SEATTLE — Taking care of your gut and gastrointestinal (GI) health is important to your overall health and wellness.
“I think about GI health as supporting wellness,” said Diana McFarlane, a physician assistant specializing in gastroenterology. “Anything that improves vitality, longevity, the lining of the gut’s integrity.”
A supportive diet and nutrition options can also improve symptoms of GI diseases and disorders.
“When I think of the things that support health and wellness, the first thing I think about is diet,” McFarlane said. “I tell my patients that you want to eat the rainbow.”
This includes fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors, complex carbs, healthy fats and proteins.
“If you eat the rainbow, you’re going to be getting that variety of, not only nutrients, but a variety of probiotics that live on the foods we eat,” McFarlane said.
These foods feed the healthy gut bacteria that promote our health. Complex carbohydrates include whole grains rather than foods made with processed sugars and white flour. Your body working to digest the whole grains improves GI integrity.
Drinking the right amount of water is also important. McFarlane recommends 64 to 80 ounces a day.
“That’s going to help balance out the form of your bowel movements and improve the integrity and lining of your gut,” McFarlane said.
Too much water, though, can sometimes cause gut upset, so it’s key to not overdo it. Sleep is also important so your body can rest and digest.
Signs of digestive disorders or diseases include unexplained weight loss, sudden iron deficiency and blood in the stool. If your bowel habit is one way most of your life and it suddenly changes, that’s another sign something may be wrong.
While more serious issues are possible, 14 to 24% of women in the U.S. have some form of irritable bowel syndrome. Physicians at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health will talk with you about your symptoms and run through a diagnostic process.
“If we confirm you have irritable bowel syndrome, the great news is, there are a ton of very holistic and natural interventions that can truly improve your quality of life,” McFarlane said.
To learn more about GI health, visit the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health website.
Sponsored by Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.
Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.