When was the last time you really thought about your gut health? How much do you actually know about your gut’s microbiome and its influence on your overall well-being? If your gut isn’t in good shape, your immune system can’t function properly, making it harder to eliminate toxins. You might also experience joint pain, stomach troubles, and even brain fog.
For many people, this is eye-opening and might explain why they haven’t been feeling their best. Paying attention to your gut health can make a big difference in your overall health. So, let’s talk about four signs of an unhealthy gut and what you can do about it.
One of the most common signs of a troubled gut is having frequent stomach issues like diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, and heartburn. These symptoms can be really uncomfortable and annoying.
Your gut health also affects your weight. You might find yourself gaining or losing weight without changing your diet or exercise routine. This could be because your body isn’t absorbing nutrients as it should.
Did you know your skin is linked to your gut health, too? If you have dry skin or chronic issues like psoriasis, it might be due to an imbalance in your gut bacteria. Improving your gut health can help improve your skin.
Getting good sleep is crucial for your overall health, but many people struggle with it. If you wake up often during the night, have trouble falling asleep, or feel tired no matter how much you sleep, your gut could be to blame.
Improving your gut health often starts with changing your diet. Make sure you’re eating a balanced mix of foods that support gut health. You might have heard of probiotics and prebiotics—they’re related but not the same. The linked blog post explains their differences in detail.
Probiotics are live organisms that can offer health benefits. You can find them in fermented foods like yogurt, kombucha, kefir, and kimchi. They can help people with inflammatory bowel disease, diarrhea, and constipation, but they’re not for everyone. People with certain conditions like small intestinal bacterial overgrowth or compromised immune systems might not react well to probiotics.
Prebiotics, on the other hand, are the food that these live organisms need to thrive. You’ll find prebiotics in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. They can help balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation in the intestines, lower the risk of certain diseases, curb hunger, and improve the absorption of minerals and vitamins. However, if you have IBS, prebiotics might make your symptoms worse.
If you’re looking to improve your health this year, focusing on your gut health is a great start. A healthy gut can benefit your mind and body in numerous ways and shouldn’t be ignored.