5 Resolutions for Better Digestion
The new year is the perfect time to reset, and after having indulged in various holiday meals, drinks, and desserts, you may be looking forward to improving your digestive system. Setting resolutions for better digestion doesn’t just benefit your GI system, but it can also benefit your overall health and wellness. This year, focusing on specific and attainable goals is easier to stick with and can keep you on a healthy path all year long. Instead of vague resolutions like “lose weight” or “feel better,” we’re sharing some specific resolutions for better digestion.
Focus on Food
One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to eat better, but this can be a broad and complicated goal for those who don’t know where to start. When it comes to setting resolutions for better digestion, consuming whole foods and incorporating more plant-based meals are specific steps you can take to improve your digestive system in addition to your overall health. It may seem simple, but eating whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins is an easy way to move away from processed foods that can cause gastrointestinal issues. Selecting vegetable-based proteins instead of meat can help consume more fiber, which can benefit your digestion. Both of these dietary changes can help you achieve your financial goals as well as your health goals since eating at home and consuming less meat are both more inexpensive than the alternative.
Get Moving
There are numerous benefits to exercise, from weight loss to muscle tone and even easier digestion. When it comes to gut health, exercise helps improve the variety of bacteria in your GI tract, leading to a healthier digestive system. Fortunately, there are many different ways for you to increase your activity level without committing to an expensive gym membership. Many don’t realize that regular chores like raking leaves or shoveling snow can elevate your heart rate and get your blood pumping. You can start small and increase your activity level over time to make this goal more realistic and attainable. Begin your new year by taking regular walks and lifting light weights, and then increase your activity level with every passing season.
Take a Probiotic
One of the easiest resolutions for better digestion is to simply incorporate probiotics into your daily life. Probiotics occur naturally in fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and kombucha, but you can also achieve the health benefits of probiotics by taking them in pill form. Taking probiotics helps balance your gut microbiota, improves digestion, and can even benefit your mental health.
Identify Stress-Relieving Selfcare
Stress has a direct link to our GI system, which means if you are feeling stressed or anxious, your digestive system may also be suffering. Finding an activity that relaxes you is an enjoyable resolution to set, as it allows for more time doing activities that benefit your mental health. Possible stress-relieving activities include walking, reading, listening to music or podcasts, practicing yoga, or watching a movie. Taking time for yourself can help decrease stress levels and ultimately benefit your digestive system.
Increase Your Water Intake
Setting hydration at the top of your list of resolutions for better digestion is another easy way to feel better and benefit your digestive system. Following weeks of indulging in sweets and alcohol, increasing your water intake can help flush out your system and provide you with energy to stay on track with your other new years’ resolutions. When consumed during or after a meal, water can help aid digestion by breaking down the food we eat so our bodies can easily absorb the nutrients. Striving for about two liters of water per day can help benefit your digestion as well as the other systems in your body.
Contact Birmingham Gastroenterology
Birmingham Gastroenterology can help you set your resolutions for better digestion this year. If you are looking for ways to improve your gut health or digestion, Birmingham Gastroenterology can help. We have decades of experience treating diseases and disorders in all parts of the digestive system. To make an appointment to discuss your symptoms and treatment options or ask questions about activities that help aid digestion, call us at (205) 271-8000.