About
Good digestive health allows the body to properly break down food and absorb
nutrients to keep the body healthy. People with healthy digestion are less likely to
experience problems such as constipation, heartburn, bloating, indigestion or more
serious digestive diseases. Common digestive diseases include acid reflux,
gallstones and irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.
Digestive health is important because without a healthy digestive system, the body
cannot properly break down and absorb nutrients from food.
In addition, a healthy microbiome in the gut — bacteria in the stomach and intestines — is linked to overall good health and the prevention of health problems.
When a person has a healthy gut, good bacteria and bad bacteria keep a healthy
balance. In an unhealthy gut, a person might have more inflammation throughout the body and a lower immune system. They also have a greater risk of allergies, asthma, and chronic illness like heart disease and diabetes.