The intestine is part of the gastrointestinal tract where digestion occurs, and excreta form. The main functions are digestion of food gruel, absorption of fluids and nutrients, synthesis of part of hormones and vitamins, participation in the formation of the human immune system.
Intestine and its purpose
To find out how to improve bowel function, you need to know what the problem is, in which part of the organ the disorder occurred, what it is associated with, and only after a thorough diagnosis should proceed with 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 the different sections is not the same, the minimum value is 3 cm (thin part), and the maximum is 8 cm (thick section). The inner surface of the organ is covered with a mucous membrane, which promotes the promotion of contents along the tract, and also protects it from damage. The mucous membrane is located above the layer of fatty tissue, where the lymph and blood nodes are located. The muscle membrane serves as the skeleton for all layers; it promotes mixing, promoting the contents in a natural direction.
In men, the rectum in front wall contacts the bladder and prostate gland, in women - with the uterus and the back wall of the vagina. Inflammatory processes in contacting organs can proceed, 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 intestinal enzymes are secreted by the body.
- In the large intestine, water is absorbed, feces are formed and evacuated.
- The synthesis of hormones - pancreosimine, motilin, intestinal glucagon, neurotensin, etc. The secreted hormones regulate the digestive processes and provide 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 ensure cellular immunity.
- The production of beneficial 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 humans and bacteria
The intestinal microflora is the total number of microorganisms existing in symbiosis with humans. Some of them are pathogenic microflora. The total number of bacteria in the intestines is about 50 trillion organisms. Most feces are dead bacteria. Useful microflora is involved in the digestion of food, produces vitamins, breaks down proteins, and harmful - parasitizes on fermentation products and produces rot products.
The intestinal microflora is divided into groups:
- The main ones are lactobacilli, bacteroids and bifidobacteria (the latter make up about 90% of the total microflora).
- Concomitant - E. coli strains, enterococci.
- The final - staphylococci, Proteus.
With the help of bacteria, vital enzymatic, regulatory, metabolic processes in the human body occur. Microflora synthesizes a number of essential vitamins - C, PP, partly group B, as well as essential amino acids. Due to the normal functioning of microflora, the full absorption of trace elements occurs - iron, calcium, vitamin D.
Disruption of the intestine is often associated with the prevalence of pathogenic microflora, which leads to an imbalance of vitamins and minerals, weakening of the immune system, inhibition of detoxification processes, and the “irritable bowel” syndrome appears.
To restore normal microflora, it is recommended to eat as many fresh vegetables and fruits as possible. Sour-milk products will bring invaluable help if they are cooked on their own, acquiring milk and sourdough. In this case, there is always confidence that kefir or ryazhenka do not contain preservatives or other impurities.
Traditional medicine recommends the following steps:
- To diversify the menu with sour berries, rosehip 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 crushed in a blender. For a single dose take 2 tbsp. tablespoons of the mixture pour warm water and drink 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 it with boiling water, 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 bowel imbalance
A specialist, in order to find out how to establish the work of the intestine, in each case, requires diagnosis. There are many reasons for disturbances in functioning - from the banal intolerance of a product to a latent disease. It is a mistake to assume that the gastrointestinal tract system is capable of digesting and eliminating any substance or product. Microflora, although stable, but not infinite, at some point it comes to an imbalance.
Signs of bowel dysfunction are:
- Stool problems (diarrhea, constipation).
- Abdominal pain, especially in the lower part.
- Bloating, flatulence.
- Unsuccessful urge to empty.
- Emptying with great effort but small amount.
- Heaviness in the lower abdomen.
- Acne, frequent headaches.
- Profuse sweat, stale breath.
- Weakness, apathy, malaise, etc.
With prolonged ignoring of problems, the patient may encounter an acquired disease that significantly changes life and worsens its quality. If improvised means, diet do not help to normalize the condition within one week, then you must consult a doctor. A specialist, after conducting a series of tests and analyzes, will identify the cause of the problem and give recommendations on how to establish the work of the intestine or referral for treatment of a specific disease.
Common Complaints
The main symptom of gastrointestinal tract disorder that every person faces is abdominal pain. The reaction of the body may be a sign of an imbalance of microflora, poisoning or illness. If the pain is not related to the pathology of the organ, then the most common complaints are related to 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, dysbiosis, sedentary lifestyle, consumption of small amounts of water, etc. Prolonged difficulty in defecation can lead to hemorrhoids, bleeding. Fecal matter compacts, dehydrates and settles in the diverticula of the rectum, which in turn causes intoxication of the body.
- Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ischemic colitis - viral or bacteriological diseases, bad habits, heredity, reduced immunity. The patient experiences frequent cramping, dehydration, lethargy, and fatigue are observed.
- Diarrhea - occurs with poisoning, intestinal infections. In severe cases, it may be due to cancer, parametritis, or intestinal tuberculosis. Symptoms arise due to the loss of absorption functions by the rectum and emergency evacuation of fluid and accumulated masses, even minor ones, takes place. An infectious origin of diarrhea is indicated by an increase in body temperature. In the absence of treatment and recovery, the patient's body weight decreases sharply, immunity is weakened, hair falls out, and the skin integrates pale.
- Neurogenic constipation - occurs due to psychological reasons, for example, it is inconvenient to carry out emptying while on a business trip, on a tourist trip. An uncomfortable position is often the cause of constipation, the consequences of prolonged abstinence also have a bad effect on health, affect 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.
Causes
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 the chronic course.
- Unbalanced diet.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Stress, bad habits.
- The use of spoiled, expired products.
Part of the pathologies can be avoided by observing the rules of hygiene (infection, worms), lifestyle changes (moderate sport, walking, giving up bad habits, avoiding stress), reviewing 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 a patient's request for how to check the intestines:
- CT, MRI, ultrasound.
- Roentgenography.
- Sigmoidoscopy.
- Clinical, bacteriological analysis of feces.
- Palpation of the abdomen.
After finding out the cause of intestinal disturbances, 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 the functions of the organ and general health.
Movement value
Intestinal motility is an important component of healthy organ function. What it is? This is the ability of the intestine to wave-like contractions, contributing to the normal promotion of contents from the upper sections to the rectum, followed by evacuation outside the body. The most common consequence of impaired bowel function is constipation.
The same reasons weaken peristalsis that negatively affect the functioning of the intestines - a sedentary lifestyle, eating junk food, bad habits, etc. In the process of diagnosis, the gastroenterologist will definitely pay attention to this problem and, as the treatment of intestinal motility, it 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 processed foods, eliminating fast food, carbonated and stimulating drinks (strong tea, coffee, energy tones, etc.).
Diet to help
Most people who have thought about how to organize the work of the intestine have to adjust their nutrition and change their eating habits. If the diagnosis did not reveal pathologies and only normalization of functioning is required, then experts recommend paying attention to treatment table No. 3. It is prescribed for constipation, sluggish intestinal motility, hemorrhoids, cracks.
Diet excludes the following foods:
- Saturated broths (meat, fish).
- Fatty varieties of fish and meat, all kinds of smoked meats and canned goods.
- Cooking fats, animal origin.
- Some types of cereals - sago, semolina, rice.
- Legumes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, radish, radishes, turnips.
- Fried eggs, hard boiled eggs.
- Confectionery, muffin, chocolate.
- Spicy sauces, horseradish, seasonings, mustard.
- Toning drinks - strong coffee, tea, cocoa.
- Quince, dogwood, jelly, blueberries.
A diet to normalize the intestines allows the use of the following products:
- Vegetable broths and soups.
- Meat and fish "second" broths.
- Cereal soups on vegetable, weak meat (fish) broth.
- Cereals - wheat, buckwheat, barley, millet. Porridge is boiled in water with a minimum amount of salt.
- 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 vegetables, they are excluded from the diet. Potatoes are consumed in limited quantities.
- Meat and fish of low-fat varieties are served in a baked, boiled or steamed form. Milk sausages are allowed.
- Sour-milk products - kefir, fermented baked milk, fresh cottage cheese, cream. Sour cream is added to the dishes.
- Fruits and berries are welcomed in large numbers. You can use both fresh and dried.
- Eggs in an amount up to 2 pieces per day (soft-boiled, steamed, protein omelettes).
- Natural sweets - honey, candy, marmalade, marmalade, confiture, etc.
- Bread from wheat flour 2 varieties of yesterday’s pastries, as well as cereal, rye bread. Sponge cake without soaking, biscuit cookies.
- Butter - limited; vegetable oil for dressing.
- Drinks - weak black and green tea, a decoction of bran (wheat) and rose hips, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.
