The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Foods For Your Stomach
We see the ads on television and hear more and more about gastric or tummy troubles and how to get rid of them. The truth is, when you have gas, diarrhea or constipation, your stomach is trying to tell you that something is wrong. In most cases, we already know it’s the food we eat, but what are the good foods vs.: the bad foods?
Most people don’t know that our digestive tract houses around two-thirds of our immune system. This means if you eat badly, it is going to affect the rest of your body and how you fight disease and infections. Foods that are not healthy for your digestive tract include: Processed meats: that’s right, those prepackaged containers of hot dogs and lunch meat that are filled with preservatives, nitrates and sodium. Fatty red meat: this means no more steaks with lots of riddles of fat. Oils that are hydrogenated: These are the ones filled with the trans fat and guess what: they are also not found this way in nature. Gluten: this is the more recent hot topic of the healthy. It’s the protein that is found in rye, wheat and numerous other products like ice cream, cheese, cookies, etc. Lactose: any of the milk or dairy products contains this little sugar that is found in milk.
The good news is that there is a higher level of awareness amidst the general public regarding the benefits of lean fresh meats (not packaged), trans fats, non-hydrogenated oils like canola and olive oil, gluten free and lactose free products. Products that were once only found on the shelves of your health food store are now in mainstream grocery stores.
Some of the things that will make your tummy smile? Fiber, in almost every edible form is good for you. Your mother was right when she told you to eat the healthy things on your plate. If you turn your nose up at prunes, try whole grains, vegetables and legumes. These will help to keep your bowels moving and avoid any back up that can leave toxins in your system. Probiotics, specifically in the form of yogurt is fantastic in keeping the good bacteria in your system balanced. Prebiotics are actually the food that sustains the probiotics in your body. The best prebiotics are in onions, bananas, leeks, garlic and asparagus. Foods that are fermented, like sourdough bread, actually help the digestion process. The fact that they are already predigested makes it easier to process in the system. And yes- we have heard it all before, drinking lots of water not only helps the entire digestive tract but is great for the kidneys and the entire body.
Something that you don’t want to do is consistently use laxatives for constipation. No matter what the labels may say, these cause major intestinal problems including actual holes in the intestines that can cause toxic leakage. These problems are usually seen with use over time and can also cause more permanent situation where your digestive tract and intestines don’t perform naturally, without the use of laxatives.
The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.
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23 Mar 2012