It is National Gut Week here in the UK (21-27 August). Did you know that:
- Bowel cancer kills more people in the UK than any other cancer apart from lung cancer?
- as many as 1 in 100 people in the UK may have coeliac disease – but in most it is undiagnosed?
- over 3,000,000 people in the UK are constipated every month?
- as many as 1 in 3 suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome – and that this sometimes hides coeliac disease?
So, with your stomach in mind, here are some ways to look after your digestive system:
1. Eat a balanced diet. Yes, this does mean eat some fruit and vegetables. A balanced diet should include:
* starchy foods such as rice, gluten free cereals and potatoes
* fruit and vegetables,
* proteins, such as meat and fish, nuts, beans and pulses
* milk and dairy foods (but not if you’re lactose intolerant, obviously)
* small amounts of fat and sugar.
See NHS Direct for more.
2. Grill, bake, poach or steam your food rather than frying it. This will keep the nutritional value high, and keep the fat content lower. As an example, Delia offers instructions on how to how to poach and steam fish.
3. Aim to get your 5 a day. Remember, these need to be different kinds of fruit and vegetables – five glasses of orange juice doesn’t cut it. One way of thinking of this is to aim for lots of different colours on your plate. Visit www.5aday.nhs.uk for more information.
4. Go wholegrain whenever possible – wholegrain pasta, rice and bread is likely to have more nutrients than the more processed, white variety. There are high fibre versions of some gluten free breads, and brown rice is easily available, as is some buckwheat pasta.
5. Cut back on alcohol. The government’s recommended limits on this are surprisingly low – half a bottle of wine counts as a binge. Alcohol can irritate the stomach lining, as well as reduce the effectiveness of the small intestine. Not something a sufferer from coeliac disease needs to exacerbate.
6. And drink more water. This ought to help you avoid constipation, as well as wrinkles (think about it … raisins are dried grapes).
7. Eat properly. Ideally, at mealtimes only, sitting at a table, and without rushing your meal. The Independent has been running a campaign to bring back family meals, at least on Sunday – which does have something to be said for it …
8. Sleep well. I know, easier said than done, but if you’re struggling to sleep for any reason, have a look at the Sleep Foundation, which has a lot of information and ideas.
9. De-stress. Everybody relaxes in different ways – find something that works for you, and do it.
10. Do take up some exercise. This will not only help you lose weight, but should speed up your metabolism and generally help your body work better all round – including your digestion.
11. And do use the toilet! (OK – this is a bonus thought). Don’t ‘hold on’ – if you need to go, go. The longer the waste is in your body, the more water will be removed and the drier/harder it will get. This is the slippery slope to constipation.
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I’ve written a book summarising what we’ve learnt over 20 years of dealing with the gluten free diet, and it might be just what you’re looking for. It packs the lessons we’ve learned into what I hope is a helpful and straightforward guidebook. It’s available on Amazon, as a paperback or for your Kindle… |
LOVE IT!!!
thanks for the post
funny but true
Thanks for the honesty. So many bloggers don’t reveal which product advertised on their site earns them a commission.
This is a great service. You are fortunate to be in the UK where celiac testing is more common than the US. As you note, many patients are diagnosed with IBS (more of a non-diagnosis, really) when they actually have celiac disease or another form or gluten intolerance. I see this in my practice all the time. Some people with gluten intolerance do get diagnosed, but miss other things that cause IBS symptoms. Sometimes they have another food allergy or intolerance, or have a microbial issue. They often get very frustrated avoiding gluten and still not getting completely well. So if I may be so bold as to recommend an 12th step – if you aren’t getting well, don’t despair, get additional help.
Hello Dr Wangen – I always like to see professionals visiting my site, and you’re very welcome.
I think your 12th step is a good addition. Not all health professionals are experts in coeliac disease, and we shouldn’t expect General Practitioners (GPs – first line of medical care here in the UK) to know everything about everything, as it just isn’t humanly possible! So if you’re not getting well, you should continue to ask for help, and for a second opinion if necessary.