How To Improve Digestion
for Healthier Aging
You have, by no doubt noticed that your digestion is not what it used to be. Do you suffer from heartburn, flatulence,
constipation
and various other stomach disorders? It could be your body's way of telling you to make some changes in your eating habits.
Lets start by gaining a basic understanding of how the digestive system works and what happens as we age:
-
Digestion begins in our mouth with the chewing of food (mastication). Our teeth start the process together with the
help of our saliva. Saliva contains some enzymes which begin the breakdown of starches and fats while they are still in our mouth.
- With each swallow the food is forced down our esophagus and travels to the stomach. The esophagus serves as a barrier between our mouth and stomach and keeps acid from back flowing (reflux).
- In the stomach the food is broken down into small particles by acids and enzymes into proteins, fats and carbohydrates. The stomach is the primary place where proteins are broken down.
- These particles then enter the small intestine. Nutrients that the body needs for energy, growth and repair are absorbed through the intestinal walls. As the food reaches the end of the intestine all that is left is water and waste products.
- This material now enters the large intestine, whose main function is to remove the water from the waste products and return it to the body.
- At the end of the large intestine is the colon, where the waste material sits until it leaves the body through the anus.
As we age our digestive system slows down:
- Our bodies produce less saliva and stomach acids, making it more difficult to break down the food and absorb nutrients.
- Loss of muscle tone causes food to move more slowly along the digestive tract.
What can you do to aid digestion?
Keep your teeth in good health
- If you're missing teeth or have gum problems, this will have an effect on your digestion. Brush your teeth after meals and floss. Have regular check ups and professional cleaning every 6 months.
Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly - When food is eaten to quickly without properly chewing it is only partly digested. This means not only do we get a small percentage of its nutrient value, but undigested food left in the colon rots and ferments resulting in indigestion and gas.
Eat less at each meal and compensate by eating more meals - This is probably the best suggestion I can give you. If you don't overload your system, it will function much better.
Eat dinner at least 3 hours before you go to sleep - give your food enough time to digest. Going to sleep on a full stomach can have a twofold effect, causing heartburn and restless sleep. If you feel you must eat, have something light.
Move your body
- A sedentary lifestyle causes muscle tone in all parts of the body including the digestive tract to deteriorate, thus causing a slow down of the entire digestive process. This is one of the main causes of constipation.
Reduce stress and anxiety
- Stress and anxiety slow digestion. They affect the nerves of the digestive system and can cause pain, constipation or a runny stool. They can worsen existing conditions such as ulcers.
Quit smoking - Smoking can increase the occurrence of heartburn because it effects pressure in the esophagus/stomach barrier.
Click here for Constipation Remedies
For additional tips for improved digestion go to Nutrition
Return from Digestion to Home Page
|
