Following the overview of the main bowel disorders in the first part of this article, let’s see what can be done to prevent these diseases and feel better. Very often, in the case of bowel disorders, symptomatic treatments are proposed to modulate the immune system responses and reduce inflammation. But this does not solve the underlying problem. To address the root problem, it is recommended to act on the digestion.
1. Eat less
Reducing the amount of food consumed during the day or during a meal, or intermittent fasting, will relieve the intestine. However, this strategy must be adapted to the person’s profile and condition.
2. Act on mastication
Chewing enhances the efficiency of the other digestive organs. Good chewing is important in inflammatory bowel disease.
3. Follow favourable food combinations
The composition of our plate is important for the digestion of food. In order for food to be digested correctly and more easily, it is important to avoid combinations that conflict with each other and could hinder digestion.
Let’s take the example of sugar at the end of a meal. It is common to eat a sweet dessert at the end of a meal: a fruit, a compote, a cake… This sugar, which should normally be digested quickly, will remain too long in the gut. It will start to ferment, to a greater or lesser extent depending on your intestinal flora. This fermentation, which is acidic, will alter the digestion of other foods and can cause or maintain an inflammation of the gut.
For this reason, the composition of your plate will play an important role in digestion and in the prevention of intestinal diseases.
4. Be careful of hard-to-digest foods
Foods that are difficult to digest include all grains such as :
– Cereals (rice, wheat, corn, barley, rye, and related products such as pasta and bread),
– pulses (lentils, split peas, chickpeas and dried beans…),
– nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds…),
– Cereal-like grains (quinoa, buckwheat…),
– other seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.).
The aim is not to eliminate everything, but rather to target the seeds that cause problems, in order to either reduce their consumption, or optimise the method of preparation to facilitate digestion, or, if really necessary, eliminate them. This may be temporary or permanent depending on the case.
Dairy products can also be problematic for the gut in sensitive individuals.
5. Use food supplements
For deficiency problems, it may be important to supplement with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. However, supplementing without acting on the ground will not produce deep and lasting results. In fact, increasing vitamin and mineral intake while absorption from the intestine remains very low will not help to reduce the deficiency state in the long term. It will help, but it will not solve the underlying problem. It is therefore once again necessary to act on digestion, to improve the terrain and absorption, to obtain an effective and lasting result.
Digestive enzymes can also be beneficial. They will support the digestive system if it is not functioning properly or has weaknesses. For example, if your stomach does not produce enough acid, the digestion of proteins is impaired. The production and action of digestive enzymes is impaired when the digestive organs are tired or your body is exhausted. Digestive enzyme supplementation can then support your body. The aim is to improve digestion so that the problematic condition is no longer maintained.
6. Beware of foods that promote inflammation
These foods include alcohol and soft drinks. For people with sensitive intestines, these foods may not be tolerated, even in small doses. They can cause significant discomfort.
It is therefore possible to take action and improve the condition through daily nutrition and food supplements. Low-calorie food cures can also be used. For people who are already underweight, it is advisable to be vigilant about the weight loss that a detox cure will generate. These cures must be adjusted and adapted to your profile so that they are effective and allow you to recover your digestive system while limiting weight loss.
