Introduction:
Gut health is the condition of our digestive organs, such as the stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine. The main alterations in gut health are seen due to changes in stomach acid, gut immunity, and gastrointestinal flora changes. Good gut health prevents many diseases and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, it is important to maintain good gut health for proper absorption of nutrients and a healthy body and brain. Many factors are responsible for maintaining gut health, including food intake, diet plans, physical activity, and immunity in the body.
What Are the Signs of an Unhealthy Gut?
There are several indications for bad gut health, easily observed as discomforts or diseases in the body.
Some of them are:
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A High-Sugar Diet: A diet with highly processed foods and added sugars can decrease the gut microbiome in the gastrointestinal tract. This difference in the gut microbiome can create more sugar cravings, further damaging gut health. Inflammation is noticed in the gut due to highly refined sugar-containing food items such as corn syrup. This inflammation can cause gut diseases, such as peritonitis, colitis, and many more.
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Upset Stomach: Stomach discomforts such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, and heartburn are signs of an unhealthy gut that alter digestion and nutrient absorption.
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Constant Fatigue or Sleep Disturbances: Due to an unhealthy gut, there can be signs of insomnia or poor sleep in an individual. This may lead to consistent tiredness and chronic fatigue. Serotonin is a hormone that affects the sleep and mood of an individual and is secreted mostly in the gut. Thus any alterations in gut health may affect serotonin secretion. `
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Unplanned Weight Changes: Changes in weight, either losing or gaining, without changes in diet plan or food habits can be a chance of any underlying disease or unhealthiness. An unhealthy gut can impair nutrient absorption, leading to severe deficiencies. Weight loss can be due to overgrowth in the small intestinal bacteria, and weight gain can be due to insulin resistance in the body or overeating due to compromised nutrient absorption.
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Autoimmune Conditions: Many studies are going on to see the impact of gut health on the immunity system of an individual. It is believed that an unhealthy gut can potentially increase systemic inflammation and affect the function of the immune system. This can lead to several autoimmune diseases in which the body's immune system attacks the organs and causes diseases.
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Food Intolerances: Food intolerance is known when the digestive system cannot digest some food items. It is very different from food allergy as it involves the immune system, whereas intolerance does not. Poor gut health can trigger food intolerance or even worsen it. One of the conditions of food intolerance is celiac disease, in which the body is intolerant to gluten-containing food such as wheat or barley. This can lead to inflammation, nausea, or vomiting.
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Skin Reactions: Some skin diseases, such as eczema, are related to bad gut health. Disorders or inflammation of the gut can cause poor diet or food allergies which can cause the leaking out of some proteins from the body through the skin leading to skin irritations.
What Are the Things That Should Be Followed for Good Gut Health?
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Decreased Stress Levels: It is very important to decrease stress as it affects every body system, including the gut. Some simple ways to lower stress are decreasing caffeine intake, meditation, walking or any physical activity, spending time with close ones and family, or diffusing essential oils.
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Eating Slowly: Proper chewing of food is a very important step for digestion as it accelerates nutrient absorption. This also reduces the digestive system's stress and helps maintain a healthy gut.
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Proper Sleep Cycle: Insufficient sleep impacts gut health. It is important to sleep for at least 7 to 8 hours uninterrupted every night.
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Staying Hydrated: Consumption of plenty of water shows a beneficial effect on the process of digestion. It helps keep the intestine's mucosal lining healthy and the gut microbiome healthy. Hydration is one of the simplest ways to promote a healthy gut.
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Consumption of Prebiotics: Adding prebiotic supplements to the diet is a great way to maintain gut health. It stimulates the growth of good bacteria in the gut microbiome and prevents the proliferation of bad microorganisms. It is important to consult a doctor before taking prebiotics, as in cases of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), its consumption is not advised.
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Checking and Avoiding Food Intolerance: If there are symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, bloating, rashes on the skin, acid reflux, or fatigue, it is important to check for any food intolerance. If there is any such intolerance, it is necessary to avoid the trigger factors or the food items. This prevents digestive issues and maintains good gut health.
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Changes in Diet Plans: It is important to follow a healthy diet to have a healthy gut. Highly processed food or high sugar-containing foods should be avoided, and instead, a fibrous and vitamins and minerals-rich diet should be followed. A diet with high fiber content has shown a tremendous improvement in the gut microbiome.
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Physical Activities and Exercises: Along with a good diet, it is important to do physical activities or exercises to maintain a healthy digestive system. Exercise helps maintain glucose levels in the body and improves digestion and bowel movements, which finally contribute to a healthy gut.
Conclusion:
Gut health is important to maintain the integrity of the body as it affects the digestion and nutrition absorption on which all other organs and their functions are dependent. Several signs are visible when gut health is compromised, such as sleep irregularities, improper digestion, fatigue, or stress. These signs should not be ignored, and proper measures should be taken to maintain gut health.