The intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract where digestion takes place and secretions are formed. The main functions are the digestion of food gruel, the absorption of liquids and nutrients, the synthesis of some hormones and vitamins, and participation in the formation of the human immune system.
Intestine and its purpose
To find out how to improve the functioning of the intestines, you need to know what the problem is, in which part of the organ the violation occurred, what it is connected with, and only after a thorough diagnosis, proceed to rehabilitation measures. The organ consists of two main parts - the large and small intestines. The total length is about 4 meters (in the male body, the intestines are longer than in the female).
The diameter of different departments is not the same, the minimum value is 3 cm (thin part), and the maximum is 8 cm (thick part). The inner surface of the organ is lined with a mucous membrane that promotes the movement of the contents along the tract, and also protects it from damage. The mucosa is located above the fatty layercellulose, where the lymph and blood nodes are located. The muscular membrane serves as a framework for all layers, it promotes mixing, promoting the contents in a natural direction.
In men, the front wall of the rectum is in contact with the bladder and prostate gland, in women - with the uterus and the back wall of the vagina. Inflammatory processes in contacting organs can pass, causing additional foci of pathology.
Intestinal function in the body:
- Digestion of food with the participation of pancreatic enzymes.
- The breakdown of food into simple amino acids, monosaccharides, monoglycerides, etc. The process occurs on the walls of the small intestine, for which the body secretes intestinal enzymes.
- In the large intestine, water is absorbed, the formation of feces and their evacuation.
- Synthesis of hormones - pancreozymin, motilin, intestinal glucagon, neurotensin, etc. Secreted hormones regulate digestion and ensure the functionality of other body systems. The vast majority of hormones are secreted in the duodenum.
- Synthesis of immunoglobulins (a subpopulation of T-lymphocytes) - to provide cellular immunity.
- Production of useful microflora, which is the body's internal shield against microbes, bacteria. For example, bifidobacteria neutralize primary cancer cells, and lactobacilli stop the development of allergic reactions.
Symbiosis of man andbacteria
Intestinal microflora is the total number of microorganisms that exist in symbiosis with humans. Some of them represent pathogenic microflora. The total number of bacteria in the gut is about 50 trillion organisms. Most of the feces are dead bacteria. Beneficial microflora is involved in the digestion of food, produces vitamins, breaks down proteins, and harmful microflora parasitizes on fermentation products and produces decay products.
Intestinal microflora is divided into groups:
- The main ones are lactobacilli, bacteroids and bifidobacteria (the latter make up about 90% of the total microflora).
- Associated - strains of Escherichia coli, enterococci.
- Final - Staphylococcus, Proteus.
With the help of bacteria, vital enzymatic, regulatory, metabolic processes occur in the human body. The microflora synthesizes a number of essential vitamins - C, PP, partly of group B, as well as essential amino acids. Due to the normal functioning of the microflora, the full absorption of trace elements occurs - iron, calcium, vitamin D.
Intestinal dysfunction is often associated with the prevalence of pathogenic microflora, which leads to an imbalance of vitamins, minerals, a weakened immune system, inhibition of detoxification processes, and irritable bowel syndrome appears.
To restore normal microflora, it is recommended to eat as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible. Dairy products will bring invaluable help,if you cook them yourself, acquiring milk and sourdough. In this case, there is always confidence that kefir or fermented baked milk does not contain preservatives and other impurities.
Traditional medicine recommends taking the following steps:
- Diversify the menu with sour berries, rose hips and cranberries are especially valuable. You can take them in any form, but it is preferable to make tea and drink throughout the day.
- Walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds are mixed in equal amounts and ground in a blender. For a single dose, take 2 tbsp. Spoons of the mixture are poured with warm water and drunk before meals twice a day. The full course of treatment takes 10 days.
