Contents
1. Eat a balanced and diverse diet
By dint of being rehashed, this advice can end up boring! It is, however, the guarantor of the proper functioning of the digestive system, as well as a diet that is as less industrial as possible. “Digestive and intestinal diseases are clearly less frequent in countries where few processed products are consumed, most of which are too fatty, too sweet, too salty,” recalls Professor Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet.
2. Ensure your fiber intake
It is on them that the intestinal harmony rests: the insoluble fibers increasing the volume of the food bolus and operating a mechanical action on the transit; soluble fibers having a role of both transit regulator and prebiotics (that is to say, they specifically nourish the good bacteria in our intestine and promote their multiplication). We find insolubles, especially in whole grain products, fruits and vegetables with edible skin (fig, tomato, zucchini, radish, etc.), salad, celery, cauliflower, legumes, dried fruits, etc. Fiber soluble in oats, rye, barley, foods rich in pectin (apple, pear, quince, berries, grapes, orange, peach, grapefruit) and inulin (chicory, onion, garlic, leek, asparagus, artichoke, Jerusalem artichoke, salsify, endive ). “According to the recommendations, we should consume between 25 and 30 g per day, of which 50% are insoluble and 50% soluble,” emphasizes Florence Foucaut, dietician.
3. Protect yourself from salmonella
These bacteria are most often involved in food poisoning. In her work, “The Discreet Charm of the Intestine” (éd. Actes Sud), Giulia Enders recommends in particular to favor plastic cutting boards rather than wood, the cracks of which can be “nests” for pathogenic bacteria. , and wash carefully in hot water anything that has been in contact with raw meat or eggshells (cutting board, cook’s hands, cutlery, sponges, etc.). Another good tip: only take egg or raw milk-based foods (mayonnaise, creams, etc.) out of the refrigerator at the last minute.
Our intestine is home to 100 billion bacteria divided into more than a thousand species and weighing up to 000 kg!
4. Use antibiotics only if necessary
These drugs can profoundly change our intestinal flora. They limit microbial diversity and can even influence the skills of our bacteria. So, we take it only if the reason is justified (not for a simple cold!), Respecting the prescribed duration and, if they tend to cause diarrhea, by combining it with the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii, whose effectiveness has been demonstrated in this indication (for example ultra-yeast, at a rate of 200 mg / day from the start of treatment and continuing 5 or 6 days after the end).
Limit alcohol and coffee
These drinks, especially alcohol, are very aggressive for the gastrointestinal mucous membranes. And even in the absence of symptoms, there comes a time when, by dint of being “burned”, they risk rebelling.
5. Stay “cool”, the gut is a big sensitive!
The intestine is a kind of barometer of our emotions. Dissatisfaction, anger, impatience, to name a few of our common feelings, and in general any activity experienced as stressful, have an influence on him.
200 million neurons line our gut and around 80% of our immune system is located there.
Emmanuelle Blanc