RESUMO
Gastrointestinal dysfunction can be prevented by modifying our diet, drug use, lifestyle and environment. Diet modification significantly affects the symptoms of gastrointestinal tract in some individuals. Many foods will cause upset stomach and each individual has to learn this by trial and error. In the oesophagus, reflux symptoms are aggravated by a wide variety of substances including, alcohol, red wine, nicotine. The lack of fibre in our diet is thought to be responsible for the high incidence of constipation, diverticular disease and haemorrhoids seen in the western world. The availability of numerous drugs over the counter leads to a large intake of drugs by the population. The lifestyle of a patient may be important in some gastrointestinal conditions, and the environment in which our patients live may have considerable significance to their gut symptoms. Clean water and good sanitation are necessary to prevent the transmission of food-borne diseases which have a major impact on the gastrointestinal tract
