Health Tips
The following tips include certain precautions everyone of us can adopt so as to prevent the diseases from developing in the first place. Numerous recommendations are available in the field of dietetics and wellness which can sometimes be confusing.
The following tips are aimed at summarising the most
essential ones specifically targeted at the digestive system. Technically they are called as primordial and primary preventions. I like to categorise them mainly into lifestyle (live well), dietary (eat well) and physical activity (stay well). Another aspect includes regular check ups to ensure early detection of subclinical ailments which we categorise as secondary prevention. Main aim is to detect conditions early to simplify treatment before onset of complications.
Life style changes: Stress, both physical and psychological, affects the normal physiology like gastric acid secretion, colonic motility leading to commonly complained “gas problem” by many patients. Simple remedies include
Relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga
Sticking to a time schedule for sleep and diet as much as possible
Dietary changes: This involves eating well and pertains to how to eat, what to eat and when to eat.Gastrointestinal tract being primarily involved in digestion can get affected due to dietary aberrations.
Three main meals, spaced at regular intervals. Avoid skipping breakfast at any cost.
Avoid gulping food in a hurry.
Avoid lying down immediately after food.
Avoid extremely hot (eg: piping hot tea) or cold (iced drinks) foods and aerated drinks.
Avoid hard (eg: bore water) or unpurified water (boiled or RO filters are ideal).
Avoid junk foods and extremely spicy foods.
To consume adequate fruits, vegetables for fiber and curds for their probiotic resources.
Physical activity: Regular physical activity helps keeping obesity in check and improves cardiac fitness, which goes a long way in the overall well being. At least three sessions of aerobic activity of a half an hour
duration per week are recommended.