Download NUTRITION TO GO

March 2015
NUTRITION T O GO
Healthy Digestion
What is Digestion?
Digestion is the breakdown of food into smaller pieces that give your body the
energy you need. The digestive system is a long, twisting tube that begins at the
mouth and ends at the anus. It is made up of muscles that help to push food through
the system and breakdown food.
How Does Digestion Work?
Step 1: Digestion begins in your mouth when you start chewing food. Your
mouth makes more saliva to start breaking the food down.
Step 2: When you swallow, the food travels through a tube called the
esophagus, which connects the mouth to the stomach.
Step 3: The food enters your stomach. The stomach is where most of the food
is broken down. It works like a blender, mixing the food into a liquid or paste.
The acid in your stomach also helps in this process.
Step 4: When the food leaves the stomach, it enters the small intestine.
The small intestine is where most of the vitamins and minerals from the food are
absorbed into your body.
Step 5: Next, the food enters the large intestine, or colon. There are millions of
bacteria that live in your colon that help to break down the food and also protect
against other harmful bacteria that may enter your body.
Step 6: Finally, any food that is left over passes through the rectum when you
go to the bathroom.
STEPS:
1
2
3
5
4
6
Everyday Tips for Healthy Digestion
What to do
Every Day
How Much to do Every
Day
Things to Try
Every Day
Eat lots of fiber
Women should
consume 21 grams of
fiber per day.
Men should consume
30 grams of fiber per
day.
Try to eat whole
grain breads and
pastas, fruits,
vegetables, and
beans.
Drink lots of fluids
Drink at least 8 cups of
water per day
Try adding fresh fruit
to your water to give
it flavor.
Exercise regularly
Try to exercise 5 days a Try to find activities
week for 30 minutes per that you enjoy like
day.
walking or
swimming.
Sometimes it is a lot
more fun when you
have an exercise
buddy!
Eat plenty of foods
Eat foods daily that
that have prebiotics. contain prebiotics every
Prebiotics feed the
day.
good bacteria in your
colon.
Whole wheat
products like whole
wheat bread contain
prebiotics.
Eat plenty of foods
that have probiotics.
Probiotics have live
bacteria that help
increase how many
healthy bacteria live
in your colon.
Yogurt contains
probiotics.
Eat foods that contain
probiotics every day.
Learn how to deal
It is important to try to
with stress.
decrease your stress
Research has shown level everyday.
that the intestine
responds poorly to
stress.
Eat meals at regular
times and in a
relaxing
environment.
This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – SNAP. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) provides nutrition assistance to people with low incomes. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find
out more, contact your local DHS office, or call the URI SNAP-Ed nutrition program at 1-877-Food-URI (1-877-366-3874). USDA is an
equal opportunity provider and employer.