Healthy habits related to the digestive system

Our health depends on the lifestyle we have. For the digestive system to function properly it is necessary that we take care of the type of food we eat in our diet and that we follow health and hygiene rules with which we can prevent many diseases.

The main healthy habits related to the digestive system that we must follow are:

• Wash hands before eating and preparing meals. This prevents food from being contaminated by bacteria or parasites.
• Brush your teeth and gums after every meal. This way we eliminate the remains of food that can be used to feed the bacteria in the mouth and produce acid that damage our teeth and cause cavities. A correct tooth brushing has to:
  
  • Last at least two minutes.
  • Use fluoride toothpaste.
  • Brushing has to be with vertical movements, since if they are horizontal we move the food remains but we do not clean them.
  • The teeth should be brushed on the outside and inside.
  • Use dental floss to clean the spaces between the teeth that the brush cannot reach.

• Visit the dentist once a year.
• Chew slowly to completely grind food, facilitating its digestion by contacting food with digestive juices. Eating calmly, without haste, enjoying food, sitting correctly, will help good digestion in addition to avoiding choking.
• Avoid eating between meals so as not to subject the digestive system to continuous work.
• Eat five small meals a day to avoid overworking your digestive system.
• Avoid drinking very cold or very hot food and drinks. The cold can cause throat irritation and promote the appearance of pharyngitis or tonsillitis. If food is very hot, it can cause burns in the mouth, especially the tongue, as well as irritating the mucous membranes of the pharynx and esophagus.
• Avoid eating very spicy foods, as they can cause irritation of the stomach lining.
• Avoid drinking highly sugary foods and drinks, since sugars feed the bacteria in the mouth and they produce acids that cause cavities.
• We have to avoid dehydration, both by limiting physical activity on days of excessive heat, and by recovering the fluid lost through vomiting or diarrhea.
• We must make sure that the food and drinks we take are in perfect condition to avoid food poisoning .
• Eat foods rich in fiber, since as it is not digested, it favors the intestinal movement and prevents constipation and obesity .
• Performing physical exercise regularly prevents the appearance of intestinal gas and prevents constipation .
• Avoid consuming alcoholic beverages, as they can irreversibly affect the liver and pancreas.

Interactive activity: Healthy habits related to the digestive system.

Interactive activity: Match each healthy habit with its motive.

Thatquiz: Food and nutrition.