COVID triggered a sedentary lifestyle impacting your gut?

New Delhi: During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the first and foremost message that one ought to pay heed to is to never let your guard down, it is essential in ensuring that you are safeguarded.

However, that doesn't seem to be the case as most patients seeking online doctor consultation seem to be showcasing a host of concerns that need surgical intervention. Rapid increase in the number of gastrointestinal infections has been noted in patients over the past 3-4 months, says Dr. Jignesh Gandhi, Consultant Laparoscopic& Gastrointestinal Surgeon, Hiranandani Hospital Vashi.

These gastrointestinal issues are related to digestion, as there has been a decrease in physical activity or exercise, change in food habits, and binge eating is a common household fad; these lifestyle factors have contributed to complaints from people facing increasing number of gastrointestinal problems, he informs.

Expert suggests that following certain self-help tips will help ease your health burden.

Avoid fermented foods, due to lack of physical activity during the lockdown, consuming fermented food may lead to a lot of reflux issues, and you may not want to end up facing the consequences of for hyper-acidity or acid reflux

If you are facing gastrointestinal issues on regular basis, it is best cook and consume all your meals at home.

Consume healthy foods and eat small meals every two hours (time required for digestion), keep alternating between liquid diet and regular soft diet to ensure smooth digestion.

If possible, within your physical constraints/ residential premises, go for a mandatory walk daily.

Maintaining a low fat diet is key; lower your intake of Carbohydrates and add in more Protein.

Sufficient intake of fluids is crucial, hydrating yourself well is the key to good digestion.

Avoid eating the food fast as it leads to Aerophagia (swallowing of air with food) which adds to reflux disease, and a simply enjoy your meal, rather than finishing it like a task, which has a huge impact on digestion.

Social and stress-related habits such as alcohol consumption and smoking can be detrimental to compromised digestive system. (IANS)

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