It is not in vain that nutritionists advise getting up from the table with a slight feeling of hunger. Experts say that normally the volume of the stomach is 250 grams, so you should not eat a larger amount.
Overeating, you will stretch the stomach. It is interesting that the organ has hyperelastic walls, therefore, when we eat more, the stomach increases in size, this is even visible visually.
The diet for the stomach includes not only a list of allowed and prohibited foods, but also the diet itself. Experts recommend eating food every two to three hours. In this case, the amount of food eaten should be small. Approximately all the food you eat should fit in your palm.
But in order for the walls to return to their previous state, it will take about two weeks.
Overeating negatively affects the work of the stomach
But how not to overeat? If you drink a glass of natural water half an hour before a meal, then you will eat less. In addition, the pace at which you eat food plays an important role. It turns out that a signal to the brain about saturation arrives in the brain after about 20 minutes. If you are in a hurry, then surely eat more than you need.
Also interesting is the fact that energy after eating food is enough for us for about three hours, regardless of how much we ate. If we eat a lot, but at large intervals, the body in this case begins to set aside “reserves”, which is expressed in problem areas on the waist and hips.
Do not forget about the importance of adequate fluid intake. All processes in our body occur thanks to water. In addition, the liquid helps to remove harmful substances from the body. Some justify low water consumption by the absence of thirst, but it is worthwhile to understand that when you want to drink water, this already indicates dehydration.
The main thing is to develop the habit of drinking water! Just do not confuse water with food. The use of kefir, juice, soup, sweet fruit drink – this is all food. In addition to it, you should use a sufficient amount of natural water without gas. Just do not drink the food you eat with water.
As soon as food enters the stomach, the digestive juices begin to break it down, if you drink water at that moment, it will dilute them, which will slow down digestion, which means that the food lump will linger in the stomach much longer. First courses are served, then second courses. This contributes to a better functioning of the stomach and the absorption of nutrients.
Experts do not recommend drinking food with water, this leads to dilution of the gastric juice
Recommendations that improve the work of the stomach
A person’s eating habits affect not only his well-being, but also his health. An important role is played by the combination of food. Fermentation in the stomach poisons the entire body so that this does not happen, experts recommend adhering to the rules of separate nutrition.
To assimilate a product, certain enzymes are required. An acidic environment is needed to digest protein foods. Starchy foods, on the contrary, break down under alkaline conditions, while acidity will only interfere with the normal digestion process.
The combination of light food with foods that take longer to digest will cause fermentation to begin in the stomach.
Examples of incompatible products:
- basic food and fruit. Many perceive fruits as a dessert and eat them after the main meal. But it is absolutely impossible to do this. The fact is that fruit is a light food that is quickly digested. If you use them together with other products, their digestion process slows down and they begin to ferment in the stomach. Remember, fruits are a separate product, and it is better to eat them in the morning;
- animal proteins and starch. Many of us like to eat chicken and potatoes, vermicelli with sausages or a patty with rice porridge. For the gastrointestinal tract, a combination of these products is a difficult mixture, since various digestive enzymes collide;
- tea and milk. Casein, which is part of milk, blocks the antioxidants found in tea;
- carbohydrates and proteins. For example, cereals with meat products;
- carbohydrates with sour-milk and dairy products. Porridge with milk, bread with kefir will be considered harmful;
- coffee and rye bread. The vitamins of group B, which are part of rye bread, are poorly absorbed due to the action of caffeine.
Starchy foods (cereals, bread, pasta) go well with greens, vegetables and fats. Protein food blends perfectly with vegetables and seeds. Vegetables contribute to better absorption of proteins by the elimination of toxic substances. Proteins also go well with fats.
It is better to combine animal proteins with fats of the same group, and vegetable fats – with proteins of plant origin.
Separate nutrition helps improve the condition of a sick stomach
What can I eat?
For stomach problems, the following foods will be helpful:
- Honey speeds up digestion. It is interesting that the product can be used for diseases of the stomach with both high and low acidity. In the first case, it is recommended to take honey one spoonful before meals, washed down with warm water. With low acidity, it is better to use it after a meal with cold water;
- bananas envelop the stomach and even heal small sores;
- potatoes. The composition of this vegetable includes enzymes that contribute to the restoration of the mucous membrane. Potatoes can be eaten in any form;
- oatmeal normalizes digestion and envelops the mucous membrane;
- dairy products have a beneficial effect on the work of the stomach and intestines;
- oranges improve gastric motility;
- flax seed is a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. They include vitamins of group B, as well as vegetable proteins. Flaxseeds contribute to the complete absorption of nutrients. Experts recommend using flax soaked in water to prevent gastritis;
- whole grain bread should be a must-have daily diet. Its use contributes to better digestion of food;
- berries contain fiber, are quickly digested, well absorbed by the body. They contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. You can eat gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries;
- Avocados are known for their healing properties in relation to the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. The soft structure and the presence of fiber allow it to be used by patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Avocados can be used to make healthy sauces;
- apples not only improve digestion, but also bind toxic substances;
- cabbage contains a large amount of fiber, which makes the digestive tract work more intensively.
Oatmeal porridge is an ideal dish for patients with stomach pathologies.
For diseases of the digestive system, it is best to use the most natural methods of cooking products. Steaming, stewing, grilling, as well as eating vegetables and fruits in raw form will help preserve the health of the digestive tract. Whereas fried food, on the contrary, harms the stomach. Fats complicate the digestive processes, slow down the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates, and some nutrients are completely destroyed during frying.