Sample menu
Balanced nutrition will help establish intestinal function in case of constipation, the most common violation of the functioning of the digestive tract.
Recommended dishes for the 1st breakfast (optional):
- Fresh vegetable salad (seasonal).
- Porridge made from oatmeal or cereal (exclude instant cereals) in a mixture of milk and water (1: 1).
- Vinaigrette (with intolerance, exclude cabbage).
- Low-fat fish, boiled or steamed + vegetables.
- Steamed omelette.
- Compote of fresh fruits or dried fruits, weak tea with milk, fruit juice.
Meals for the 2nd breakfast:
- Apple or pear
- Grated carrots or grated apple salad with carrots and sour cream.
- Boiled beets without dressing.
- Tea or broth from rose hips.
The choice of dishes for lunch:
- First courses - vegetable soup, cabbage soup, fish-based fish soup, borsch, beetroot soup.
- Second courses - steam chicken fillet, stew from dietary meat and vegetables, minced beef (steaming), stewed chicken and beets, fish and vegetables (steam option).
- Dessert - natural marmalade, jelly from berries or lemon, fruit / dried fruit compote .
Snack: tea with sugar, broth / infusion of rose hips, fruit juice, baked apple, assorted dried fruits.
Assortment of dishes for dinner:
- Vegetable cabbage rolls or meatballs.
- Buckwheat porridge with milk.
- Chicken fillet with seasonal vegetables garnish.
- Cottage cheese casserole with dried fruits.
- Tea, juice, decoction of wheat bran.
Before going to bed, it is recommended to drink a glass of kefir of medium fat content. During the day, you must drink the prescribed rate of water.
General recommendations
Bowel cleansing is the key to normal well-being, productivity, and health. In addition to diet, it is recommended to perform a number of activities:
- Drinking a sufficient amount of fluid (calculated by the formula: body weight x 0.03 = individual amount of water. Where 0.03 - 30 ml of fluid per kilogram of body). With increasing physical activity, the amount of fluid increases.
- Replace coffee, tea, soda, alcoholic beverages 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. Eating after 30 minutes.
- For dinner, you can eat several soaked dried fruits - prunes, dried apricots, figs.
- Two to three times a week, fitness classes are required. If not possible, long walks at an intense pace are welcome.
- Mandatory compliance with general hygiene rules - washing hands before eating, after the street and visiting public places.
- Wash fresh vegetables and fruits before use and scald with boiling water (if possible).
- Massage the abdomen after morning awakening with light circular movements in a clockwise direction.
These simple methods stimulate the natural cleansing of the intestines, improve the digestive tract, and improve overall well-being.
Medical guard
Figuring out how to check the intestines and improve their 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 that has arisen and eliminate it. The patient may need to adhere to a certain diet without the use of drugs, prebiotics or probiotics.
Excessive use of laxatives, drugs with strains of microflora can have the same detrimental effect on the digestive tract, as well as uncontrolled intake of any means. Typically, patients are prescribed such drugs for intestinal function:
- Hilak-forte, Enteroleptin.
- Fitolak, Frutolak.
- "Lactuvit", "Colofort."
- Lactrofiltrum, Depurax.
- Mukofalk, Cheongin, etc.
Before you start taking medications, you must contact your gastroenterologist for advice and diagnosis.
Effective folk remedies
Traditional medicine knows how to improve bowel function. The arsenal of its products contains only natural components, most of them are taken in the form of decoctions, infusions, tea.
Popular and affordable recipes, by cooking time and raw materials, include the following:
- Wheat bran. Take in a steamed or dry form, 1 tablespoon in the morning (preferably on an empty stomach).
- Psyllium seeds Dry raw materials are ground and take 1 tbsp. spoon from 1 to 3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.
- Herbs for improving bowel function are fennel, anise, mint, buckthorn bark and pharmacy chamomile. Make a collection of herbs in equal quantities, pour boiling water, insist and filter. Take warm after eating during the day.
- Tea from the collection of blueberries and bird cherry. Dry ingredients are taken in equal quantities, boiled with boiling water. Strain and take tea during the day after each meal.
- End the day by taking soaked prunes (3-4 fruits), you can drink water in which the fruits are soaked.
- In the morning, it’s good to eat oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts.
Folk, medical and therapeutic methods for the normalization of the digestive tract should be applied systematically and mutually complement each other. Bowel recovery takes a long time, sometimes it takes more than one year to spend on rehabilitation.