Nobody enjoys having digestive problems, and yet they seem to happen pretty often. Now, what are the reasons for that? First of all, you have to realize that the intestinal wall is pretty thin (one cell thick), so if it is in any way damaged it is pretty easy for the unwanted elements to pass to our bloodstream and cause serious problems. That is why we should do everything we know to prevent this and keep a healthy gut.
But, what are the signs of an unhealthy gut, and are there effective ways to combat it?
The Signs Of An Unhealthy Gut
- Probably one of the most common symptoms of the unhealthy gut is constipation. It is a condition caused by a certain blockage in the digestive system and leaves us with the awful feeling of not being able to release ourselves. There are few things that are possibly causing it – dehydration, not eating enough gut promoting fiber, lack of healthy gut bacteria, too much sugar and dairy, anxiety and depression, lack of exercise as well as certain meds that can alter the stomach flora. Everything of this is solvable, but we have to keep a good routine.
- Completely opposite to the previous one comes infamous diarrhea. A condition that appears when your bowel movements are disrupted in a way that your stool is loose or watery. There are multiple meds that claim to treat diarrhea, but it is best to go in the core of the problem. First of all, alcohol or dr*g abuse can certainly disrupt your stomach and thus cause loose stools. Also, food allergies or any type of bacterial infection are the common cause as well, and so is a chronic intestines disease. You should especially be careful with the food allergies, as when left untreated or unnoticed those can cause much more serious problems than a bowel disruption. These allergies can cause a leaky gut, which spreads hostile elements throughout the bloodstream, causing inflammation all around.
- Bloating is another commons sign of an unhealthy gut and is often accompanied by intestinal gas. It is pretty uncomfortable and is mostly caused by diet problems, and even vegetables like broccoli or cabbage are known to irritate your gut. Also, it is common for people with gluten intolerance or people that are eating too much processed sugar, grains, and dairy. A fun fact to know is that actually the smelly gas that you release might be the sign of our bacteria working effectively as the sulfur compounds that cause the odor to promote
- With unhealthy gut brain fog usually follows. As brain and gut are interconnected, with gut sending impulses if anything is wrong, the feeling of clarity loss is a pretty common symptom. It can also be a notification that inflammation might be happening somewhere in our body. Always listen to your brain! Along with the brain fog, common symptoms are chronic migraines and fatigue in general, which in terms disrupts our daily routine.
- Bad breath is one of the most common symptoms of the unhealthy gut. Though people think it comes from the mouth, most bacteria that smell come from the colon and are a sign of gut problems. Be sure to keep your mouth hygiene routine regular, but also take care, not to kill the healthy mouth bacteria as well.
What Are The Ways Of Combating Unhealthy Gut
After we had a look at the common signs of an unhealthy gut, let’s see how can we affect that and keep our gut healthy. First of all, it is important to eat a diverse range of foods. With this said, try to ingest as many vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats as possible, while lowering the processed sugar, as well as alcohol intake. For those of you lactose intolerant, keep away from dairy products. Along with that, be sure to intake probiotic foods like yogurt, kephir or any type of fermented foods that promote healthy bacteria, as well as foods rich in polyphenols (almonds, red wine, green tea, blueberries, cocoa, etc.).
Also, taking probiotic supplements is a good way of promoting the healthy gut microbes, just be sure not to overdo it. And, remember to exercise as it promotes the health of our whole body, including the digestive system!
Summary
Though unhealthy gut is not a pleasant condition at all, and if left untreated can lead to serious health issues, it is important to know that with the healthy diet routine and lifestyle you are sure to keep all those problems at bay!
