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15 Signs Of An Unhealthy Gut
Signs and symptoms of an unhealthy gut. Signs you have an unhealthy gut. Signs of an unhealthy gut. What are the signs of a bad gut?
Bloating, constipation, moodiness, low energy levels, and food sensitivities are only a few of the 15 signs of an unhealthy gut. What if I told you that 99% of the chronic discomfort and illnesses you experience are related to your gut? What if you found out you had the power within you to heal these issues and live your best life?
Well, I have good news for you! Today I am here to tell you both those two things. Okay, now that you have this information- what now? I’m glad you asked. Stay tuned and find out exactly why your gut is important, what are some ways you can self-diagnose, and easy steps to start healing your gut today.
15 Signs Of An Unhealthy Gut + 15 Ways To Support It. 15 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut and What to Do About It. 15 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut and 15 Ways to Improve it
As a Nutritional Therapist, I live by these 4 words: happy gut, happy life! Your gut is the powerhouse of your body. It influences every area of your being. The gut is the control center for the brain, digestion, and immune system.
Now imagine having the main control of these powerful systems be unhealthy. It leads to an incredibly miserable and suffering life. The good news is- there are solutions!
You no longer have to live a life with chronic illness and consistent pains. You can slowly start tossing those medicines and start developing a natural curing system within your body!
Today I’ll be sharing my top professional tips on the signs of an unhealthy gut. As well as natural ways you can go about healing your gut and taking control of your health. We’ll diagnose to cure. Let’s leave no stones unturned and heal your gut today. Keep reading!
What is gut health and why is it important? How Your Gut Health Affects Your Whole Body
Unhealthy gut meaning: What do gut bacteria do? | What is the meaning of gut microbiome?
Before we look at the signs of an unhealthy gut, we should first understand what gut health is and why it is important. It all comes down to the bacteria in your gut. They are responsible for digesting your food and the overall functioning of your body.
Your bacteria live in your gut microbiomes. i]It is located in your digestive tract where they break down the food you eat and provide your body with needed nutrients. Now, an unhealthy gut occurs when you have a lot of bad bacteria in your gut. This often leads to chronic illnesses and IBS. This is when your gut isn’t functioning optimally at keeping out viruses and bad bacteria from entering your bloodstream,
Your gut (and its health) doesn’t just extend to the tummy. It spreads from the esophagus to the bowel, your entire digestive system. The food you eat as well as lifestyle choices determines the kind of bacteria that lives in your gut microbiomes. Your gut also has a direct line of communication with your brain and affects things like cognitive thinking and mental illnesses.
How do you know you have an unhealthy gut? Improve Gut Health: Recognize the Signs of an Unhealthy Gut. poor gut health symptoms
Here are 15 warning signs you may have an unhealthy gut. 15 Surprising Symptoms of an Unhealthy Gut.
Top signs of an unhealthy gut:
- Tummy issues.
- Irregular bowel movements.
- Autoimmune problems.
- Poor sleeping habits.
- Food intolerance.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Uncontrolled weight changes.
- Sugar cravings.
- Mood swings and stress.
- Poor immune health.
- Hormonal imbalances
- Chronic illnesses
- Frequent migraines
- Recurring skin conditions.
- Bad breath.
Are any of these symptoms relatable to your life? Take a moment to reflect on how many of these symptoms you experience often. How does this make you feel? Hopelessness, low self-esteem, and pain are just a few feelings that come with these symptoms.
The good news is that your gut is self-healing if you give it the right building blocks to be renewed and restored. However, before we move on to the good news, it’s important to look into each of these symptoms in detail so that you can understand how everything works. Then you can make informed & educated decisions on your health.
Tummy issues. | Why do I always have stomach issues? Can poor gut cause stomach pain?
Tummy issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and gas are all directly reflecting the health of your gut. This is because your gut is not processing food properly. It is also not eliminating waste the way it’s supposed to.
Irregular bowel movements. | Does gut health affect stool? Why are my bowel movements always irregular? What poop reveals about gut health?
Irregular bowel movements are caused when we feel clogged up. These are signs of constipation. This signals that your gut isn’t functioning optimally. If we pass stool too often, our body isn’t absorbing the nutrients properly.
Controversially, constipation leaves food in us for too long. This causes a toxic build-up in our bodies. This is due to a lack of gut microbiome diversity. One has too many bad bacteria which does not support a healthy digestive system.
Autoimmune problems. | The Relationship Between Autoimmune Disease and the Gut. Can gut issues cause autoimmune disorders?
Autoimmune dysfunctions are terrible conditions to suffer from. This occurs when your body attacks itself instead of harmful bacteria and viruses. They are directly caused by your gut since it is connected to the immune system. If your gut health is poor, you’ll have increased inflammation and improper immune functioning.
Poor sleeping habits. | How Lack Of Sleep Can Affect Gut Health. Can poor gut health cause sleep problems? Is gut health linked to sleep? Does sleep affect gut microbiome?
Many studies show that a poor gut balance can cause consistent sleep disturbance. If you feel like you never get your full 8 hours of sleep, uninterrupted. Or you aren’t tired when you are supposed to be. Perhaps you struggle with insomnia. These are all big indications that your central functionings, nervous system, and mainly your gut are out of order.
Food intolerance. | How the gut microbiota plays a role in food sensitivities. Can you Treat a Food Allergy by Altering the Gut Microbiome?
Food intolerances are linked directly to our gut. How do you know you can’t tolerate food? You feel it in your gut. The pain. The bloating. Sometimes even vomiting and nausea. If your gut can’t process the food, that means you don’t have enough gut diversity to support it.
Sometimes it’s a sign of a leaky gut. This happens when the food you eat isn’t digested. It passes right through your bloodstream. Your gut lining is compromised and the barrier no longer keeps out harmful substances from your digestive system.
Chronic fatigue. | Can gut problems cause chronic fatigue? What gut issues cause fatigue? Is fatigue related to gut health?
Chronic fatigue is an indication of a bad gut. Do you know that feeling of getting your 8 hours of sleep but never feeling rested? This can be a sign of inflammation, poor metabolic health, or digestive dysfunction. A healthy gut regulates sleep hormones. The melatonin hormone allows you to sleep and the cortisol hormone allows you to stay awake and be energized.
If your gut is unhealthy, it doesn’t absorb the nutrients properly. This means your body isn’t fueled properly. This leaves you feeling sluggish and fatigued no matter what you do or eat. To fight this, you need to heal your gut. Restore your energy. You deserve it!
Uncontrolled weight changes. | The Link Between Gut Health and Obesity. Can gut health affect weight? Can fixing your gut help you lose weight? Can an unbalanced gut cause weight gain?
Your weight changes with two things: a change in diet and a change in physical activity. This means that if your weight is fluctuating without you doing these things- then there is another problem. This is usually your gut. An unhealthy gut doesn’t allow your body to absorb essential nutrients, store fat or regulate your blood. This can indicate small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or increased inflammation.
Sugar cravings. | Does leaky gut cause sugar cravings? Sugar Cravings? Here’s Why Gut Bacteria Are Relevant. What in your gut makes you crave sugar?
If you often crave sugar, you might have an unhealthy gut. This is because the bacteria in your gut and your brain always communicate. The microbes in your body produce toxic products which make you feel uncomfortable if the cravings aren’t met.
If they are toxic, they can send an incorrect message to your brain saying that you need this food to survive. Microbes release serotonin and dopamine when we eat sugary foods. This is a clear sign of an unbalanced gut microbiota. The bacteria in our body prefer sugars to grow and reproduce, thus producing cravings for the substance they grow on.
Mood swings and stress. | Can a Healthier Gut Boost Your Mood? Can gut problems cause mood swings? Is gut health associated with mood? Can fixing your gut help anxiety?
As I’ve mentioned a few times, there is a link between your brain and your gut. We have brain cells in our digestive system. Did you know, the hormones in charge of your happiness and sadness are created in your digestive tract?
Your gut bacteria produce these hormones. So if you have unhealthy bacteria, you will release changes in your serotonin and dopamine. This can cause anxiety and moodiness. You need to consume good bacteria for balance in your brain.
Poor immune health. | How the gut and immune system are linked? Is it true that 80% of your immune system is in your gut?
Your immune system is in your gut. Up to 80% of it. This is the area where we create antibiotics to fight off diseases. When you eat, your immune system analyses what you eat and whether it is good for you or not. If you eat food that you are sensitive to or have allergies to, your immune system is hindered in this process.
Hormonal imbalances. | Gut Health and Hormones. Can hormones affect gut bacteria? Can hormone imbalance affect gut health?
An unhealthy gut causes hormonal imbalance. When your gut is unhealthy, it doesn’t absorb and break down nutrients effectively. This causes your body to lack the needed sources to create hormones. If there is an imbalance in your gut microbiomes, then your hormone levels will be imbalanced too.
Chronic illnesses. | Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease. What types of diseases are linked to poor gut health? Do all illnesses start in the gut? Does unhealthy microbiome cause chronic disease?
List of chronic illnesses associated with unhealthy gut:
- Depression
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s
- Multiple sclerosis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Obesity
- Cancer
- Autism
- Diabetes
Many chronic illnesses that you’re suffering from aren’t just genetic. They stem from an imbalanced gut. This is why I believe your gut is your magic wand to cure illnesses. You just need to learn the correct building blocks to fight off these illnesses.
Frequent migraines. | Migraines and gastrointestinal problems: Is there a link? Can gut health help migraines? Are migraines caused by gut bacteria?
Your gut and your brain are connected in more ways than we think. They are in constant communication. The gut microbiomes send signals to your brain. The microbiomes that you digest in your gut directly impact headaches and migraines.
Recurring skin conditions. | How can gut health affect your skin and why? Is skin a reflection of gut health? Can healing your gut help your skin?
Skin irritations are a large indication of gut health problems. This is because your skin is your external immune barrier and your gut is your internal immune barrier. Since everything is connected in your body, if one immunity is dysfunctioning then the other one will be too. For instance, psoriasis is an indication of bad bacteria and a poor immune system.
Bad breath. | What Causes Bad Breath From Gut? What gut problem causes bad breath? How do you know if your bad breath is from your stomach? Does gut health help bad breath?
Other symptoms like bad breath are also an indication that there is an issue with your tummy. This is because your gut is connected to your mouth through your gastrointestinal tract. So if it smells foul, it can indicate serious issues with your digestive system.
How to balance gut health. how to fix an unhealthy gut
how to improve gut health naturally. how to heal your gut naturally
Let’s solve your bad gut health by taking a look at my top tips to improve your gut health naturally:
- Eat probiotic food like yogurt and kimchi.
- Reduce processed food.
- Consume digestive bacteria.
- Increase yeast intake.
- Reduce sugar intake.
- Chew slowly and thoroughly.
- Eliminate food you can’t tolerate.
- Stay hydrated.
- Regular exercise
- Sleep enough.
- Manage stress.
- See a professional.
- Quit alcohol and smoking.
- Top up on fiber.
- Increase microbial diversity.
Living a life with chronic pain and discomfort isn’t a life well lived! You deserve freedom, limitless food options, a happy tummy, a supported immune system, strong cells, and a good mood. All of these are possible if you take action today. Below we will look at these in more detail so that you can know exactly what to do for your health.
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Eat probiotic food like yogurt and kimchi. | Protection and Restitution of Gut Barrier by Probiotics. Probiotics 101: A Simple Beginner’s Guide
Quality probiotics nourish your gut with healthy bacteria. Your gut loves them! This will help your gut to cut out bacteria that allow you to dive into uncontrolled cravings. Probiotics help curb cravings by preventing you from feeding your craving bacteria. They build strong digestive microbiomes.
Reduce processed food. | Why should you cut down on processed foods? What happens when you stop eating processed food?
Processed food provides your gut with unhealthy bacteria. This is why it is essential to change your diet. Cook at home so that you can be in control of your meals. Opt for whole, greens, and organic food. Your gut will thank you!
Consume digestive bacteria. | Is there good bacteria in your gut? How can I add bacteria to my gut?
Much of gut healing starts with what you consume. Digestive bacteria will balance the gut microbiomes in your gut. This will aid in healing your entire body. Start with small changes. Here are some good ones to try: https://www.benenden.co.uk/be-healthy/nutrition/gut-food-15-foods-for-good-gut-health/
Increase yeast intake. | Is yeast good for your microbiome? Is yeast A good probiotic?
Yeast serves as healthy gut flora support. They promote good bacteria in your gut. To keep your yeast bacteria healthy, you should consume them. This prevents an overgrowing effect of bad bacteria in your gut. It will provide you with an elevated digestive system.
Reduce sugar intake. | Tips for Cutting Down on Sugar. What happens if you reduce sugar intake? What is the healthiest way to reduce sugar intake?
