You’ve probably heard more and more about gut health over the years, and it’s not surprising, folks! Your gut is where the magic happens–from your digestion to your immune system–and it can have a lot of impact on other parts of your body.
If you’re not sure where your gut stands, check out the signs of an unhealthy gut below.
Your stomach is often upset
Stomach troubles such as heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, bloating and gas can all be warning signs of an unhealthy gut. When your gut is in balance, it will have less trouble processing your food and eliminating waste.
Your diet is high in sugar
Your gut has good bacteria in it that it needs to be healthy, and when you have a high-sugar diet, it can decrease those good bacteria levels. Consuming refined sugars in large amounts–especially high-fructose corn syrup–may also increase inflammation, according to Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sugar-and-inflammation).
You had a sudden weight change
Losing or gaining weight without exercise or diet changes can signal an unhealthy gut. When your gut is not balanced, it can impact how your body absorbs stores fat, regulates blood sugar and absorbs nutrients. Overgrowth of bacteria in the intestine can cause weight loss, and resistance to insulin can cause weight gain, for example.
You’re tired or having sleep trouble
Poor sleep and insomnia can be linked to an imbalanced gut. Serotonin, the hormone that impacts your sleep, is largely produced in the gut. If things aren’t working there as they should, it can disrupt this production and your sleep.
You’ve developed new or worsening skin conditions
Some skin conditions, including eczema, might be linked to a damaged gut. Gut inflammation from food allergies or a poor diet can cause more proteins to leak out into your body, which may irritate the skin.
You have food intolerance
When you have a food intolerance, it means you have trouble digesting some foods. It’s possible, although not known for sure, that a food intolerance could be caused by not having enough good bacteria in the gut.
If you have any of the warning signs above, make some changes today. Improve your diet and work on increasing the good bacteria in your gut by getting probiotics from foods such as yogurt or a supplement. If your digestive troubles persist or get worse, speak to your doctor about what is happening.
