Tip of the week: How to improve digestion

Pile on the prebiotics. The good bacteria (probiotics) that thrive in your stomach require food (prebiotics). Berries, bananas, legumes, onions, and whole grains feed the probiotics you receive from such foods as yogurt, tempeh, and cottage cheese.

Don’t forget fiber. Fiber helps move food and toxins through the body and also lowers cholesterol. Eat your morning bran, and don’t skip fruits and vegetables. Increase fluid intake to avoid intestinal blockage.

Spice things up. Ginger and cinnamon have nausea- and diarrhea-controlling properties. Cinnamon helps “relieve abdominal spasms due to gas and constipation.”

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Have a beer. Social lubricants such as beer and wine actually “speed up gastric acid and speed up the emptying of food from the stomach.” Just avoid fermented distilled beverages like whiskey, rum, and cognac.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens