Page 24 - Hello Philippines January 2016 'B' issue

HEALTH and Lifestyle food January 2016 / Fortnightly – No. 2 • UK & Europe Edition
Five lifestyle tips for a healthy tummy24 www.hello-philippines.com
DIGESTIVE problems and
stomach upsets can be prevented, unhappy. It also helps your digestion if out in front of the TV with a takeaway Lose excess weight. If you’re system, but binge drinking increases
relieved and even banished by simple you avoid arguing at the dinner table, in the evenings. But eating this way can overweight, your tummy fat puts acid production in your stomach and
lifestyle changes. as getting angry can put you off your play havoc with our digestive system. pressure on your stomach and can cause heartburn and aggravate
food or make eating harder. Try to can cause heartburn. Shedding other digestive disorders, warns Dr
Beat stress. You may have noticed keep mealtimes happy and relaxed. Following some basic rules can some pounds may relieve digestive Anton Emmanuel.
a feeling of unease in your stomach prevent problems: symptoms such as heartburn
during times of stress. That’s because Stop smoking. Smoking can weaken and other acid-related stomach Binge drinking is defined as
anxiety and worry can upset the the muscle that controls the lower • Don’t rush your food. Take the complaints. drinking eight or more units of
delicate balance of digestion. In some end of the oesophagus (gullet) and time to eat slowly. Try putting your fork alcohol in one session for men, and
people it slows down digestion, causing allow acid from the stomach to travel down between bites and chew each Don’t binge drink. Moderate drinking more than six units in one
bloating, pain and constipation, while in the wrong direction back up the mouthful well. drinking won’t hurt your digestive session for women. n NHS Choices
in others it speeds it up causing oesophagus, a process known as
diarrhoea and frequent trips to the reflux. Reflux causes the symptoms of • Don’t overeat. Reduce the size
loo. Some people lose their appetite heartburn (a burning sensation in the of your portions at mealtimes, or try
completely. chest) and can bring on or aggravate eating four to five small meals instead
peptic ulcers and inflammatory of three large ones.
Stress can also worsen digestive conditions of the bowel. Smoking
conditions like peptic ulcers (on is also an important risk factor for • Eat regularly and try not to skip
the inside lining of the stomach or stomach cancer. meals.
small intestine) and irritable bowel
syndrome. Eat properly. It is very easy to spend • Avoid eating a big meal just before
our working lives eating on the move you go to bed. Eat your last meal at least
One solution is to avoid eating when or at our desks, gulping down food two to three hours before lying down.
you’re feeling very anxious, stressed or between meetings and then crashing
• Make sure you have plenty to
drink. Try to have at least one and
a half litres (two and a half pints) of
liquid a day.

Should you cut out bread to stop bloating?
IS eating bread giving you bloating and “Probably one-third of patients in my diet. This is where you completely cut containing wheat shouldn’t harm your as soy sauce (see box).

other digestive symptoms? If so, you could allergy clinic complain of digestive out wheat from your diet for four weeks health, if you do it properly. Tummy-friendly breads. The good

be ‘sensitive’ to wheat. Cutting out bread symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea, then bring it back in gradually to see if Wheat is one of our staple foods and news is that you might not need to cut out

or changing the type you eat may help. vomiting and stomach pain after eating symptoms reappear. lots of wheat products, such as breakfast bread completely.

It’s fashionable these days to give up bread,” says Isabel Skypala PhD, specialist “When you bring wheat-based foods cereals, are fortified with vitamins and Some people with wheat sensitivity

eating bread. More and more of us claim to allergy dietitian at the Royal Brompton back in, I recommend trying weetabix or minerals. have no problems when they eat toast

suffer from wheat allergy so we shun bread and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust. pasta first for a few days before starting In the past there was a danger of (cooked wheat tends to be easier to

and other wheat-based foods. She says allergy is unlikely to be the on bread. It’s better to start with wheat running short of essential nutrients like digest), sourdough bread, bread cooked

Genuine food allergy is in fact rarely to culprit, but bread-related symptoms are in a more pure form as bread has so many the B vitamins and iron, if you cut out with flour made from French wheat, or any

blame, say experts. But wheat sensitivity real and wheat could be to blame. other ingredients,” Dr Skypala says. wheat. But nowadays there’s a good range bread from a specialist bakery rather than

(also known as wheat intolerance) “Some people find certain foods are Is it wheat intolerance or sensitivity? of widely available wheat-free alternatives a supermarket.

