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Happy Tummy Expert

1 year ago

Dear Femy, Thank you for the question

Regular physical activity or exercise is necessary and beneficial for overall health. It helps in improving muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness, maintain ideal body weight, prevent and manage lifestyle disorders as well as improve digestive health.

Currently, there is lack of scientific evidence that supports benefits of particular activity or exercise for better digestion of gluten. However, if you are intolerant towards gluten which is known as celiac disease or ‘gluten - sensitive enteropathy’, which is an autoimmune disorder caused by a reaction to gliadin- a component of gluten. It is important to avoid gluten free foods as a cornerstone management of Celiac disease.

Here are few tips to manage Celiac disease/ Gluten intolerance

• Avoid consumption of cereal grains and other food products made from whole wheat, barley, oats, rye etc., as they contain gliadin.
• Include rice, corn, potato, millets, and soybean, arrowroot and amaranth seeds in daily diet. Products made out of these foods can be a part of daily diet for an individual who is diagnosed with celiac disease
• While grocery shopping carefully read labels to avoid food products that have gluten and hence look out for words such as ‘made from whole wheat’, ‘contains traces of wheat’, and mention of other ingredients that contain gluten or cross contamination with wheat. Choose products that are labelled ‘gluten free’, ‘made from millets’, ‘made with soybean’, etc.

Here are a few guidelines for general digestive health.

• Establish a regular meal pattern (breakfast, lunch and dinner with snacks as appropriate)
• Do not skip your meals, have small frequent meals at regular intervals.
• Avoid large, heavy meals, and practice portion guidance.
• Eat a well-balanced diet includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.
• Include prebiotics such as barley, soyabean, etc., good sources of probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk etc., to maintain a healthy gut.
• Protein rich foods should be included in the diet such as meat, fish, eggs, legumes, pulses, nuts, and seeds.
• Food should be eaten slowly and chewed well as fast eating provokes gastric feeding reflex.
• Avoid lying down immediately after your meal consumption
• Try to limit the foods like alcohol, caffeine, spices, raw onions etc.
• Deep fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Limit the intake of excess fibre and dairy products if diarrhoea is present.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day
• Have a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between bedtime and your last meal
• Engage in physical activity for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for at least 5 days a week.
• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead

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