- Calamus root and plantain leaves are mixed in a ratio of 1:1. For infusion, take 2 teaspoons of the mixture, pour boiling water over it, after infusion for 15 minutes, filter and drink 50 ml 30 minutes before meals (3-4 times a day). The course of treatment is 10 days.
Signs of intestinal imbalance
Specialist, in order to find out how to improve the work of the intestine, in each case, requires diagnostics. There are many reasons for violations in functioning - from the banal intolerance of any product to a hidden disease. It is a mistake to assume that the gastrointestinal tract is capable of digesting and excreting any substance or product. The microflora, although stable, is not infinite, at some point it comes to an imbalance.
Signs of a bowel disorder are:
- Stool problems (diarrhea, constipation).
- Pain in the abdomen, especially in the lower part.
- Bloating, flatulence.
- Ineffective urge to void.
- Emptying with great effort but little quantity.
- Heaviness in the lower abdomen.
- Acne, frequent headaches.
- Profuse sweat, bad breath.
- Weakness, apathy, malaise, etc.
If problems are ignored for a long time, the patient may face an acquired disease that significantly changes life and worsens its quality. If improvised means, a diet do not help to normalize the condition within one week, then you should consult a doctor. The specialist, after conducting a series of tests and analyzes, will identify the cause of the problem and give recommendations on how to improve bowel function or referral for treatment of a specific disease.
Common complaints
The main symptom of gastrointestinal disorder that every person faces is abdominal pain. The reaction of the body can be a sign of an imbalance in the microflora, poisoning or illness. If the pain is not associated with the pathology of the organ, then the most frequent complaints are associated with the following problems:
- Constipation. The lack of evacuation of decay products from the rectum is the result of many reasons, for example, insufficient or unbalanced nutrition, irregular food intake, dysbacteriosis, sedentary lifestyle, consumption of small amounts of water, etc. Prolonged difficulty in defecation can lead to hemorrhoids, bleeding. Fecal masses are compacted, dehydrated and deposited in the diverticula of the rectum, which in turn causes intoxication.organism.
- Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ischemic colitis - viral or bacteriological diseases, bad habits, heredity, reduced immunity. The patient experiences frequent spasms, there is dehydration, lethargy, fatigue.
- Diarrhea - occurs with poisoning, intestinal infections. In severe cases, it can be the result of oncological diseases, parametritis or intestinal tuberculosis. Symptoms occur due to the loss of absorption functions by the rectum and there is an emergency evacuation of fluid and accumulated masses, even minor ones. An increase in body temperature indicates the infectious origin of diarrhea. In the absence of treatment and recovery, the patient's body weight decreases sharply, immunity is weakened, hair falls out, and the skin turns pale.
- Neurogenic constipation - occurs due to psychological reasons, for example, it is inconvenient to empty while on a business trip, on a tourist trip. An uncomfortable position is often the cause of constipation, the consequences of prolonged abstinence are also bad for he alth, affect the complications.
The physiological need of a person to evacuate feces is individual, but the options do not go beyond the natural, namely, from 3 times a day to 3 times a week, provided that there is no discomfort.
Reasons
The list of intestinal diseases is extensive, but the pathologies are known:
- Hereditary predisposition.
- Infections, parasitic infections.
- Neoplasms, adhesions.
- Disorders of the endocrine, hormonal system.
- Inflammation of a chronic course.
- Unbalanced diet.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Stress, bad habits.
- Using spoiled, expired food.
Part of the pathologies can be avoided by observing the rules of hygiene (infection, worms), changing lifestyle (moderate sports, walking, giving up bad habits, avoiding stress), revising the menu (unbalanced diet, giving up some products), then other diseases require constant therapy.
For treatment to a specialist
Therapy and diagnosis must be entrusted to a gastroenterologist. There are a number of methods that respond to the patient's request for how to check the bowel:
- CT, MRI, ultrasound.
- X-ray.
- Sigmoidoscopy.
- Clinical, bacteriological analysis of feces.
- Palpation of the abdomen.
