Digestion issues. We’ve all been there. From bloating and cramping to full blown sprinting to the bathroom. Not having an optimal digestion system can leave you grumpy, frumpy and just straight up exhausted.
Read on to see what nutrients you can keep an eye on to help your body digest your food with ease.
Adjust Your Fiber Intake
Fiber helps regulate the body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check, hence why it’s touted to help with weight management and digestive health. Fiber is crucial for regular bowel movements, helping you feel full and for feeding your gut microbiome.
Make sure you’re getting enough fiber in your diet by tracking your food in Cronometer for a week or so. Then, take a look at your Fiber intake on your Nutrition Report.
Adjust your diet as needed so you’re getting around the Daily Recommended Intake. Good sources of Fiber include beans, whole grains, oats, artichokes and raspberries.
Stay Hydrated
Water helps move substances through the digestive tract smoothly and provides the base for digestive juices (saliva in the mouth – contains enzymes that get things started; lubricates the food to move more easily through the esophagus and into the stomach; gastric juices in the stomach contain acid to start breaking larger bits of food into smaller bits). It also helps form the mucous layer to protect the stomach from being digested by the acid produced there.
Tracking water in Cronometer is easy! Just search for water when you go to add a food. Your food entries can also contain water content so you don’t have to strictly rely on drinking H2O to hit your targets.
Watch Your Vitamins & Minerals
Zinc, Selenium, Magnesium, Vitamin C and Vitamin E all support immunity and help maintain the digestive tract which controls nutrient absorption as well as prevents the invasion of harmful bacteria in our guts.
Check out the immune system Nutrition Score if you’re a Gold subscriber or just keep an eye on these nutrients in your Daily Report or your Nutrition Report in the app.
Eat Enough Protein
We know that protein is crucial for your muscles, but rarely do we think about the muscles of our digestive system. Protein is also needed for the muscular bits that move food into smaller pieces and push it through your intestines in rhythmic contractions.
Consume Healthy Fat
Fat is an important macronutrient as it aids absorption of fat soluble nutrients like Vitamin E. Keep an eye on your fat intake in Cronometer – we even break down your intake into saturated, trans-fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (omega-3 vs. omega-6).
How Cronometer Can Help
Well, there you have it. A list of nutrients to keep an eye on if your bowel movements are irregular. If you’re looking for more of a helping hand, Cronometer is a great tool to help you ease your digestion. Here’s how we can help:
- Track your food in the app and we’ll tell you how much of the above mentioned nutrients you’re getting from your diet. Just a little bit of awareness can go a long way!
- You can find suggestions on what to eat to help you hit your targets right in the app.
- If you’re a Gold subscriber, you can track your stool and chart it against any nutrient to help you identify food sensitivities or allergies.
