Nothing is as inconveniencing as a tummy ache.

It can spoil your day and if it’s really bad, then it can paralyze your schedule for the day. No one wants to hold gas for a whole day but no one wants to keep rushing to the washroom either. So what happens if everything you eat affects your stomach?

It doesn’t have to be a medical condition. The digestive system is very demanding. Even water affects it. It’s a special one too. What you eat determines just how long you live, how good you’ll look and just how many times you might fall sick.

Don’t let it cramp your style, here’s 5 ways to keep your digestion great and have you feeling fantastic.

1. Peppermint is your best friend

Peppermint is great for digestion and it tastes great too. Add it to your meals, tea or get capsules. However, be careful as it can cause acid reflux in some people.

2. Try out some probiotics and prebiotics

These are active live cultures of helpful bacteria found in soy, dairy products and some other drinks. Probiotics keep the harmful bacteria away by colonizing your system. Add a few prebiotics to make the probiotics more effective. Prebiotics are meant to feed the healthy bacteria and provide a great environment for them work on. You need to eat them frequently for better results.

3. Snacking works wonders

No, we’re not talking about ice cream in the afternoon. Chew on an apple in between your meals to keep your digestive acids in check.

4. What time is meal time?

Ideally breakfast shouldn’t be after 9am and dinner later than three hours before bed time. Eating just before bed may cause influx and waiting too long before having breakfast will make your body go into fasting mode so that anything you eat is stored instead of being burnt out. You’ll notice that you wake up feeling great if you had a light meal or a fruit for dinner instead of a full meal.

5. Keep a diary

If you’re still not sure what it is that’s hurting your tummy, keep a diary of everything you eat for at least two weeks and record how your body reacts to each meal. This will help you keep track of what to eat and what to steer clear off.