After finding out the cause of intestinal disorders, the doctor prescribes treatment taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient. Normalization of lifestyle and nutrition are the first steps aimed at restoring organ functions and general he alth.
Meaning of movement
Intestinal peristalsis is an important component of the he althy functioning of the organ. What it is? This is the ability of the intestine to wave-like contractions, contributing to the normal movement of the contents from the upper sections to the rectum, followed by evacuation beyondlimits of the body. The most common consequence of bowel dysfunction is constipation.
Weakening peristalsis are the same reasons that negatively affect the functioning of the intestines - a sedentary lifestyle, eating unhe althy foods, bad habits, etc. In the process of diagnosis, the gastroenterologist will definitely pay attention to this problem, and as the therapy progresses, intestinal motility will also improve. To stimulate it, it is recommended to revise the menu in favor of the prevalence of plant foods, cereals, reducing the number of semi-finished products, eliminating fast food, carbonated and stimulating drinks (strong tea, coffee, energy drinks, etc.).
Diet to help
Most people who think about how to improve bowel function have to adjust their diet and change their eating habits. If the diagnosis did not reveal pathologies and only the normalization of functioning is required, then experts recommend paying attention to the treatment table No. 3. It is prescribed for constipation, sluggish intestinal motility, hemorrhoids, fissures.
The diet excludes the following foods:
- Rich broths (meat, fish).
- Fatty varieties of fish and meat, all types of smoked meats and canned food.
- Cooking fats, animal origin.
- Some types of cereals - sago, semolina, rice.
- Beans, onions, mushrooms, garlic, radishes, radishes, turnips.
- Scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs.
- Confectionery, muffin, chocolate.
- Spicy sauces, horseradish, spices, mustard.
- Tonic drinks - strong coffee, tea, cocoa.
- Quince, dogwood, jelly, blueberries.
Diet to normalize bowel function allows the use of the following products:
- Vegetable broths and soups.
- Meat and fish "second" broths.
- Cereal soups on vegetable, weak meat (fish) broth.
- Grains - wheat, buckwheat, barley, millet. Porridges are boiled in water with a minimum amount of s alt.
- Vegetables and garden greens (zucchini, pumpkin, cucumbers, tomatoes, beets, carrots, etc.). Steaming, boiling, baking. White cabbage, green peas - only in boiled form, with intolerance to any type of vegetable, they are excluded from the diet. Potatoes are consumed in limited quantities.
- Lean meat and fish are served baked, boiled or steamed. Milk sausages are allowed.
- Dairy products - kefir, fermented baked milk, fresh cottage cheese, cream. Sour cream is added to dishes.
- Fruits and berries are welcome in large quantities. You can use both fresh and dried.
- Eggs up to 2 per day (soft-boiled, steamed, protein omelettes).
- Natural sweets - honey, marshmallow, marmalade, marmalade, marmalade, etc.
- Bread made from wheat flour 2 grades of yesterday's baking, as well as grain, rye bread. Biscuit without impregnation, biscuit cookies.
- Butter - limited, vegetable oil for seasoning dishes.
- Drinks - weak blackand green tea, decoction of bran (wheat) and rose hips, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.
Sample menu
A balanced diet will help improve bowel function in case of constipation, the most common violation of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Recommended dishes for the 1st breakfast (optional):
- Fresh vegetable salad (seasonal).
- Porridge made from oatmeal or cereal (avoid instant cereals) with a mixture of milk and water (1:1).
- Vinaigret (if intolerant, exclude cabbage).
- Low-fat fish, boiled or steamed + vegetables.
- Steamed omelet
- Fresh or dried fruit compote, weak milk tea, fruit juice.
Dishes for the 2nd breakfast:
- Apple or pear
- Grated carrots or grated apple salad with carrots and sour cream.
- Boiled beets without dressing.
- Tea or rosehip decoction.
Lunch selection:
- First courses - vegetable soup, cabbage soup, low-fat fish soup, borscht, beetroot.
