Dealing with digestive issues is no fun. Ask anyone who has them and you’ll find that it makes everything from cooking at home to going to restaurants to attending a friend’s dinner party a bit of a risky business. When you’re not sure what it is that’s causing the stomach issues, you have no idea how to deal with it or when a problem will arise. A fast food dinner one night causes no problems, but pizza at work the next day seems to be a bit of a disaster.
Is there anything you can do? Fortunately for you, your primary care providers at Medics USA are here to help. There are a number of different changes you can make to what you’re putting in your body to try to get to the bottom of the issue. Here are a few of the most common ones.
3 Things to Try
As we mentioned, there are a number of different ways a person can tackle a diet change to deal with digestive issues. These diets are by no means comprehensive but they have made a huge difference for a number of different people.
Vegetarian Diet
For nearly as long as there have been people, there have been those who prefer to eat a diet of only vegetables. If you find that you’re constantly experiencing heartburn, a vegetarian diet might be one of your options. By cutting out meat, you can more easily focus on getting the nutrients you need from plants. This has been shown to be linked to everything from lowering cholesterol to healing tendonitis. Some choose to continue to incorporate some fish, eggs, and dairy into their diets to be sure that it is as well-rounded as possible.
Paleo Diet
The paleo diet has become increasingly popular over the years. Often described as “eating like the cavemen did,” the goal is basically to avoid overly processed foods, instead opting for dishes that aren’t full of chemicals and sugar. Paleo diets often incorporate high amounts of fat and a combination of vegetables. All it takes is a quick internet search to read about all of the different experiences people have with this diet. Does it always work? Not necessarily. Is it worth a try? Most definitely.
Low FODMAP Diet
A relative newcomer to the diet world, the low FODMAP diet seeks to decrease the amount of irritants that are digested in order to help a person figure out what causes them problems. Common irritants are garlic, onions, gluten, and dairy. This approach seems to make quite a bit of sense because it asks users to cut a number of different items to see how their stomach reacts, gradually adding ingredients back in until it’s easy to tell where your problem foods like. Is it restrictive? Well, that depends on how you define the world, but we think that with a bit of creativity and a few internet recipes, this is a great option, particularly if you’re suffering from digestive issues that are causing you problems.
A Primary Care Physician is Here to Help
Of course before you start in on any of these diets, it’s best to speak with us. We’d be happy to take a look at all of the information available to us to help you out on your path to a happier digestive system. We know that having health issues is no fun and we’re here to help you feel better. Whether you’re interested in one of the diets above or you have something else in mind (or you have no idea where to start), our doctors would be glad to help. Schedule an appointment today!