Pain accompanies many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). An unpleasant symptom can be very exhausting, affect a person's daily life and force them to abandon their plans. A healthy balanced diet helps prevent chronic digestive disorders. That is why, in case of GIT pathologies, diet is the most important component of treatment.

What foods are good for digestion, and what is better to avoid if you have stomach pain? We will tell you about this in the article.

Proper nutrition and gastrointestinal health

The symptoms of intestinal diseases are varied and include pain, diarrhea, bloating. All these symptoms affect a person’s quality of life. After all, it is difficult to remain active if abdominal pain does not allow you to even get out of bed.

A proper diet helps to avoid such problems and reduce the intensity of pain if complaints have already appeared. In many gastrointestinal pathologies, a strong relationship has been proven between the severity of symptoms and diet. This also applies to irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory diseases. By the way, the latter are more common among residents of developed countries, whose diet is dominated by fats and carbohydrates with a low content of fruits and vegetables. This also indirectly indicates a relationship between nutrition and gastrointestinal diseases.

The intestine is the largest organ of the digestive system, which is primarily responsible for the absorption of nutrients. In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, this process can be disrupted, then a person develops a deficiency:

• gland
• calcium
• Selena
• zinc
• magnesium
• folic acid
• vitamins A, D, K, B12

Lack of vitamins and minerals leads to poor bone health, chronic fatigue, and other symptoms ³ . A proper diet can help avoid deficiencies of beneficial compounds and prevent future complications.

Diet principles for intestinal pain

Patients with gastrointestinal diseases should adhere to the principles of proper nutrition:

• Eat regularly - about 5-6 times a day. Try not to skip meals and do not allow long breaks between them. If you do not have the opportunity to eat a full meal at work, healthy vegetable and fruit snacks will help out.
• Don't eat in a hurry or while working. It's better to set aside time for this and eat calmly.
• Drink enough water—1.5-2 liters per day. Proper drinking regimen during the diet helps maintain normal intestinal peristalsis and prevent constipation.
• Limit foods that irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa and provoke unpleasant symptoms. These include alcohol, caffeine, spicy and fatty foods.
• Eat a balanced and varied diet. Stick to a diet that includes all the main food groups: vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, cereals.

During periods of exacerbation of the disease, medical supervision and a stricter diet are required, so additional restrictions may appear.

Healthy foods for digestion

The condition of the intestines directly depends on the diet. Below we will tell you about healthy products that can sometimes help restore the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Fruits and vegetables

All plant-based products contain fiber, or dietary fiber. These compounds are not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, but are necessary for its functioning.

Fiber promotes normal intestinal motility, prevents constipation, and also maintains the balance of microflora.

Doctors recommend eating 30 grams of fiber daily. To do this, it is enough to eat 400 grams, or five servings, of vegetables and fruits. Include them in main meals and snacks.

The following foods are the richest in fiber:

• spinach
• Brussels sprouts
• green peas
• asparagus
• bananas
• pears

Dietary fiber is also found in whole grains and berries.

To ensure that fiber retains its beneficial properties, it is important to drink more water. These compounds work in conjunction with each other. When in contact with water, fiber absorbs moisture, swells, and softens.

Not all fruits are equally useful for patients with gastrointestinal pathology. If you are prone to gas and bloating, exclude from your diet foods rich in fructose - apples, pears, mango. This compound is found in small quantities in citrus fruits and bananas. Therefore, they are better tolerated by patients with gastrointestinal diseases and do not lead to gas formation.

Cereals and whole grains

This is another source of dietary fiber. Compared to refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta, whole grains contain a large amount of fiber, as well as additional nutrients.

Whole grain products mainly include cereals:

• buckwheat
• bulgur
• oatmeal
• pearl barley
• brown rice

They can easily be included in your diet and used as side dishes. Whole grain pasta is also suitable for this.

If you have a stomach ache, then porridge is one of the healthiest dishes. Liquid porridges do not provoke increased gastric secretion, and their texture is maximally gentle on the gastrointestinal mucosa. During an exacerbation, this helps to reduce the intensity of unpleasant symptoms and prevent deterioration.

Lean meat and fish

The diet of patients with digestive system diseases should be rich in lean protein. Its sources are turkey, chicken, rabbit, veal. When choosing fish, it is better to give preference to lean varieties, such as pike perch or perch.

In case of intestinal inflammation, iron absorption is often disrupted, which can lead to anemia - a condition in which the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood decreases. And meat is one of the main sources of iron, which will help replenish the body's reserves of the microelement.

Fermented foods

The peculiarity of such food is that it is obtained as a result of microbial fermentation. Under the influence of bacteria, a new product with taste properties appears. Fermented are:

• fermented milk products (yogurt, sour cream, cheese, kefir)
• sauerkraut
• kimchi
• kombucha (tea mushroom)
• yeast bread

Almost any food can be fermented using certain cooking techniques.

The main benefit of fermented foods for the gastrointestinal tract is the effect on intestinal microflora.

The intestines are home to over 500 species of microorganisms, with an estimated weight of 1 kg. Beneficial bacteria perform many functions:

• help digest food;
• produce substances necessary for humans, such as vitamins;
• support immunity;
• protect the mucous membrane from pathogenic microorganisms.

The composition of the intestinal microflora can change under the influence of diet, lifestyle and other factors. Imbalance often causes unpleasant symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract.

Fermented foods can change the composition of the microflora - increasing the growth of beneficial bacteria and suppressing pathogenic ones. Some of the products even contain probiotics - beneficial live microorganisms. In irritable bowel syndrome, they can reduce pain and other symptoms.

Although fermented foods are good for the gastrointestinal tract, they can also have undesirable effects. For example, they sometimes cause increased gas formation and bloating. Therefore, it is better to introduce them into your diet gradually. And if you are currently experiencing an exacerbation and your stomach hurts, do not do this at all - wait until the symptoms pass.

Be mindful of your body and keep a food diary to track your individual body's reactions to fermented foods in your diet.