So THAT’S Why Your Stomach Hurts More As You Get Older

The Best Ways To Optimize Your Digestion As You Get Older

All of this is understandably frustrating and concerning. But experts stress there are ways to minimize any effects from age-related stomach issues. They recommend:

Chewing Better

Better digestion begins in the mouth. “Salivary enzymes help digest starch and fat in the mouth, decreasing the GI tract’s workload,” Mutha said. “The alkaline pH of saliva also helps neutralize acid in the esophagus due to reflux and alleviate GERD symptoms.”

Bonus: Cutting your food into smaller pieces and chewing at least 15 to 20 times per bite can help mitigate any complications associated with trouble swallowing.

Stimulating Saliva Production

Saliva production tends to decrease as we age, which can affect chewing and swallowing, Sohi said. According to the American Dental Association, dry mouth is twice as likely to strike when you take one or more medications daily, compared with people with no medications on their roster.

Things like regularly using an over-the-counter saliva substitute or sipping water between bites can be helpful if dry mouth is a problem for you at mealtime.

Eating More Food That’s Plant-Based, Less That’s Processed 

The best way to optimize digestion is to eat a diet as low in processed foods and high in plant-based diversity as possible. “Diets high in processed food can alter the gut microbiome, leading to dysbiosis,” Sohi said, an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria that’s associated with higher rates of digestive disease.

Besides keeping your gut microbiome on the rails, going plant-based is the best way to increase your fiber intake, which is crucial to the quality and consistency of your number two sessions.

Fiber — soluble and insoluble — is what bulks up your poop, Mutha explained. This not only makes your time on the throne more pleasant and efficient, but it also decreases the likelihood of fecal incontinence and even helps treat diarrhea by absorbing water. 

Staying Hydrated

Hydration is crucial to avoid constipation, Mutha said, especially once you start upping your fiber intake. The National Council on Aging recommends drinking one-third of your weight in fluid ounces daily. That means if you weigh 150 pounds, then you should be drinking 50 ounces (or 6¼ cups) of water per day.

Moving More

“Exercise stimulates the motility of the GI tract, so this can be very helpful for digestion,” Sohi said. “Lying recumbent on the couch after eating is one of the worst things you can do because not only does it not help with GI tract motility, but it can also promote acid reflux.”

Mutha agrees and recommends walking for roughly 15 minutes after your meals to help activate your stomach and improve gastric emptying.

Getting Enough Sleep

Sleep is a healing mechanism for the body, so not getting enough quality shut-eye — the recommendation is seven to nine hours per night — can adversely affect your gut barrier and immunity, Mutha said. Researchers are still nailing down the exact mechanisms behind how, but one theory is that sleep deprivation leads to an increase in microscopic inflammation in the bowel that may domino into gastrointestinal symptoms.

Mastering Your Medications

“Any and every medicine has GI side effects — even the ones that are prescribed for GI illnesses,” Mutha said. “Making sure you take your medications exactly as prescribed decreases the risk of side effects.” 

NSAIDs should never be consumed on an empty stomach, for instance, while acid-suppressive medicines should be taken 30 minutes before breakfast. But if side effects happen anyway, let your doctor know.

When To Check In With Your Doctor About Your Digestive Issues

Even if you’re confident the digestive drama you’re experiencing is aging-related or a sign your lifestyle needs a revamp, “it’s important to not assume” and to “share your symptoms with your doctor anyway, as sometimes there can be a more serious underlying cause,” said Dr. Neena Mohan, gastroenterologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia.

If, in addition to persistent changes in bowel habits, you’re also experiencing trouble swallowing, abdominal pain, nausea and/or vomiting, unexplained weight loss or have noticed blood in your poop (or it looks black and tarry), it’s time for a consultation with a gastroenterologist.

“Depending on the issue, your doctor may start with bloodwork and prescribe medications or do further testing, such as an endoscopy or colonoscopy,” Attalla said.

This story originally appeared on HuffPost.