There are hundreds of different drinks out there we can consume on a daily basis including water, juice, tea, coffee, alcohol, soda, and smoothies, to name a few. Something we fail to realize is that all of these drinks are impacting our bodies, either negatively or positively. Today, we are going to dive into the drinks that you can incorporate into your routine to support your digestive system and the ones to avoid in order to reduce digestive issues.
Drinks That Are Negatively Impacting Your Digestive System
Alcohol
Even though moderation is important when speaking about any of the following drinks, alcohol can become a huge issue for your digestive system, especially if you are drinking alcohol in large amounts multiple times a week. When we refer to the digestive system, we are not only referring to the stomach or gastrointestinal system, but all of the organs that play a part in digestion including your esophagus, throat, liver, mouth, and anus.
Alcohol is especially damaging to all of these organs, because when you consume alcohol, all of these organs prioritize disposing of alcohol before any other food or drink you consume. This means instead of working properly, your digestive system now has to work overtime to get the alcohol out of your system before even focusing on anything else.
Alcohol is also very damaging to your mental health, which also has a link to the status of your gut health. This means that not only is it damaging the process of digestion, but also damaging your mental status that can lead to stress and anxious behavior. Limiting your alcohol intake can only benefit you, and when you eliminate it from your routine you might also find that your symptoms of fatigue might also diminish.
Soda
While soda and other carbonated drinks might taste good in the moment, there are many possible damaging effects to your digestive system. Have you ever consumed a carbonated drink, and soon after you feel a sharp pain in your stomach? This is because the carbonation is causing a buildup of gas and air to move into your digestive tract.
This air can also lead to bloating and burping. Carbonated drinks can also alter your pH levels, which leads to an imbalance of air in your intestines. If you are someone who already struggles with acid reflux, carbonated drinks can only exacerbate this. Something to keep in mind is that everyone’s body is different, so while you might be experiencing these negative effects others might not, which is why understanding your own food and drink intolerances is essential to optimizing your health.
Aside from the carbonation in soda and other carbonated drinks, it also has no nutritional value for your health. It will benefit you more to focus on drinking other drinks that might have more health benefits for you, but as always moderation is key so if you are wanting to indulge in a soda every now and then it is not the end of the world. If you do decide to indulge in soda, just be sure to remember to monitor its effects and limit your intake as much as possible.
Drinks That Can Be a Positive Addition To Your Daily Lifestyle
Kombucha, while carbonated, can be really beneficial for your digestive system. This is why it is important to evaluate how carbonation affects you, because if you find that it does not have the negative impacts we spoke on earlier then kombucha might be right for you. It is made through the process of fermentation and contains high levels of probiotics which are essential in promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in your gut. Probiotics also help to boost your immune system.
For all the tea lovers out there, you are in luck! There are many kinds of teas that are a great way to support your digestive system including: ginger tea, lemongrass tea, peppermint tea, and fennel tea.
- Ginger tea is beneficial, because it promotes the production of saliva which helps to break down the food you are digesting.
- Lemongrass tea is a great option especially as a night time cap, because it has no caffeine and contains a compound called citral which helps to reduce inflammation.
- Peppermint tea helps to reduce spasms in your gut, which leads to more relaxation and allows for proper digestion in your gastrointestinal tract.
- Fennell’s high fiber content is essential to promoting a healthy digestive system.
The next drink we are going to discuss is coffee! This is great news for many of us, who use coffee to give us that extra boost of energy in the mornings, but be cautious to not rely on it too heavily for anything, including to help with your digestion. Coffee helps with digestion because it stimulates your gut to keep moving which results in bowel movements. As long as you are staying aware of the amount of coffee you are drinking then it can be a great way to give yourself that extra support.
Water is obviously going to be the number one drink that you should have in your rotation. The health benefits of water go way beyond simply hydrating you, and while that may be essential, it also can be a really great way to keep your digestive tract up and running. It is especially important if you are consuming high amounts of fiber as it helps to break it down so that it is easier to digest.
Ways In Which Supplements Can Support Your Drink Decisions
Along with all of these tips and tricks when it comes to what drinks you should be incorporating into your routine, it is essential that you are taking your supplements along with them. Our supplements contain many of the ingredients we mentioned above.
Our product, Sexy and Slim actually contains the following: peppermint powder, ginger root powder, fennel seed powder, fenugreek seed powder, dandelion root powder, and a digestive enzyme complex. You can rest assured that you are consuming all the essential nutrients needed to support your digestive tract just by taking this vitamin that helps with bloating. Shop your very own right here today!