- Second courses - steamed chicken fillet, stew of dietary meat and vegetables, minced beef (steaming), stewed chicken and beets, fish with vegetables (steam version).
- Dessert - natural marmalade, berry or lemon jelly, fruit/dried fruit compote.
Snack: tea with sugar, rosehip decoction/infusion, fruit juice, baked apple, assorted dried fruits.
Dinner selection:
- Vegetable cabbage rolls orcutlets.
- Buckwheat porridge with milk.
- Chicken fillet garnished with seasonal vegetables.
- Curd casserole with dried fruits.
- Tea, juice, decoction of wheat bran.
Before going to bed, it is recommended to drink a glass of medium-fat yogurt. During the day, you need to drink the prescribed amount of water.
General recommendations
Cleansing is the key to well-being, productivity, and he alth. In addition to diet, a number of activities are recommended:
- Drinking enough fluids (calculated using the formula: body weight x 0.03=individual amount of water. Where 0.03 is 30 ml of fluid per kilogram of body). With increasing physical activity, the amount of fluid increases.
- Replace coffee, tea, carbonated, alcoholic drinks with vitamin decoctions and herbal teas.
- The principle of nutrition is fractional (4-5 times), in small portions.
- In the morning, on an empty stomach, drink a glass of warm water. Eat after 30 minutes.
- For dinner, you can eat a few soaked dried fruits - prunes, dried apricots, figs.
- Two to three times a week fitness classes are essential. In the absence of the opportunity, long walks at an intensive pace are welcome.
- Compulsory observance of general hygiene rules - washing hands before eating, after the street and visiting public places.
- Fresh vegetables and fruits should be washed thoroughly before use and scalded with boiling water (if possible).
- Massagestomach, after waking up in the morning, with light circular motions clockwise.
These simple methods stimulate natural bowel cleansing, improve the functioning of the digestive tract, and improve overall well-being.
Medical guards
Finding out how to check the intestines and improve its condition, you should never self-medicate. All drugs are prescribed by a doctor after a thorough study of many indicators. The task of the gastroenterologist is to find the cause of the imbalance and eliminate it. The patient may need to follow a specific diet without drugs, prebiotics, or probiotics.
Excessive use of laxatives, drugs with strains of microflora can have the same detrimental effect on the gastrointestinal tract as the uncontrolled intake of any drug. Usually, patients are prescribed such drugs for bowel function:
- "Hilak-forte", "Enteroleptin".
- "Phytolak", "Frutolak".
- Laktuvit, Kolofort.
- "Laktrofiltrum", "Depurax".
- Mukofalk, Cheongin, etc.
Before you start taking medication, you need to contact a gastroenterologist for advice and diagnosis.
Effective folk remedies
Traditional medicine knows how to improve bowel function. In the arsenal of its means, only natural ingredients, most of them are taken in the form of decoctions, infusions, tea.
To popular and affordable recipes, by cooking timeand raw materials include:
- Wheat bran. Take in steamed or dry form, 1 tablespoon in the morning (preferably on an empty stomach).
- Plantain seeds. Dry raw materials are ground and taken 1 tbsp. spoon 1 to 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.
- Herbs to improve bowel function - fennel, anise, mint, buckthorn bark and chamomile. Make up a collection of herbs in equal amounts, pour boiling water over it, insist and filter. Taken warm after meals throughout the day.
- Tea from the collection of blueberries and bird cherry. Dry ingredients are taken in equal amounts, brewed with boiling water. Strain the tea and take it throughout the day after each meal.
- End the day with soaked prunes (3-4 fruits), you can drink the water in which the fruits were soaked.
- Eat oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts in the morning.
Folk, medical and therapeutic methods of normalizing the work of the gastrointestinal tract should be applied systematically and mutually complement each other. Recovery of the intestine takes a long time, sometimes it takes more than one year to rehabilitate.
