How Can Daily Habits Improve an Upset Stomach?

Family Medicine, Primary Care Roots Community Health Center, Hippo Education, Kameda Medical Center

Supervised by Kenji Taylor, MD

Eat in moderation, avoid heavy drinking and exercise moderately.

Explanation

Moderation, moderation, moderation! Avoid eating too fast, overeating, drinking too much alcohol or caffeine, or consuming an imbalance of foods particularly highly processed foods. Moderate to high-intensity exercise (30-90 minutes per day at least 3 times per week) has been shown to positively modify the gut microbiome, so it may lead to an improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms. For digestive purposes, it is advisable rest for about an hour after eating to avoid stress on the digestive organs. Do not lie down immediately after eating as that can lead to worsening of acid reflux, indigestion and bloating. Lasty, listen to your body: even if you may not have a full blown food allergy, your digestive system may be more sensitive to certain foods. Keeping a lookout for those triggers can help you avoid them in the future.

(References)

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Garcidueñas-Fimbres TE, Paz-Graniel I, Nishi SK, Salas-Salvadó J, Babio N. Eating Speed, Eating Frequency, and Their Relationships with Diet Quality, Adiposity, and Metabolic Syndrome, or Its Components. Nutrients. 2021 May 15;13(5):1687. doi: 10.3390/nu13051687. PMID: 34063439; PMCID: PMC8156274.
Clauss M, Gérard P, Mosca A, Leclerc M. Interplay Between Exercise and Gut Microbiome in the Context of Human Health and Performance. Front Nutr. 2021 Jun 10;8:637010. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.637010. PMID: 34179053; PMCID: PMC8222532.
Bonilla DA, Pérez-Idárraga A, Odriozola-Martínez A, Kreider RB. The 4R's Framework of Nutritional Strategies for Post-Exercise Recovery: A Review with Emphasis on New Generation of Carbohydrates. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 25;18(1):103. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18010103. PMID: 33375691; PMCID: PMC7796021.
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