST: Foods High In Saturated Fat(11 of13)

Fatty foods can induce heartburn and diarrhea due to poor absorption of fat, Bechtold says. King adds that you can tell if your diet contains too many high-fat foods because your stool will float to the top of the toilet. This is a sign that you might want to cut back on the saturated fat. (credit:Shutterstock)

WORST: Alcohol(12 of13)

Alcohol also relaxes the esophageal sphincter, which can then trigger acid reflux, King says.Bechtold adds that it can induce inflammation in the stomach. (credit:Getty Images)

WORST: Dairy(13 of13)

Dairy can induce bloating, Bechtold says, as well as abdominal discomfort, particularly for people who are lactose intolerant. (credit:Flickr:striatic)

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