or simply trouble digesting wheat is simply hard to digest and wheat appears If your symptoms return, it confirms that won’t compromise a balanced diet. “Bakeries in supermarkets use the

increasingly common. to be one of those,” she explains. you’re sensitive to wheat and will also help “There are great wheat substitutes that Chorleywood bread-making process,

Bread-related gut symptoms. What to do if wheat triggers to show you which foods are especially you can buy off the supermarket shelf now. which cuts out the second rising to speed

digestive symptoms. If your symptoms troublesome. Some people may only have Go for gluten-free bread and try other up the baking. People seem to have more

are severe and long-lasting, especially problems with pasta, for example, while types of grains such as quinoa, corn and problems digesting supermarket breads,

if you have blood in your stools (poo), others are fine until they eat bread. rice,” says Dr Skypala. “Just make sure you so I’d always recommend avoiding store-

vomiting or painful stomach cramps, If you are sensitive to wheat, or you substitute other equally nutritious foods bought loaves,” says Dr Skypala.

see your doctor to rule out a medical have trouble digesting it, the main way to for the wheat-based ones you’re cutting The anti-bloat FODMAP diet. A

condition. relieve your symptoms is to embark on a out.” specific type of wheat-free diet may help

If you have bloating or other minor wheat-free or partially wheat-free diet. Be sure to cut out all wheat from your certain people with wheat sensitivity.

symptoms after eating bread, Dr Skypala How to go on a wheat-free diet. diet. Some sources of wheat are obvious, Designed originally for people with

recommends that you try an elimination Cutting out bread and other foods such as bread, but others are less so, such irritable bowel syndrome, the FODMAP

diet is now being recommended by

Beat the bloat dietitians to people who have problems
GET rid of bloating by cutting • onions digesting wheat.

out fizzy drinks and foods that • broccoli It’s not a catchy name but FODMAP
stands for fermentable oligosaccharides,
cause wind. Sit down to eat and • cabbage disaccharides, monosaccharides and
polyols, which are types of carbohydrates
take regular exercise. • sprouts that aren’t easily broken down and
absorbed by the gut.
Most of us have experienced • cauliflower
Essentially, the diet entails cutting out
the feeling of being bloated, when But make sure you still eat five fermentable foods that can cause bacterial
growth, leading to diarrhoea and bloating.
your tummy is stretched, puffy and portions of fruit and vegetables a day. That means cutting out wheat and other
Constipation. If you get fermentable foods such as onion, apple,
uncomfortable. It often happens pears, mushrooms, honey, cabbage and
sometimes milk.
after a big weekend or over a constipation, take steps to prevent it
“The FODMAP diet has been hugely
festive season. But for some people, with a fibre-rich diet, drinking lots • Your bowel doesn’t empty groups long-term without advice successful for people with IBS. Because it
properly. from your GP. excludes wheat, many people with wheat
bloating is more than an occasional of fluids and taking regular exercise. sensitivity may also find it helpful,” says Dr
• The food causes gas to be trapped. Irritable bowel syndrome. People Skypala.
inconvenience. Even a 20-30 minute brisk walk four • Too much gas is produced as a with irritable bowel syndrome often
reaction to the food. complain of bloating, especially The FODMAP diet works best if it’s
If your stomach or tummy often times a week can improve your bowel The main offenders are wheat or in the evening. The bloating of coupled with special dietary advice from
gluten and dairy products. The best IBS doesn’t seem to be linked with a dietitian. There are FODMAP-trained
feels bloated, it could be due to: function. approach if you have a food intolerance excess wind. It’s thought to be down dietitians working in the NHS and privately.
• excess wind Swallowing air. Try not to swallow is to eat less of the culprit food or cut it to erratic propulsion of contents If you want to see an NHS dietitian, ask
out completely. through the bowel. It can help to cut your GP or consultant to refer you. n NHS
• constipation too much air. Don’t talk and eat at Keep a food diary for a couple of down on fatty or high-fibre foods.
weeks, noting everything that you eat Peppermint tea or capsules have Choices
• swallowing air (from talking the same time, sit down to eat (sitting and drink and when bloating troubles also been reported to help ease IBS
you most. But don’t get rid of food symptoms. n NHS Choices
while eating etc) upright and not slumped over),

• food intolerance reduce the amount of fizzy drinks you

• irritable bowel syndrome consume, stop chewing gum and chew
Excess wind. Cut down on foods with your mouth closed so that you’re

known to cause wind and bloating, not taking in excess air.
Food intolerance. Food intolerance
such as:

• beans can lead to bloating when: