10 Tips for Dealing with Digestive Problems in Everyday Life

How to Manage Everyday Digestive Problems? 

Digestive issues are irksome, leading to potential embarrassments and frequent digestion related problems. Such issues are the result of infection or bacteria in food. Alternatively, it could also be a byproduct of certain medications or medical conditions like IBS, colitis and Crohn’s disease. But regardless of the cause, anyone who has frequent digestion problems faces daily challenges and potential humiliation.

Do you schedule your daily activities as per the bathroom breaks you take? Do you often avoid public activities and invitations because of the fear of accidents? If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. 

You need to consult a physician to prescribe specific herbal medicine for digestive problems. It will help you improve your digestive dilemma. Plus, you need to follow some natural tips to help you get through the condition. 

How Does the Digestive System Work?

Digestion can be just the condition of the stomach. However, it is a long-term process which involves various organs. Together all the organs make up the digestive tract. 

The digestion starts in the mouth to break down food with saliva while chewing. Whenever you swallow the food, it moves to the oesophagus, and further, a tube connects the throat to the stomach. Even the stomach breaks down food with stomach acids and moves into the small intestine. The digestive juices of various organs like the gall bladder and pancreas further break down food to absorb nutrients. The remainders then go to the large intestine, and waste moves out of the body via the rectum and anus. 

So, an issue can occur in any of these organs associated with a digestive tract and further lead to digestive issues. 

Common Digestive Problems

The occasional digestive issues are a common problem. Various causes like improper diet and stress lead to indigestion. The symptoms can go away themselves, but some home remedies are perfect for easing the discomfort. 

Here are some common digestive problems:

• Gas
• Stomach discomfort
• Bloating
• Diarrhoea
• Heartburn
• Constipation
• Nausea

An unhealthy lifestyle or diet may lead to frequent digestive issues. So, doctors suggest improving diet and making healthy lifestyle changes to resolve the issues. 

Food intolerance, underlying medical condition, or medication may lead to certain digestive discomfort. 

Tips to Deal with Daily Digestive Issues 

Here are the 10 tips for handling digestive problems in everyday life: 

1. Make a Proper Digestion Treatment Plan

Your doctor can find out various reasons that lead to digestive issues. They also prescribe you to follow a treatment plan to improve digestion. It may involve a daily dose of medication like herbal medicine for digestive problems. It takes a while to absorb the information given by a doctor. But try to form specific notes to follow in your daily life. By following the given tips, you can improve your diet while taking proper medication to improve your condition.  

2. Practice Good Hygiene for Better Digestion

Make sure to wash your hands regularly with warm water and soap after using the bathroom and before eating. It helps you keep away potentially harmful bacteria while preparing and having food. 

If you feel itchy or experience any pain due to diarrhoea, you should use alcohol-free and pre-moistened towelettes to clean the anal area. It also helps to keep skin dry by wearing comfortable and breathable clothes. 

3. Be Prepared For Digestive Emergencies 

Accidents can happen anytime. So, you need to be prepared for emergencies by keeping all the supplies handy at work, home or school. Here are some products to keep near you to deal with emergencies:  

• An extra pair of underwear
• Plastic bags to dispose of soiled clothes and wipes
• Fast-acting medication (for bloating, gas or diarrhoea) 
• Pre-moistened travel wipes
• Underwear or disposable pads for incontinence 

It is best to stash the supplies in a car, purse desk or suitcase to always put your mind at ease. 

4. Manage Stress to Improve Digestion

Does stress appear to aggravate or cause digestive issues? You can follow yoga, meditation, exercise or any favourite physical activity to relieve stress. Just be flexible and realistic as you follow stress management activities to tackle digestive issues. For instance, you can attend a yoga class to get relief from digestive flare-ups. 

Since all stresses are unavoidable, you can find different ways to deal with them. For example, you can consult a therapist or friend to help you out. They can guide you through various ways to relieve stress while keeping up with a healthy diet. 

5. Understand Your Digestive Triggers

Various things may upset your digestion. Such triggers often vary from person to person. So, you need to pinpoint your triggers by answering these questions: What beverages, foods and eating patterns generally upset your digestive tract? Dairy products, coffee, and carbonated drinks are some common products that lead to diarrhoea or gas. 

Also, determine which medication (over-the-counter or prescribed) causes digestive issues or flare-ups. And, which medication may help? You need to keep a record of specific medication that affects you. Also, consult a doctor to discuss the issue. 

Do specific situations and events trigger your digestive issues? Do menstrual hormones create havoc with the digestive system? Does travelling stress you? If you observe any such issues, you must plan and anticipate tricky situations. 

To figure out such connections, you must keep a diary of things you eat and drink. Also, keep a check on what supplements and medicines you take. You can also find a correlation between some of these factors and a certain episode of various digestive issues. 

6. Balanced Diet to Improve Digestion 

Eat right to prevent digestive issues or soothe the digestive system when the issues break out. Make sure to follow the doctor’s instructions to eat and things to avoid. Also, pay attention to your portion sizes and how often and rapidly you eat. 

What you eat depends on specific factors of digestive issues and foods you have sensitivity to. Here we share some guidelines to follow: 

Add more fibre to your diet, as fibre-rich foods put bulk to stools while helping you regulate digestion. It also increases fibre intake while preventing the sudden contractions caused by large meals. 

7. Keep Yourself Hydrated & Drink Carefully 

Water is important to maintain good health while following normal bowel function. Water even helps keep stool soft but well-formed and solid. Avoid beverages like soda or coffee if you feel it triggers digestive issues. 

Whenever diarrhoea hits, ensure to have plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Water and some sports drinks (including electrolytes) are great options. Alcohol and caffeine, however, can worsen dehydration. 

Make sure to increase fluid intake in hot weather conditions while exercising. Drinking water helps prevent dehydration, which is due to an imbalance in the body due to water loss. To prevent diarrhoea when travelling, avoid contaminated water intake or anything that may come in contact with water. 

The best remedy is to sip bottled water, sports drinks or juice when you travel. Remember, some popsicles, tea or coffee may contain contaminated water. So, avoid drinking them on the roadside. Also, rinse raw vegetables and fruits thoroughly with water before using them for food or consuming raw. 

8. Find Support for Digestive Issues

Don’t try to hide digestive issues from friends, family and caregivers. Try to understand when, how and why digestive issues may affect you. So, explain what they may do to support you practically and emotionally. It is best to let them understand your self-care plan. Inform them about the issues like diarrhoea or pains related to gas. These problems may occur at times but can improve with the right remedies. 

It also helps you connect with some other sufferers dealing with digestive issues. A support group is likely to help you stop isolation while sharing your views on a forum. Ask your physician about a group that you may feel is right for you.  

9. Take Care of All Your Digestive Problems

You must partner with a doctor for proper feedback and ask about various treatment programmes. If the prescribed medication is ineffective or has side effects, consult your doctor for some other medication. 

Before trying some over-the-counter supplements or remedies, check with a doctor or pharmacist about some possible issues and drug interactions. Also, keep proper track of your questions and experiences so that you discuss them with a doctor in detail.  

10. Stay Away From Miracle Cures 

Some digestive treatments like fasting and colon cleansing are featured in advertisements and articles as miracle cures for digestive problems. While some alternatives may be helpful, many are ineffective, risky and expensive. So, consult your doctor before trying some alternative supplement or therapy. 

You can consult an expert at Sunova for indigestion-related issues for more clarity on what to do and how to do it.