Better Health for the Upcoming Year

As we begin a brand-new year, you may be deciding on a New Year’s goal. Consider letting the upcoming year begin your journey to a healthier you by concentrating on ways to enhance your digestive health. Having a healthier digestive system can enhance your overall health in a multitude of ways you might not have ever considered.

The dedicated GI team at Colorado Gastroenterology has compiled some common information surrounding how to improve digestion. You can find out how you can increase your overall GI health with some tips from our Denver, CO digestive specialists.

What are some benefits of good gastrointestinal wellness?

If your gastrointestinal health is suffering, it can influence every facet of your life. The gut has a delicate relationship between good and bad microbes. Once this microbiome is out of balance, it can cause several GI difficulties. Improper gut health could affect your sleep, heighten your levels of stress, and make you susceptible to additional health issues. However, when we are attentive to our gut health, the benefits are limitless. Some of the ways that maintaining good GI wellness can positively increase your overall GI health involve:

• Management of weight
• Improving your mood
• Strengthening your bones
• Healthy heart advantages
• Enhancing your sleep quality
• Brain to health advantages
• Improving your immune system

Overall, it seems clear that the gut microbiome is essential for overall well-being. Any lifestyle modifications you incorporate to enhance your GI health will not only include ways to assist in digestion, but can also serve as methods to boost your whole-body well-being.

How can I boost my gastrointestinal well-being?

There are numerous approaches that you could take to enhance your digestive health. Several of such approaches involve the types of sustenance we feed ourselves, which directly connects to how successfully we absorb our foods and the current condition of our gut. Some of the modifications we could make surrounding our dietary options include consuming:

• A vegetarian diet
• Whole grains
• Foods rich in polyphenols (almonds, green tea, blueberries, dark chocolate)
• Lots of vegetables, legumes, beans, and fruits (raspberries, artichokes, broccoli, beans, bananas, and apples)
• Prebiotic items (peas, oats, bananas, and berries)

You can also amplify your GI health by absorbing foods rich in probiotics (like kefir, sauerkraut, yogurt, or kimchi).

What can I do to assist my digestion?

If you are making the changes specified above to your diet to improve your gastrointestinal wellness, these adjustments ought to, in turn, also help with digestion. You may also incorporate some lifestyle changes to further improve your digestion. A few additional measures include:

• Do not smoke, or quit smoking
• Maintain a steady, healthy weight
• Reduce stress
• Ensure you stay hydrated
• Get adequate rest
• Maintain regular physical activity

If you've changed your dietary habits and lifestyle and keep experiencing gastrointestinal problems in excess of two consecutive weeks, it is time to meet with a digestive doctor at Colorado Gastroenterology for further evaluation. Frequent constipation, abdominal pain, diarrhea or loose stools, or additional gastrointestinal issues are signals that you need to contact one of our Denver, CO gastro specialists to request a consultation.

Contact a skilled digestive specialist in Denver, CO

At Colorado Gastroenterology, we are a team of experienced GI specialists that seeks to deliver comprehensive care not only for problems as they develop, but also to help you achieve ideal gut health for optimal wellness. If you are battling digestive problems and need support with elevating your digestive health, reserve a consultation at one of our Denver, CO offices to begin your path to a better you this new year.