5 Foods to Avoid When You’re Having Digestion Problems

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Even if you eat right and take care of yourself, it is possible to have digestive problems every now and then. Issues like heartburn, nausea, indigestion, diarrhea or constipation can happen to everyone, even those who are getting the right proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fibers and sugars in their diets. During this time, what you don’t eat becomes about as important as what you do and here are some things to avoid if your digestive system is giving you fits.

Dairy Products

Because of the presence of the milk sugar, lactose, dairy products can be hard on your digestive system if you are having problems already. This can be particularly true for those who are lactose intolerant and do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase in their bodies to properly digest dairy products. For such people, eating dairy can cause bloating, abdominal cramping and diarrhea. However, eating yogurt or hard cheeses is usually okay, since these products are lactose-free.

Spicy Foods

Avoiding spicy foods when suffering from nausea, vomiting or diarrhea is a good idea, since foods with a lot of heat to them tend to stimulate the digestive system, which is the last thing you want in this situation! You are safest to choose bland foods when this digestive issues are a problem and avoid any spicy food that tends to give you indigestion, though this of course will vary widely from one person to another.

High-Acid Foods

Foods like tomatoes or tomato-based products as well as citrus fruits like lemons, grapefruits or oranges – all have a high acid content and depending on the person, this can either cause or worsen indigestion problems. If indigestion, heartburn or GERD is a problem, it is best to stick with low-acid foods until the problem dies down.

High-Fat Foods

Foods that are high in fact – particularly foods like butter, cheese, red meat and ice cream – can make problems with either constipation or diarrhea worse, since they can stimulate contractions in the muscles of the digestive tract and their fat content makes them hard to digest to begin with. Eating low-fat meals and small, frequent meals throughout the day to avoid putting pressure on the stomach is a good way to handle a bout of digestive problems.

Processed Foods

The problems with many – though not all – processed foods is that they tend to be low in fiber, which is a great nutrient to regulate the bowels and improve overall digestive health. Another problem with processed foods is that many contains certain additives like artificial dyes or preservatives that can cause cramping, bloating or diarrhea in those that are sensitive.

So if you are having digestive problems, avoid the foods mentioned above, as many of them will only make it worse. A bland, low-fat diet of foods that are served in frequent small meals is probably the best plan to go with until the digestive problems have passed and things return to normal.

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Christine . S
Christine has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.