Page 27 - Seniorstoday September-2023 Issue
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3s, must be regularly added to your diet is why adding lemon juice to your water
because the body can’t produce them on its can be helpful for promoting intestinal
own. peristalsis, improving digestion and
One of the highest food sources of omega encouraging regular bowel movements.
3 essential fatty acids is fish oil, which you
can take as a nutritional supplement or LIFESTYLE CHANGES
eat at meals. If you’re vegan, you can get Getting regular exercise - this can help
essential fatty acids from flaxseed. make bodily processes more regular,
including the passing of stools. It doesn’t
Chew Your Food matter what kind of exercise you do,
When you don’t chew your food properly, it although aerobic exercise is the most
makes its way through your digestive tract effective way to shake things up. Even a
in large pieces, which creates extra work for brisk walk or taking the stairs instead of
your body to break down and eliminate. the elevator counts.
Poorly chewed food may prevent you from If you’re low on time, consider creating a
having healthy bowel movements. walking club at work. Gather a group of co-
It’s easy to forget to chew your food workers to go on a 20-minute walk during
properly when you’re on the go, and rush your lunch break.
just to get some food into your mouth. But Let Go of Emotional Baggage - each health
spending a few extra seconds with each bite symptom has an underlying emotional, or
goes a long way when it comes to efficient psycho-spiritual, component.
digestion.
Establishing a routine - Have a usual
Drink Lemon Water place and time of day to visit the bathroom
Not only does having a glass of lemon water without forcing a stool. Some other habits
on an empty stomach increase your daily you can cultivate to aid your tummy are-
water intake, but it also helps increase Eating your meals around the same time
the release of hydrochloric acid in your every day.
stomach. Going to sleep at the same time every night
Hydrochloric acid (or HCl) is the digestive and waking up at the same time each day,
juice that your body secretes to break down aiming for at least eight hours of sleep each
food and prepare it for digestion, which night.
Drinking a glass of water right after you
wake up.
Avoiding holding in stools - Do not
ignore the urge to have a bowel movement.
Responding to the body’s urges to pass
stools can help prevent constipation.
Elevating the feet - Some people find
it easier to pass stools during a bowel
movement if they place their feet on a low
platform, such as a step, with their knees
above hip level.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #51 | SEPTEMBER 2023 27
