SHEQ BULLETIN – 03 OF 2013
Nine Steps to Build and Maintain Digestive
Health
01st Aug 2013
Impact of Poor digestive
Health
According to the MarketTools,
Inc. survey, consumers report
that poor digestive health
impacts their lifestyles to the
point where:
• 34 percent feel uncomfortable
in social situations
• 32 percent experienced an
embarrassing situation
• 23 percent have been
depressed and lacked energy
• Nearly 20 percent avoid work or
social situations altogether
• Nearly 20 percent limit physical
activities/exercise
• 17 percent experience
heartburn or abdominal pain
more than five times a month
The Issues
When it comes to overall wellness, maintaining your
digestive health is just as important as maintaining your
heart health, bone health and the health of the rest of your
body.
Taking control of digestive health can help improve your
overall health. Simple
mple and proactive changes to diet and
lifestyle can lead to benefit digestive health.
1. Eat Fruits and Veggies
Include a broad spectrum of colorful fruits and vegetables,
including dried fruits in diet. They're packed with important
vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that provide a broad
array of health benefits including enhancing digestive
health.
• Fruits and vegetables contain fiber and a broad
range of nutrients important for maintaining digestive
health.
• Eating fruits and vegetables as part of an overall
healthy diet may also help reduce risk for chronic
diseases such as cardiovascular disease and some
cancers.
2. Increase Fiber Intake
Fiber can help GI tract stay "regular," improve
cardiovascular
rdiovascular health and regulate blood sugar levels.
Fiber also reduces cholesterol levels in the blood,
enhances proper bowel function, prevents constipation,
and provides a feeling of fullness without adding calories.
It is found in plant sources, so be sure to eat a diet
containing a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, legumes
and whole grains.
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Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin
essential for vision, growth, healthy
skin and hair, tooth development,
reproduction, and the immune
system. The main form of vitamin A
found in dried plums is beta-
carotene, which functions as an
antioxidant.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin
that is found in limited amounts in
food like salmon, tuna and fortified
dairy products. Vitamin D can be
produced by the human body after
exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays
from the sun. Vitamin D helps to
maintain normal blood levels of
calcium and phosphorus.
Calcium is the most abundant
mineral found in the human body. It
is responsible for building strong
bones and teeth. It is also needed
for muscle contraction, blood
vessel contraction and expansion,
the secretion of hormones and
enzymes, and for sending messages
through the nervous system.
Calcium is found primarily in dairy
products, some vegetables and
fortified foods.
Potassium helps maintain normal
blood pressure and is necessary for
nerve impulses and muscle
contractions. It is also important in
maintaining fluid and electrolyte
balance throughout the body.
Iron is a crucial nutrient for red
blood cells, which transport oxygen
to tissues throughout the body.
Iron deficiency anemia can
develop if the body lacks the iron
necessary to make red blood cells.
Folic Acid is a B vitamin that can
reduce the risk for neural tube
defects. It also protects against
heart disease and stroke through its
role in the metabolism of the amino
acid, homocysteine. High levels of
homocysteine are thought to
contribute to cardiovascular
disease and cognitive decline in
the elderly.
SHEQ BULLETIN 03-2013
Soluble fiber mixes with water to create a gel-like
consistency; this slows digestion to help the body absorb
more nutrients and remove substances like cholesterol.
Soluble fiber may play a protective role in heart disease
and diabetes. Oats and oat bran, nuts, legumes, peas, and
some fruits and vegetables such as dried plums, apples and
carrots all provide soluble fiber.
Insoluble fiber does not mix with water but adds bulk to
stool and helps move food through the digestive system.
Insoluble fiber may also play a role in preventing some
types of cancer. Whole grains (especially wheat bran), skins
of fruits, dried plums and many vegetables (cauliflower and
potatoes) provide insoluble fiber.
3. Consume Adequate Protein
Consume adequate protein, especially vegetable protein,
as part of a healthy and balanced diet. Try non-animal
foods such as beans and soy products.
Proteins are obtained from two main sources: animal
foods (e.g. beef, chicken and fish) and plant foods (e.g.
soy and bean sources). Although animal sources of
protein contain many important vitamins and minerals,
they also contain saturated fats and cholesterol. Plant
proteins, like beans, soy products and nuts, contain more
beneficial mono- and polyunsaturated fats but no
cholesterol.
4. Get Nutrients from Food First
The nutrients obtained from food play a vital role in
the health of the entire body, including digestive
health. The human body needs a broad spectrum of
nutrients in order to function optimally throughout
your lifetime.
5. Limit Fats and Concentrated Sweets
Studies show that a low-fiber, high-fat diet can
increase the risk for some types of cancer, obesity,
adult-onset diabetes and heart disease. Health and
nutrition experts recommend choosing a diet that
provides no more than 30 percent of calories from
fat, and that most of those fats be polyunsaturated
and monounsaturated fatty acids.
 PAGE 3 SHEQ BULLETIN 03-2013

6. Stay Hydrated
Healthy digestion requires adequate fluid intake. Many
factors such as exercise, weather, weight and health
affect how much water is right for individual.
individual The
standard recommendation is to consume the
equivalent of 8 glasses of water a day. Whichever
guideline one uses,, it is important to make sure you are
drinking enough fluids throughout the day, whether it is
in the form of simple water, or water-rich
rich food sources
such as soup, or water rich fruits such as Watermelons
(93% water), Strawberries (92%), Grapefruit(91%),
Grapefruit
Pineapples (87%), Cucumber& iceberg lettuce (96%). (96%)

7. Eat Mindfully
How you eat can be as important as what you eat.
Eat slowly, stop eating when you feel full, and avoid
eating just before bedtime.

Eat until you are satisfied but not stuffed. Eating too
much can cause digestive symptoms including
heartburn and stomach upset. Save the rest of your
meal for later or serve smaller portions.

Focus on yourr meal when you eat. Avoid working,

walking around or other distractions.
8. Exercise Regularly
Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, doing activities you
like, such as walking, aerobic or strength-building
building
activities.

9. Manage Your Stress – Stay Calm

Manage your stress. Stress has a direct effect on
digestive health. Build time for relaxation into your daily
routine.

Depending on the way an individual's body reacts,

stress can cause the passage of food through the
digestive system to slow down or to speed up, which
can cause
ause abdominal pain and/or diarrhea. Digestive
muscles may exert less effort and digestive enzymes
may be secreted in smaller amounts when you are
under stress. Stress can also worsen symptoms of
conditions such as peptic ulcer, irritable bowel
syndrome and ulcerative colitis.
Capt. Shardul C Shinde
Fleet Training Manager