Everyone experiences stomach upset at some point, but if you regularly deal with indigestion, discomfort, or changing bowel habits, then you may have a sensitive gut.
The term "sensitive gut" is a way to describe a stomach that's easily upset. For many, it can impact their daily living, and lead to missed work or school.
So, how do you soothe a sensitive gut? Read on for some advice.
Get Some Exercise
Exercise is one common remedy for regular stomach upset. Exercise helps relieve stress, releases natural painkilling endorphins, promotes healthy bowel tone, and keeps your body digestive system working smoothly.
Whenever possible, ensure you get at least 30 to 45 minutes of moderate noncompetitive exercise such as walking every day. Certain yoga poses can also help settle your regular stomach upset.
Knee-to-chest poses such as Apanasana can provide a soothing effect and can either calm a hyperactive bowel movement or kick-start a slow-going one.
Manage Your Stress
Stress is another factor that can trigger stomach upset. Stressful life events are associated with the onset of symptoms, or worsening symptoms in several digestive conditions. If you want to settle an upset stomach that's caused by stress, it's essential to check your stress level.
Consider adding a stress-relieving practice to your routines, like meditation, yoga, or a simple breathing exercise. If necessary, contact a professional to help you manage stress or other emotional factors that are contributing to your regular stomach upset.
Identify and Eliminate Irritating Foods
It might take a little trial and error, but identifying and eliminating foods that your stomach is sensitive to will go a long way. The 2004 Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act note that 90% of all severe food allergies involve tree nuts, fish, eggs, milk, shellfish, peanuts, soy, or wheat. Other common irritants include food preservatives, additives, gluten, yeast, artificial sweeteners, and certain sugars.
To identify your food-specific sensitivities or allergies, keep a food log of what you eat and closely monitoring how your gut feels with each meal. You can also see your health care provider for allergy testing or consider an elimination diet.
Eat More Fiber
For a healthy gut, you need fiber from a variety of sources. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains, which are typically low-calorie and full of vitamins and nutrients. Fiber foods are also helpful for adding bulk to stool, which is useful when diarrhea is present.
If you haven't had much fiber in your diet, gradually increase the amount you eat. Start with 8 grams of fiber and increase by 3 or 4 grams each day until you're up to the recommended dietary intake of 30 grams of fiber per day.
Choose the Right Drinks
Caffeinated drinks, such as tea, colas, coffee, and some fizzy drinks, boost acid in the stomach, which leads to upset. If you consume high amounts of caffeinated beverages every day, lowering your intake could soothe your stomach. Choose drinks that don't contain caffeine and aren't fizzy, such as herbal teas and water, to encourage the passage of waste through your digestive system.
If you can't do without caffeinated drinks, limit your intake every day. Drinking alkaline water can also help soothe an upset stomach.
Try BRAT Diet
You might have heard of the BRAT diet before if you've been searching for ways to calm an upset stomach. BRAT stands for Rice, Applesauce, Bananas, and Toast. These foods are nourishes and can be eaten when dealing with an upset stomach. Because these foods are bland, they do not contain substances that irritate the stomach, intestines, and throat.
However, the BRAT diet isn't a way of eating that you can sustain for a long time even though it's an effective way to soothe an upset stomach. The BRAT diet is excellent for a short-term illness but not recommended for more than a day or two. As a general rule of thumb: keep it simple.
Final Words
Many people begin to notice an improvement in their symptoms after making these lifestyle changes. While these tips might help you to feel better, you also should focus on avoiding repeats of the problem. Try incorporating these to tips so that you can take back control and begin to live a happy pain-free life. However, It is essential you seek medical attention if your symptoms get progressively worse, or include any difficulty breathing.
