7 Tips For A Problem-Free Digestion This Summer

Summer is the time for relishing cool drinks, ice creams, and delicious summery feasts. But for many people, summer is also the time when digestive health issues show up. If you are a foodie, then nothing can spell more of a punishment than unwanted summertime digestive health issues. The soaring temperatures can not only cause dehydration, heat stroke and exhaustion, but also lead to digestive health issues like nausea, vomitting, abdominal pain, heartburn, indigestion, acidity, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, food poisoning and loss of appetite.   

What actually happens during summers is that as the temperature rises, so does our body heat. This slows down the digestive system and often also weakens it. In this natural state of summertime being, if your digestive system is overloaded with rich foods, too little water and other heavy food items, then triggering any or quite a few of the above-mentioned digestive issues is inevitable. Summer is also the time when severe health issues like jaundice and cholera also show up. These can not only impact your short-term digestion but also long-term health. 

So, naturally then, taking care of your digestive health during summer months is a critical aspect of self-care. No matter which part of the country you may live in or what your gender, this is a basic healthcare aspect you have to keep in mind and put under serious consideration in the summer season. How to go about caring for your digestive health this summer? Don’t worry, we have the perfect tips for you to rely on during summer. Check them out now. 

Stay Hydrated

Prioritize drinking plenty of water and getting loads of fluids in more than anything else. Dehydration is the most common cause of summertime constipation, nausea, heatstroke and loss of appetite. This dehydration occurs when we sweat profusely to keep the body cool but don’t replenish that loss of fluids by increasing our water intake. So, drink plenty of water and fluids like coconut water. 

Eat Small Meals

Eating a whole feast of food and drinks at one go is not the wisest thing to do during summer. Not only will this overload your digestive system, but also increase the risk of getting acidity, heartburn, nausea and diarrhea. So, what you need to do is keep your tummy filled with light, frequent and healthy meals. Not only will these small meals keep your energy levels up but also help keep your body hydrated. 

Eat Slowly

During summer months, the human body spends a lot of energy to regulate the body temperature as the climate temperature rises. This slows digestion down to a large extent because the focus is on other essential temperature-regulation functions rather than digestion. Eating slowly instead of hurrying with your meals can therefore help your digestive system keep pace with you. It can also help you focus on chewing your food, which also aids the digestion process. 

Prioritize Food Safety

Summer is the time when food can easily get contaminated or rot, so practicing food safety methods can actually keep your digestive health in order to a huge extent. Don’t keep any food item out of the refrigerator for more than four hours and ensure that cold foods stay cold. Thoroughly wash and clean all fruits and vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables. Don’t leave any dairy products outside the refrigerator as they can easily develop spores or bacteria, which can lead to food poisoning. 

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Get More Fibre 

Meeting your daily requirement for dietary fibre through a healthy consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is even more important during summer. If there is one nutrient that aids digestion and helps it along then it is dietary fibre. The best sources of dietary fibre are foods like papaya, mangoes, green leafy vegetables, raw fruits and veggies in salad, and even whole grains like quinoa, brown rice and lentils. 

Avoid Oily Foods

Foods that are oily, deep-fried or too rich can lead to many digestive health issues, especially acidity, heartburn and diarrhea. Even in small amounts, these foods can increase the risk of stomach inflammation. So, it is best to avoid all kinds of oily and rich foods during summer, especially roadside food which can easily cause food poisoning. Instead, eat lighter, healthier foods. 

Get Probiotics

Apart from dietary fibre, there are two sets of foods that really aid digestion like nothing else—and those are prebiotics and probiotics. These foods promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria and make the digestive functions smoother. India has no dearth of probiotics like curd and buttermilk, which are traditionally consumed in large amounts during the summer months. You can also add foods like sauerkraut and kimchi to your meals.