The Effects of Aging on Your Digestion
As we age, our gastrointestinal tract does
too. That means that it is important to monitor the foods you eat not
only to maintain a healthy weight, but also to ensure that you are
taking the best care of your digestive system. Here are five ways that
your digestion can change as you age and tips for taking the best care
of yourself and your health.
1. Chewing
As you age, chewing food can become more difficult, especially if you
have dentures or poor dentition. You may not think of chewing as part of
the digestive process, but it is in fact the first and most important
step in taking care of your digestive system. When you chew, you are
breaking down the food so that the stomach acid and intestinal enzymes
can later break it apart into nutrients to be absorbed into your
intestines.
In order to avoid choking on your food or slowing down your digestion,
make sure to chew your food as thoroughly as possible or to cut up your
food into smaller pieces. Also, it is important to continue visiting the
dentist on a regular basis, about twice a year to make sure that your
mouth is healthy and ready to chew. Taking calcium and vitamin D
supplements or getting them through your diet can also help to your
digestion and other aspects of your internal health. Women ages 50-70
should get about 1,200 mg of calcium and 600 IUs of vitamin D and men of
the same age should get 1,000 mg of calcium and 600 IUs of vitamin D
daily.
2. Swallowing
After chewing, the next most important
aspect of your digestion is swallowing your food properly. As you age,
your esophagus, or the pipe that connects your mouth with your stomach,
does not contract like it used to, making it more difficult to swallow
larger pieces of food. Indeed, when individuals over 50 need to swallow
large pieces of food, it can take 50 to 100 percent longer for the food
to make its way to you stomach because your esophagus muscles are out of
shape.
One of the most common conditions among aging individuals is called
gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can cause pain or a
burning sensation in your chest when you digest and even the narrowing
of your esophagus. Although there is not cure for a narrowing esophagus,
one way to prevent this condition and to maximize your digestion with
age is to chew your food slowly and in small pieces and to exercise and
maintain a healthy weight. Avoid foods high in fat or sodium, which can
worsen the feeling of heart burn or reflux, and if the symptoms still do
not subside, it is recommended to visit your doctor for medical
treatment.
3. Your Stomach
At the end of your esophagus lies the entry into your stomach called the
lower esophageal sphincter. As you age, this ring-like muscle at the
opening of the stomach gets weaker, once again contributing to heartburn
and acid reflux. The muscle fails to relax properly, which allows acid
and sometimes other stomach contents to make their way back up the
esophagus pipe.
It is important that if you have suffered from heartburn or indigestion
in the past to take note of the foods that may make you feel that way.
Spicy and highly acidic foods are some of the major triggers for this
condition, along with citrus fruits and high-fat foods. It helps to eat
smaller meals that are low in acid and sodium because this can
dramatically decrease your chances for heartburn.
Another common condition to watch out for in your stomach is called H.
Pylori, or a bacteria on your stomach lining that can cause ulcers or
sores in the morning or when your stomach is empty. The infection can be
detected through blood tests and endoscopy, a small tube inserted in
your mouth that extends down to your stomach. If you discover that you
have H. Pylori there is no need to worry because the condition can be
treated with a combination of antibiotics and acid-suppressing
medications.
4. Intestines
With age, your intestines start to get lazy
when it comes to absorbing key nutrients like calcium, vitamins A,
B-12, K and D. This is because the muscle movements get slower and the
colon function also changes. As a result, adults from ages 50 and up may
experience more constipation and have a greater risk of developing
colon cancer or diverticulitis, a condition in which small pouches in
the colon become infected.
As mentioned above, it is recommended to make up for these missing
vitamins either in your diet or with supplements. You can relieve your
constipation by increasing your daily fiber intake and decreasing your
intake of fatty and high-cholesterol foods. In order to naturally
increase your fiber intake, eat more whole grains and try to have a
fruit or vegetable with every meal. Here are some great ways to
naturally increase your daily fiber intake.
5. Your Liver
You may not know that people ages 60 and
over have a greater risk of developing gallstones, or hard crystals that
form in the gallbladder when your liver is unable to process the
cholesterol and other parts of its bile. Bile is a substance you need to
digest fat, which is made by the liver, but is stored in the
gallbladder. Your risk for gallstones increases with age because the
because the bile duct at the opening of your intestine narrows, forcing
the bile to stay in the gallbladder for longer periods of time, which
causes it to harden.
In order to help prevent the formation of gallstones, which can be
painful and often require removal surgeries, it is recommended to
strictly control your fat intake so as not to overwhelm your
gallbladder. Unfortunately, if you have gallstones you most likely won't
experience symptoms, and if you do it is usually a mild pain in the pit
of your stomach or the upper right part of your belly. The pain can
even spread to your right upper back and shoulder blade. If you
experience or have experienced any of these symptoms, it is important to
immediately contact your doctor.
Lastly, make sure that you remain in constant consultation with your
doctor about your digestive health, and ask for extra blood or breath
tests the next time you have a check-up.