BodyLogicMD Physicians Reveal What to Eat and What to Avoid

March, 2011 - Everything you eat or drink is processed through your gastrointestinal (GI) system, so it's clear that it's a very important body system that has a major effect on your overall health. But what can you do to keep your GI system healthy? Chicago bioidentical hormone doctor, Joseph Mazzei D.O., shares his expertise on improving and maintaining your GI health.

There are many different things that affect your digestive health, but what you eat is especially important. "The number one thing that we do to affect our GI health," explains Mazzei, "is that we start introducing a lot of junk into our bodies." So what does Dr. Mazzei recommend that we eat? Here are his suggestions:

• Eat organic. Processed foods contain a lot of unnatural chemicals. According to Dr. Mazzei, your body can have trouble processing these chemicals, which can result in inflammation and other problems. "But by eating just real, organic foods," Mazzei explains, "and keeping natural products going into your body, you can maintain a healthy gut."
• Eat more fruits and veggies. "Fruits and vegetables should be the mainstay of your diet," says Mazzei. "They offer a lot of fiber and nutrients to maintain health." But that doesn't mean you have to be a vegetarian. "Some meats are good in moderation, but think of them as a side-dish to your diet," Mazzei says. "Think of vegetables as your main course."
• Eat healthy fats. There are good fats and bad fats. Dr. Mazzei recommend avoiding bad fats, such as manufactured trans fats and the fats you find in red meats. Instead, he suggests eating healthy fats. "These are monounsaturated fats," he explains. "You'll find them in olive oil, avocados and fish."
• Choose healthy carbs. "While I do encourage my patients to have carbohydrates in their diet," Mazzei reveals, "I tell them that they should focus on whole-grain carbohydrates." Sugars and refined carbs, like those your find in many baked goods, can actually induce inflammation.
• Avoid allergies and sensitivities. "Many people are eating foods that they actually have a sensitivity or an allergy to," says Mazzei. "And this will trigger inflammation and irritation to the gut." He recommends keeping a food diary for a few days. Keep track of what you eat and how it makes you feel. If you eat something and feel poorly afterwards, you may find that you feel much better if you simply avoid those trouble foods

Of course, foods aren't the only things that can cause digestive problems. Certain medications - especially antibiotics - can disrupt the bacterial environment in your gut, and cause problems. Your hormones can also affect your GI health. "The GI system - our gut - has a lot of receptors waiting for instructions from hormones," Mazzei explains. "So making sure you have good hormone balance can affect how your gut is going to function."

 

More about Dr. Mazzei

Dr. Mazzei graduated from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine at Midwestern University. He completed his residency in 2003 at Midwestern University at Provident Hospital in Chicago. He practiced Emergency Medicine at Provena St. Joseph Hospital and Northwest Community Hospital in Illinois and at Mercy Hospital in Janesville, Wisconsin. Dr. Mazzei currently serves our country as a Major in the U.S. Army Reserves and served active duty as an Emergency Medicine Physician in 2002 during Operation Enduring Freedom at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany. He is Board Certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (A.O.B.E.M.) and an active member of the Fellowship in Anti-Aging and Functional Medicine. He is also a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).