You should really pay attention to these important signs you have an unhealthy gut. Gut health is something that people don’t usually think about that much, but it’s so important. There has been a lot of new research in recent years about the importance of your gut and the bacteria inside, and the role that it plays in your overall health.
A lot of people don’t realize that they even have a problem because gut health isn’t talked about that much, issues are left until they get worse. But there are certain signs of poor gut health that you should watch out for. These are some of the easiest ways to tell if your gut health is suffering.
Digestive Problems
The most obvious sign, and the one that people tend to pick up on most often, is a bad stomach. If you have a lot of stomach aches or irregular bowel movements, it’s likely that you have a problem with your gut. You can take constipation tablets or general painkillers to relieve these symptoms in the short term, but it’s a sign that you need to make some changes to improve your gut health.
The occasional stomach ache is perfectly normal and it probably just means that you’ve eaten something that is a little hard to digest, but if it is a common occurrence, that’s not a good sign.
Your digestion problems could also be caused by a food intolerance. An intolerance is not the same as an allergy, but your body will still react badly to certain foods. This can be bought on in later life by poor gut health, so take notice of which foods cause stomach problems.
Sugar Cravings
There are a lot of different reasons for sugar cravings, but it could be linked to gut health and is one of the signs you have an unhealthy gut. If you eat a high sugar diet, it will reduce the levels of good bacteria in your gut and that can lead to more severe sugar cravings, so it becomes a vicious cycle. If you find that you are craving sugar even more than usual, that may be a sign that you are doing some damage to your gut and you should try to cut back on the processed sugars.
Read More: 15 Ways to Cut Carbs & Sugar
Mental Health Issues
Did you know the healthiness of your gut could affect the wellness of your mental health? It’s true. Scientists have already discovered that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters. Now, they’re focused on another trend: people with certain mental health issues also tend to have disorders with the bacteria in their gut.
This ecosystem is now being referred to as our second brain, and comprises some 100 million neurons, more than the spinal cord. This is not a thinking brain—it does not reason, write poetry, or solve multi-linear regressions—but growing evidence suggests that your gut’s health strongly influences your mood and even more.
If you have any of these mental issues, your gut bacteria might be to blame:
- Depression and anxiety
- Brain fog
- OCD
- Autism
- Stress
Rapid Weight Changes
Any rapid changes in your weight should always be a cause for concern and you should get checked out by a doctor. In some cases, it may be a sign of a serious illness, but more often than not, it’s down to your gut health. The bacteria in your gut helps your body to absorb nutrients, regulate sugars, and store fats correctly.
When the balance of bacteria is upset, it can change the way that your body processes food and that has a big impact on your weight. If you notice that you are losing or gaining a lot of weight but you have not made any big lifestyle changes, make sure that you see a doctor right away.
Learn more about the gut with this Ted Talk — the system where digestion (and a whole lot more) happens — as doctor and author Giulia Enders takes us inside the complex, fascinating science behind it, including its connection to mental health. It turns out, looking closer at something we might shy away from can leave us feeling more fearless and appreciative of ourselves.
Mineral and Vitamin Deficiencies
A healthy gut also plays an important role when it comes to helping your body produce and synthesize vitamins and minerals. When your gut bacteria are out of whack, your body has a harder time absorbing many of the following important vitamins and minerals:
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin B12 and B7
- Magnesium
If you’re deficient in any of these, it is one of the signs you have an unhealthy gut. You can get a simple test by the doctor to determine the what you are missing.
Read More: Is it Anemia?
If you notice any of these symptoms, it could be a sign that your gut health is in need of healing. You can try some of these simple things to improve it and hopefully, the symptoms will disappear.
We know these steps to heal your gut will help you to keep your digestive system healthy and happy but if you’re really struggling with painful belly bloat, food intolerances, constipation, diarrhea, stomach upset on a daily basis. Or if you’ve been looking for an answer to your constant exhaustion and out of whack hormones. Or if you’re looking for a real-world for real-people solution to lose those last 10-30 pounds you can’t shake or finally, you want the chance to feel normal again, like you used to feel before stress, poor food choices and well, life got in the way then you may also want to check out the Healthy Gut Plan.
