Gastroenterology Recommends Few Steps To Better Digestion As You Get Older

Be it the disturbed immune system, nutrient deficiency, bone related issues or digestive hassles, many of our health complications crop up due to ageing and helplessness creeps in. As we age, our digestive system also begins to get hampered adversely, and bodies start facing symptoms like constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, acid reflux, and much more. Hence, the older adults must be aware of how their bodies respond to different activities and food habits so that they can take proper precautions to maintain a healthy digestive system.

gastroenterology doctors in durham recommends the expert recommended tips to take care of our digestive health as we start getting older.  Ensure your digestive wellbeing with ageing, as you maintain a proper lifestyle following the required steps.

• Chewing food properly is important
  If you don’t chew your food slowly and properly, your food items won’t break down effectively. Now, as we start ageing, our saliva production also begins to become less.  Thus, chewing your food properly becomes very important, as swallowing food that is not chewed properly will cause more digestive issues like gas and bloating.
• Eat smaller meals instead of overeating at one time
  Instead of overeating at one particular time of the day, you should eat smaller meals all throughout the day. As we start getting older, our stomach wall elasticity power begins to decline, and it fails to stretch properly after getting full. Thus, eating little meals more often will not make the stomach overloaded, and also smoothen the digestive system without causing any discomfort.
• Increase fluid intake
  As you get older, your thirst sensation begins to decline, and hence instead of waiting to feel thirsty, we must increase our fluid intake all throughout the day. Staying properly hydrated not only helps to soften the stools, but also helps in regular bowel movements, prevents constipation and gas.
• Keep moving more often
  To regulate normal contractions of the stomach, with ageing, we must move more often and this means, workout is must. Gentle walking and practising yoga everyday is mandatory so that the food gets digested properly.
• Take care of lactose
  With age, the body’s production of lactase, an enzyme that produces lactose gradually declines. Thus, if you face digestive issues due to lactose consumption, you should contact your doctor.  With lactose intolerance, doctor would suggest you to minimise the consumption of milk and milk products.  Also, make sure to intake adequate calcium through other food items.

Apart from all these tips, with age, time to time tests like Sanford colonoscopy should be carried out.

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