In years past, the digestive system was considered a basic system where food passed through to be broken down, absorbed, and excreted but over the last couple of decades more research has shown links between overall gut health and the impact it can have on the immune system, your moods, mental health, skin conditions, endocrine disorders, autoimmune disease, and cancer. The idea behind the gut is that 300-500 different species of bacteria make up a microorganism community known as a gut microbiome which can either become harmful to your health or incredibly beneficial and even necessary in order to be healthy. So how do you know if you have an unhealthy gut? Well, let’s take a look and find out.

Constant Upset Stomach

Let’s start with the basics. Upset stomachs can occur for a number of reasons but dealing with a constant upset stomach is a red flag that something is off. If you experience constant bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn these could be linked to an unbalanced gut. A healthy gut should be able to process food and eliminate waste without much fuss. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water and when eating, chewing food slowly can help aid in the digestion process as well as help your body to absorb nutrients. By drinking plenty of water, you’ll help your body to produce more mucosal lining in the colon which benefits the digestion process and promotes a healthy gut.

Sugar Cravings

Sugar and processed foods contribute to inflammation in the body. Inflammation is particularly harmful to your microbiome and how your gut functions. When eating foods that are loaded with sugar or are highly processed, the healthy bacteria in your gut will decrease causing an imbalance that leaves you with sugar cravings. The more sugar and refined foods you eat the less healthy foods are being put into your body which is what your body needs in order to promote a healthy gut. Inflammation itself is known to be a precursor to a variety of diseases and cancers.

Unexplained Weight Changes

Most of the time weight changes can be attributed to factors that we are aware of. There are at times, however, when unexplained weight changes happen and we have to do some digging to find out why. When a person has an imbalanced gut the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, store fat and regulate blood sugar is impaired. As a result, weight loss or weight gain can happen. Weight loss is caused by small intestinal bacterial overgrowth while weight gain is caused by insulin resistance or possibly overeating as a result of not being able to absorb necessary nutrients.

Fatigue Or Insomnia

Many people do not know that the majority of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. Serotonin is a hormone that affects our moods and sleep. If the gut is imbalanced it can affect serotonin levels in the body contributing to fatigue, poor sleep or insomnia. A healthy gut can lead to more energy throughout the day.

Skin Flare Ups

As mentioned earlier, inflammation can be a symptom of an unhealthy gut. Inflammation is also the cause of a variety of diseases and cancers as well as some skin conditions. One familiar skin condition that people often experience is eczema. Eczema is a result of certain proteins leaking into the body due to inflammation in the gut causing these skin flare ups.

Autoimmune Disease

If inflammation due to an unhealthy gut can lead to disease and cancer then it’s no wonder that autoimmune disease is linked to an unhealthy gut. One of the leading factors in autoimmune conditions is inflammation. Some of the autoimmune conditions that people suffer from are rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, and diabetes. Chronic inflammation is definitely something you should look into if it’s something you are experiencing.

An unhealthy gut will express a variety of symptoms once it gets to this point. The key is learning more about how your gut operates and what you can do to maintain a healthy gut.