Posted: Feb. 17, 2010

Follow these simple tips to help you on your way to good digestive health!

* Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods. Plant foods are excellent sources of fiber as well as other beneficial vitamins and minerals such as selenium, calcium, and folate that may protect against digestive-tract cancers. Dietary guidelines recommend 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day. Fiber promotes softening and bulking of stool to prevent constipation and reduce symptoms of disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and hemorrhoids. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of weeks to avoid excess intestinal gas and abdominal bloating.

* Reduce fat. Excess fat slows digestion and can lead to heartburn, bloating and constipation. A diet high in saturated fats also increases your risk of colon cancer.

* Avoid cold drinks while eating. Food is digested more efficiently at room temperature. Cold fluids slow down the digestive process.

* Drink plenty of fluids between meals. Fluids promote healthy digestion by lubricating food waste so that it passes more easily through your digestive tract.

* Don't rush eating. Digestion begins in the mouth. Chew food until it is near liquid consistency. Chewing food generates saliva with enzymes that begin the breakdown of food. Chewing also signals the organs such as the stomach and pancreas to secrete their digestive juices. These digestive enzymes flow more freely in a calm environment. Also, air swallowed during hurried eating can produce belching or bloating.

* Eat meals at regular intervals and avoid overeating. The body produces a certain volume of digestive juices. Thus, large meals are poorly digested and stress the system. With a regular schedule, your digestive organs have time to rest between meals.

* Try a short walk after a meal. It is a great stimulus for digestion.

* Limit alcohol. Alcohol can irritate the stomach lining and relax your lower esophageal sphincter, the valve that prevents stomach acid from backing up into your esophagus.

* Avoid tobacco. Tobacco has harmful effects on all parts of the digestive system. The nicotine in tobacco may increase stomach acid production.