Gastroenterologist named digestive habits

The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract largely depends on lifestyle and daily habits, which often cause functional digestive disorders. Maxim Chulev, a gastroenterologist at SM Clinic, told Izvestia on April 7 about what else affects digestion.

According to the expert, one of the most common problems is irregular meals. Long breaks between meals, skipping breakfast and subsequent overeating create excessive stress on the stomach and disrupt its normal functioning.

"The habit of eating in a hurry or on the go is also harmful. In such conditions, food is poorly chewed and insufficiently processed by saliva, which makes further digestion difficult and can cause discomfort," the doctor noted.

Another factor is the frequent consumption of fatty, fried and ultra—processed foods. Such products slow down the "evacuation" of food from the stomach, contribute to bloating, heaviness and impaired intestinal motility.

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"Do not underestimate the impact of stress. The gastrointestinal tract is closely connected to the nervous system, so emotional stress can directly affect its functioning, causing pain, cramps and changes in stool," the expert added.

In addition, as Chulev emphasized, insufficient water consumption is a bad habit. This can lead to a slowdown in intestinal motility and constipation. Water is also essential for the normal functioning of digestive enzymes and the maintenance of the gastrointestinal mucosa. With a chronic lack of fluid, bloating, abdominal discomfort, and a feeling of heaviness after eating may increase.

The abuse of coffee, alcohol and smoking has a negative impact.: they irritate the gastric mucosa and can provoke inflammatory processes. In particular, caffeine can stimulate excessive production of gastric juice, which, with regular exposure, increases the risk of gastritis and heartburn.

"Thus, to normalize digestion, it is important to follow a diet, chew food thoroughly, maintain water balance and minimize stress factors, and consult a doctor if there are any unpleasant symptoms," concluded the gastroenterologist.

On April 4, Varvara Veretyuk, a gastroenterologist and therapist at Invitro, reported that taking large doses of vitamin C is not always justified and may not have the expected effect. She noted that with moderate intake (30-180 mg per day), 70-90% of the vitamin is absorbed, and doses over 100 mg lead to tissue saturation.

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