What is better to eat on an empty stomach?
During the night, a person can lose up to a liter of water, this along with breathing, sweat and going to the toilet. To replenish water supplies in the morning, it is important to drink two glasses of water on an empty stomach. In twenty minutes you will feel cheerfulness and a surge of strength.
Rating of products that are better to give preference in the morning:
- eggs are a source of protein and vitamins. Their consumption gives a feeling of satiety, as a result, for the whole day you can eat fewer calories;
- cereals are a source of trace elements and organic acids, and are also well absorbed. Porridge contains complex carbohydrates, which gives a large amount of energy;
- buckwheat porridge stimulates the digestive tract and is a source of protein, iron and vitamins;
- corn porridge provides a long feeling of satiety, and also normalizes the composition of the intestine;
- sprouted wheat triggers the intestines;
- honey helps to wake the body and provide energy for a long time.
What can not be eaten?
Now let’s talk about products harmful to the stomach. These are chips, crackers, nuts. The composition of such products includes saturated fats and a large amount of salt. This is a high-calorie meal that is low in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Fried pies and whites. They contain a large number of “empty” calories.
Fast-cooking vermicelli is prohibited, it contains a large amount of starch, salt and seasonings. It is believed that the abuse of such products leads to obesity and endocrine disorders. You also need to abandon fast foods, carbonated drinks, chocolate with fillings, sweet coffee drinks.
Modern life sets a frantic pace, which is why many eat on the go, dry food. Street food and fast foods often replace nutritious meals. All this can ultimately lead to serious diseases of the stomach. This leads to complaints such as abdominal pain, heartburn, bloating, belching, stool problems, and more.
What is better not to eat on an empty stomach?
The first meal is momentous because the food is sent to an empty stomach. That is why it is important to make sure that it is not only useful, but also does not harm health. Some foods should not be eaten on an empty stomach.
List of prohibited foods:
- citrus fruits. Orange juice can serve as a “start” to the development of gastritis. It is better to eat oatmeal, and after it an orange, but in no case on an empty stomach. Citruses eaten on an empty stomach, heavily load the liver;
- bananas. Their use can lead to a violation of the potassium-magnesium balance, because of which you will feel lethargic all day;
- raw vegetables contain acids that can corrode and irritate the walls of the stomach, leading to gastritis;
- cold drinks slow down digestion;
- yogurt. Eating this product on an empty stomach will not harm you, but it certainly will not bring much benefit, since in the morning the body does not need additional bacteria, it is better to drink it in the evening or throughout the day. In addition, hydrochloric acid will simply kill all the good bacteria;
- tomatoes contain tannic acid, which can lead to hyperacid gastritis and even peptic ulcer;
- fasting coffee will irritate the gastric mucosa and increase acidity;
- sweets. In the morning, the pancreas is not yet able to produce enough insulin to break down sugar.
Fasting bananas will irritate the walls of the stomach
Diet for stomach pain
Gastralgia can indicate a wide variety of diseases. So, constant aching pains, which intensify an hour after eating, most often speak of chronic gastritis or gastroduodenitis. Severe acute pain can be a sign of oncology or an “acute abdomen”.
A cramp-like girdle type most often appears with pancreatitis. If unpleasant sensations are accompanied by dizziness and loss of consciousness, then peptic ulcer can be suspected. In this case, cramping pain appears several hours after eating. The initial sign of gastritis can be sharp stitching pains.
Treatment of patients includes not only drug therapy, but also dietary nutrition. A sparing diet is the most important condition for a speedy recovery. Do not think that patients should not eat anything. Food can be varied, just do not forget about prohibited products and avoid them.
Products and dishes that are useful to use for exacerbation of pain:
- yesterday’s bread;
- mashed soups, including dairy and vegetable;
- steam cutlets;
- low-fat cottage cheese;
- beet;
- cauliflower;
- steam omelet;
- jelly, fruit puree, jelly;
- honey and marshmallows;
- rosehip broth, weak tea, cocoa with milk.
Rubbed soups are useful for exacerbating stomach pains.
Consider an approximate diet menu for gastralgia:
- breakfast. Oatmeal porridge in milk with honey;
- snack. Protein omelet with dried bread;
- dinner. Boiled fish and vegetable soup;
- afternoon tea. Baked apple;
- dinner. Durum wheat pasta with stewed vegetables;
- two hours before bedtime, you can drink a glass of warm milk with honey.
Now let’s talk about those foods that you should cross out of your diet: fresh baked goods, muffins, sour fruits, strong broths, marinades and canned food, ice cream, alcohol and soda, radish, sorrel, spinach.
So, diet is of great importance in the treatment of diseases of the stomach. The way you eat today will affect your stomach tomorrow. Of course, in the literal sense, the next day the stomach will not refuse to work, for some time it will still be able to withstand the load, but it will not always be so.
Remember to drink plenty of fluids, eat in small portions every two to three hours. Observe the rules of separate nutrition and do not eat incompatible foods at the same time. Your diet should have enough vegetables and fruits.
Oatmeal is a wonderful product that helps even with gastritis and peptic ulcer. If gastralgia occurs, immediately consult a specialist to make an accurate diagnosis. And let proper nutrition become for you not a temporary phenomenon, but mainly life!
The stomach is a capricious organ, however, a person creates interruptions in his work with his own hand. In order to avoid the development of diseases, it is necessary to understand what is good for the stomach. Improper nutrition is detrimental to our stomach.
