Some Steps For Natural Health Of The Digestive System

The last post was about the importance of health in the gut and we will continue that discussion here. We have good bacteria in the gut that protect us from infection and it is also responsible for producing vitamin K which is essential in blood clotting.

To keep the membrane functioning properly we need to have proper chewing, adequate digestive enzymes, limit inflammation, and a good dose of fiber (the American Dietetics Association recommends 20 – 35 g per day for adults). It is also important to engage in some level of physical activity to keep things moving.

Abdominal exercises can be especially useful in promoting movement in the gut. In fact there are special yoga exercises that are promoted particularly for digestive health. Those yoga series include such moves as boat pose, bringing knee to nose and alternate leg raises. Many of these poses involve compressing the abdomen to one degree or another. Another exercise that may help with digestive movement are bicycling the legs from a supine position.

Remember that the intestines are membranes surrounded by muscular tubes and like the other muscles of the body they need to have exercise to work correctly. The consumption of high fiber foods helps to provide resistance as the intestines contract in waves called peristalsis to move materials through the digestive system.

The overuse of antibiotic medications can lead to intestinal distress and yeast overgrowth in the gut. These problems can be addressed by the use of specific supplements and dietary modification and after the gut heals the whole body feels better!