Your gut health is far more important than you would think, and doctors have now linked it to a number of serious health issues.
If you have poor gut health, it can affect your whole body in different ways and causes problems you wouldn’t know are associated.
Your gut needs to contain a perfect balance of bacteria, microorganisms, fungi, and viruses in order to be considered ‘healthy,’ and once this is out of whack, you may come upon some unexpected side effects.
There are a number of telltale signs you can look out for, and if you notice you're developing any, you should contact your doctor for more information.
Stomach issues
The first and most obvious sign you can expect with an unbalanced gut is stomach issues.
Your body may be trying to tell you that you have substantial difficulty processing food and therefore eliminating food waste.
This means that if your gut is unhealthy you may often suffer from things like painful gas, bloating and heartburn.
Additionally, an unhealthy gut is likely to impact your bowel movements meaning you may experience constipation and diarrhoea.
Craving sugar
Another sign, is a constant craving for sugary foods.
Eating things that are high in sugar, or just processed foods, can decrease the levels of good bacteria in your gut.
This leads to an imbalance which causes these sugar cravings that can damage your gut further.
High amounts of refined sugars have been linked to increased inflammation throughout the body.
This can increase the risk of a number of serious diseases including some types of cancer.
Fluctuating weight
If you gain or lose weight unintentionally, or have fluctuating weight without having made major changes to your diet or activity levels, this may be a sign of an unhealthy gut.
This can impair your body's ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugars and store fat.
All of this can lead to insulin resistance or the urge to overeat due to the lack of nutrients absorbed by the body - resulting in weight gain.
On the other hand, an unhealthy gut may result in weight loss caused by small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Poor quality sleep
Insomnia and poor sleep in general may be caused by an unhealthy gut which can later cause chronic fatigue.
Most of the body's serotonin - the hormone that affects mood and sleep - is produced in the gut.
Therefore any damage or imbalance can impact your ability to get adequate rest and can result in mood swings, as well as more serious issues like fibromyalgia.
Skin issues
If your gut is off balance, you may see the results of this on your skin.
Conditions like eczema and acne may be linked to poor gut health.
Meanwhile, inflammation in the gut - caused by a poor diet or food allergies - can result in the body "leaking" a number of vital proteins.
This can irritate the skin and cause or flare up conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.
Autoimmune diseases
An unhealthy gut may increase systemic inflammation and alter the proper functioning of the immune system.
This can lead to autoimmune diseases, where the body attacks itself rather than harmful invaders.
Food intolerances
Food intolerances can have a huge impact on daily life and mean that the body cannot digest certain foods.
Food intolerances are different to food allergies - which are caused by an allergic reaction in the immune system when certain foods are consumed.
Intolerances can lead to symptoms that are often unpleasant, including bloating, gas, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and nausea.
