7 Ways to a Healthy and Happy Tummy ...

One of the first ways to a healthy tummy is to monitor your symptoms. If you suffer from frequent bouts of bloating and constipation then it may be your diet or lifestyle, but it may be difficult to work out exactly what is causing the problem. Keeping a diary of what you're eating, when you're eating it and what you're doing during the day might be able to help you or a healthcare practitioner pinpoint the problem more accurately.

Stress can literally tie us in knots inside and sometimes the effects of stress aren't immediately obvious. Try breathing exercises, mindful meditation or yoga to help ease the stresses and strains of life. These exercises and practices can help you to put things into perspective and enjoy life that little bit more.

After a hard week at work, sometimes all we want is a nice drink to round off the week. Beer and wine can irritate the gut though, especially in excessive amounts. Coffee can also be an irritant. By all means, have a drink if the occasion calls for it but go easy on the amount and if coffee seems to be causing a problem, try a soothing herbal tea instead.

When I was suffering from a persistent back problem recently, the doctors prescribed me some pills to ease the pain. At first they were a welcome relief but it soon became apparent that these pills were curing one ill but causing another. That's the wonder of modern medicine unfortunately and the stomach issues they caused became more intolerable than the initial back issue! If you're taking medication, they might be causing tummy trouble, so speak to your healthcare practitioner if you suspect your current medication is giving you an unhappy tummy.

Being active is important for the gut as it keeps things moving. However, if you're prone to bouts of diarrhea, you probably don't want to overdo it. Keep the exercise moderate and opt for walking and cycling instead.

Although raw foods are very good for us, if you suffer from an unhappy tummy, you may be doing your gut a disservice by ingesting too much of the good stuff. The reason is that sometimes foods in their raw state can be difficult for the body to digest, so monitor how you feel after eating apples or carrots, for example. It may be that cooked vegetables help ease the symptoms a little.

There are many probiotic-containing products on the market, which claim to have health-giving properties for the gut. I'm a little dubious about whether these probiotic-infused products like cereal bars contain enough good bacteria to actually make any difference. There are other ways of getting some probiotic action in your diet. Acidophilus is one form of probiotic which you can take in pill form but there are other ones you can try. It will take a month for you to see whether it is making any difference so don't give up immediately if you feel it's not working.

These are just some of the ways to a healthy and happy tummy. Of course, if your symptoms become intolerable then it may be time to speak to a nutritionist or a healthcare practitioner. Do you have any other tips?

Sources: chriskresser.com, webmd.com,
flatulencecures.com, webmd.com