10 Signs Your Gut Health Needs Attention (And How to Fix It)

Did you know that almost 70%- 80% of your immune system lies in your gut? No wonder the gut is the second brain of our body and pivotal in overall health, mood, and well-being. Poor gut health disrupts our lives and can lead to long-term health issues.

Your gut hosts trillions of microorganisms, known as the gut microbiome. These support digestion, promote nutrient absorption and improve immunity. A balanced gut microbiome helps break down food, produce key nutrients, and keep harmful pathogens at bay. It also helps maintain sleep, digestion, and hormonal balance, promotes mental health, and builds stronger immunity. However, a gut microbiome imbalance, caused by poor diet, stress, or other factors, can lead to various physical and mental symptoms.

In this article, we will learn about the signs of poor gut health, ways to improve gut health, a gut-friendly diet, and other poor gut symptoms such as leaky gut.

10 Signs Your Gut Health Needs Attention

Identifying the signs of poor gut health is the first step to working towards a healthy gut. While the symptoms of poor gut health will not necessarily show immediately, they range from physical to emotional changes. Listed below are some common indicators of an unhappy gut:

1. Frequent Digestive Discomfort: Constant bloating, gas, and constipation can lead to a leaky gut, which is also a symptom of poor gut health. These signs indicate dysbiosis, an imbalance in your gut microbiome. Other conditions caused by an imbalance in gut bacteria can be Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which leads to stomach discomfort.

2. Food Intolerances: Another sign of poor gut health is intolerance of certain foods, particularly dairy or gluten. You might have difficulty digesting them due to insufficient gut bacteria. This imbalance can impact the enzymes needed to break down these foods, making you intolerant.

Read More: 10 Mistakes to Avoid While Improving Gut Health.

3. Unexplained Fatigue: Poor gut health can cause fatigue. When your gut is unhealthy, you lose the ability to absorb essential nutrients such as iron and B vitamins. When you can’t absorb the nutrients properly, you experience chronic tiredness or low energy levels.

4. Skin Problems: Your skin can indicate an imbalance in the gut microbiome, including acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, fine lines, or premature aging. This is because a gut imbalance triggers inflammation and shows up on the skin’s surface as redness, irritation, or breakouts. This connection between the gut and skin, called the gut-skin axis, shows that your gut health has a direct impact on your skin.

5. Frequent Infections: Poor gut health makes you more susceptible to infections. The gut microbiome helps regulate the immune response to pathogens and trains the immune system to recognize beneficial microbes and distinguish them from harmful ones. An imbalanced gut weakens your defenses and makes you more susceptible to colds, flu, and other infections.

Read More: 12 Ways to Improve Gut Bacteria – Treat Your Gut with Care

6. Weight Fluctuations: An imbalanced gut leads to sudden and unplanned weight fluctuation. You might gain weight as the bad bacteria outnumber good bacteria. On the other hand, an improper or unhealthy gut can make you lose weight suddenly. Due to malabsorption syndrome where you cannot absorb essential nutrients properly. The symptoms might also include abdominal pain, bloating, gas, or nausea.

7. Cravings for Sugar and Processed Foods: Your sugar cravings can suggest an imbalance in your gut. When there’s an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, you crave excessive sugar and processed foods. These bacteria thrive on sugar, creating a vicious cycle affecting your health.

8. Mood Swings or Anxiety: Poor gut health can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings. This is called the gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication network that involves the central nervous system (CNS) and the enteric nervous system (ENS). Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine help regulate mood.

9. Bad Breath: Poor digestion leads to odor-causing compounds that affect your breath. This is due to disrupted digestion, where certain bacteria in the gut break down sulfur-containing compounds in food, producing volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) like hydrogen sulfide, which are responsible for a foul smell in the breath. Also, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), a common digestive problem, makes the acid travel back up to the esophagus, leaving a sour taste in the mouth.

Read More: 18 Effective Natural Remedies for Treating Bad Breath

10. Sleep Issues: A disturbed gut microbiome can significantly impact serotonin production, an important neurotransmitter that regulates the sleep cycle. Due to gut imbalance, this can lead to insomnia or poor sleep quality.

How to Improve Your Gut Health

To restore your gut health, you must combine dietary and lifestyle adjustments. The gut microbiome is dynamic, meaning small, consistent changes can significantly promote your digestive and overall health. Here are a few effective steps to take to improve your gut health:

Include Probiotics and Prebiotics: Probiotics need prebiotics to function effectively.

To maintain a balance in your gut microbiota, include probiotic-rich foods in your diet. These include yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut and contain live bacteria that replenish your microbiome. Probiotics are fueled and nourished by prebiotics, so consume more garlic, onions, and bananas. If necessary, consider high-quality supplements that help in targeted gut repair.

Read More: Why Probiotics Won’t Work Without Prebiotics

Adopt a High-Fiber Diet: Fiber is a food source for good gut bacteria, allowing them to flourish. They promote essential functions, including producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) while promoting gut health. Additionally, fiber, especially insoluble fiber, adds bulk to stool as it absorbs water. This enables smooth bowel movement through the digestive tract, preventing constipation and regulating bowel movements. Good sources of dietary fiber include fruits (with skin), vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Limit Sugar and Processed Foods: Excess sugar feeds harmful bacteria and yeast in your gut, disturbing the microbiome. Reduce your intake of sugary and processed foods and replace them with whole, nutrient-dense options like fresh produce and lean proteins.

Stay Hydrated: Dehydration impacts vital functions like blood pressure and organ health and leads to an electrolyte imbalance. An electrolyte imbalance can affect the digestive tract muscles, causing bloating, gut discomfort, and slowing digestion. Water softens the stool and makes it easier to pass. Drink 6-8 glasses of water to prevent dehydration during the day.

Manage Stress: Chronic stress causes your body to release the stress hormone cortisol, which affects gut motility and leads to gut imbalance. Stressful situations increase intestinal permeability and lead to inflammation, which in turn leads to poor digestion. To support gut health, include stress-management techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.

Exercise Regularly: Exercise stimulates the muscles in your digestive tract, helping food move more efficiently. This helps prevent constipation and bloating. Additionally, exercise improves blood circulation to your gut, enhancing its function and nutrient absorption.

Regular physical activity can also increase the variety of beneficial bacteria in your gut, creating a more diverse and robust microbiome. Perform a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Read Next: 15 Enjoyable Exercises for People Who Hate Working Out

Conclusion:

Your overall health depends entirely on your gut health. Various symptoms point toward an unhealthy gut, ranging from physical conditions like digestive discomfort to mood disorders. By addressing the signs of an unhealthy gut early, you can take proactive steps to restore balance and significantly enhance your quality of life.

Small lifestyle changes can have a profound impact. Try replacing processed snacks with nourishing options like nuts and fresh produce. Start by including gut-friendly fiber-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables, fermented products, and probiotic supplements. Reduce your stress levels through mindfulness practices, ensure you stay hydrated, and prioritize regular exercise.

Today is the day you must begin your journey. These small yet effective steps work wonders on your gut health and overall well-being. Remember, consistency is the key.

Smart choices you make today lead to a healthier gut tomorrow!