Gas, bloating, constipation and diarrhea are common signs your digestive system is off-kilter. But did you know that brittle hair and low energy can also point to tummy troubles? Find out which foods will keep your gut clogged or moving. Plus, test your yogurt IQ with our quiz…
A healthy digestive system begins with a good diet. Eat the right stuff and you feel great. Eat badly and you feel like a human garbage can. How you eat can affect the way you feel too.
"If you don't digest your food properly, your cells don't get what they need to function optimally," says Liz Lipski, Ph.D., a clinical dietitian and author of Digestive Wellness (McGraw-Hill).
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also home to our most precious disease-fighting resource: the immune system.
"Two-thirds of the immune system is in the digestive tract," Lipski says. "There are more neurotransmitters in the GI than in the brain and more nerve endings than in the spine," she adds.
Your digestive system is vital to your health and happiness. So how do you keep it working well? For starters, avoid these 5 gut enemies:
5 Worst Foods for Your Gut
1. Red meat
The more red meat you eat, the higher your risk of colorectal cancer risk. That's because it's typically high in saturated fat, which is tied to cancer of the small intestine, according to a 2008 Cancer Research study.
How to avoid it: Choose lean cuts of beef, lamb and pork. Eat more protein- and iron-rich legumes in place of red meat. Grill a Portobello mushroom instead of a burger; it's meaty flavor will fill you.
2. Processed meat
Lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages and other processed meats are packed with saturated fat, sodium and nitrates.
Processed meats have been linked to colon cancer, possibly because they are cooked at high temperatures, which can increase carcinogens.
How to avoid it: Stick to fresh, lean cuts and eat other forms of protein (legumes and grains) as much as possible.
3. Hydrogenated oils
Trans fats, created when liquid oils are hydrogenated (so they become solid at room temperature), aren't found in nature. They’re an inexpensive way to make fats last longer on supermarket shelves, but your body pays a high price: They’re tough to digest and have been linked to many health problems, including increased bad (LDL) cholesterol, decreased good (HDL) cholesterol and colon cancer.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires trans fats to be labeled on food products. But the federal agency also allows manufacturers to claim zero trans fats if there are fewer than 0.5 grams per serving.
Don't be fooled: If a food lists hydrogenated oils as an ingredient, it contains trans fats.
How to avoid it: Eat fresh, whole, natural foods and ditch the packaged, processed stuff.
4. Gluten
About 2 million Americans suffer from gluten intolerance, says the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye, spelt, wheat and countless other foods such as processed meats, soy sauce, ice cream, cheese, cookies, pasta, ketchup, salad dressings and more.
Food sensitivities affect 10%-20% of us, and can cause lots of digestive complaints (gas, cramping, bloating, heartburn, indigestion) and other symptoms, including chronic headaches, aching joints and muscles, depression, concentration, memory problems and poor energy levels, Lipski says.
How to avoid it: A gluten-free diet is the only solution; it’s a challenge but possible.
Check out 7 Gluten-Free Recipes.
5. Lactose
Another tummy troubler is lactose, the principal sugar found in milk. Lactose intolerance affects 30-50 million Americans, according to the NIH.
Avoiding milk will help, but you don't have to give up all dairy. Some lactose-intolerant people do fine with small amounts of milk.
How to avoid it: Drink lactose-free milk and eat cultured dairy products, like yogurt, which break down lactose. Aged cheeses (like Cheddar and Swiss) have less lactose and may be easier to digest.
5 Best Foods for Your Gut
1. Dietary fiber
Our Pick: Prunes
Fiber keeps things moving through your digestive system and out. Otherwise, your colon is stuck with toxins that can build up and cause major health problems.
Your body then begins reabsorbing toxins, hormones and other substances.
"If you don’t have regular bowel movements, you're retaining wastes that your body has finished with," Lipski says. "It’s like not moving a stinky garbage bag out of your kitchen.”
A diet rich in fiber protects against colon cancer and cancers of the small intestine, according to a 2008 study in the journal Gastroenterology.
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes are all packed with healthy fiber. But when it comes to staying regular, prunes, because of their mild laxative effect, is the go-to fruit. They're also a great source of energy, nutrition and disease-fighting phenolic compounds. |
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