Processed sugar isn’t a good food choice. It has no nutritional value and adds n vitamins and minerals to your body. This is why it’s better to reduce the amount you ingest. Start small. Change 3 spoons of sugar in your coffee, to two. Swap out white sugar for honey. Instead of having candy as a snack, try a brown banana.
Chew slowly and thoroughly. | Why Chewing Food and Eating Slowly Improves Your Health. Does chewing more help gut health? Why we should chew food slowly?
Big chunks of food are more difficult to digest. This is why it is essential to start chewing slower. Ensure your food is soft and easy on your esophagus before swallowing. Chewing slowly will also help with mindful eating. This in turn sends good signals between your brain and your gut. The improved relationship with food is definitely good for your digestive system.
Eliminate food you can’t tolerate. | How do I heal my gut with elimination diet? What is the quickest way to heal your gut? How can I reset my gut naturally?
If you notice yourself feeling bloated, constipated, or having diarrhea after eating a certain meal. Then chances are you have an intolerance to it. Intolerance occurs when your gut doesn’t have diverse gut bacteria. This makes it difficult to digest a certain food.
Do the elimination method with food. Cut out the food that you are intolerant to evaluate how your body feels. Then slowly bring the food back into your diet. Do it amongst a wide variety of healthy gut dietary bacteria. Then your body will slowly build up a tolerance to this particular food.
Stay hydrated. | What can I drink to heal my gut? How much water should you drink for gut health? Is water the forgotten nutrient for your gut microbiota?
Dehydration is a cause of many uncomfortable symptoms. The best thing to do is to drink water. The standard 8 cups a day might not apply to everyone though. If you are physically active or big in mass, you might require more.
A general rule to try is to ensure you never get thirsty. Buy yourself a cute motivational bottle that makes you feel happy to drink out of. Or add healthy flavours to your water like cut-up cucumbers, lemon, or pint leaves.
Regular exercise. | Exercise and Gut Bacteria. Does exercising heal your gut? Why Exercise Is Good for Gut Health
Exercising comes with many benefits. It’s a great habit to implement when you want to start any healthy changes. Exercise will help with digestion flow. It will also alleviate the symptoms of a bad gut like low moods, fatigue, and unnatural weight changes.
Sleep enough. | Does sleep help gut health? How Lack Of Sleep Can Affect Gut Health
Rest is important. It is good for your gut, digestive system, immune system, and brain. It stimulates your mood and cognitive functioning. It helps regulate your sleep hormones with your awake hormones.
Manage stress. | How do I get rid of stress in my gut? Can stress mess up your gut?
There are many ways to manage your stress. You can take on meditation and practice peace of mind. It is also helpful to get out in nature. Breathing in fresh unrecycled air is so good for your health and wellness. Stress is toxic to your gut, so it’s a good practice to journal your thoughts and handle stressful citations before your stress starts reflecting in your body.
See a professional. | What does nutritional therapy treat? Who can help with gut issues?
I am a qualified Nutritional Therapist and gut health expert. My knowledge and experience will help you find the root cause of your gut-related issues. Then, in our work together, we will find easy ways for you to take back control of your health. Live your best life today and heal your gut with me. I am available in Ireland but also online for anyone all over the world! Check out my various package options: https://www.healthconcepts.ie/services/
Quit alcohol and smoking. | Does quitting smoking improve gut health? Does smoking affect gut health? How do you heal an alcoholic gut?
Alcohol and smoking add no nutrients or minerals to your body. However, they use up important nutrients and cell power to restore the effects they have on your body and immune system. Since your immune system is weakened by these substances, it takes a negative toll on your gut.
Top up on fiber. | Why Is Fiber Important in Digestive Health? Is fiber good for gut health? Fiber Diet: How It Changes Your Gut and How to Eat More
When it comes to gut healing, dietary fiber is your friend! It slows down the motility of your gut. This allows your intestines to absorb all the excess water in your body. It binds indigestible substances together to help you pass stool.
Increase microbial diversity. | Microbial diversity: The key to improving gut health. How can I make my gut microbiome healthy? Why is diversity important for gut health?
A healthier gut comes from a variety of good gut bacteria. This variety increases the amount of bacteria species within the gut microbiome. The higher your diversity, the more evenness you have. You don’t want any gut bacteria dominating the gut. Start by eating a variety of plant-based food options.