When your gut is healthy, it influences everything from digestion to the brain to your immunity. The gut is home to trillions of good and bad bacteria which stay in balance. These are the MICROBIOME. Poor diet is one of the biggest causes of gut issues. While the good bacteria thrive on fiber and plant foods, the bad bacteria and yeast love processed foods and sugar. Studies have shown that even in a short period of time undesirable changes take place in the gut.
Signs of an Unhealthy Gut
Sugar cravings
The microbiome in the gut is really good at manipulating you into eating foods that feed them. So, if your gut has too much yeast, you will end up craving sugar and getting into a cycle of eating sugars and before you realize it, its related complications have taken over your system.
Acne and Skin disorders
Your gut is in direct communication with your skin through a Gut-skin axis. Many bacteria are found on the surface of the skin. Hence, it’s better to correct the gut microbiome, rather than applying topical creams.
Irregular bowels and bloating
An occasional loose stool, tha’s a sign of bacterial overgrowth pushes out the good bacteria from the gut. It is often seen that people with constipation have a smaller number of good bacteria. The good news is that both diarrhea and constipation can be corrected with probiotics which can help improve digestion. And the extra gas-producing bad strains of bacteria, which create a sense of bloating, too can be corrected.
Autoimmune diseases
It’s common to see that when your gut is healthy, your immune system is healthy. In cases of abnormalities, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis are developed. It also happens in some people that when some bacteria travel outside the gut to the liver, the immunity is compromised.
Mood swings and Poor concentration
It’s a known fact that hormones produced by the gut microbiome cause changes in mood and disorders like depression, anxiety, and faulty eating. This in turn affects digestive hormones. The Gut and Brain manifest a strong connection with mental abilities.
The imbalances in hormones and other chemicals also affect cognitive abilities and inflammatory reactions in the brain.
Obesity
The bacteria in the gut are often overlooked when it comes to factors contributing to obesity. Certain bacterias cause weight gain since they help your body break down and absorb nutrients. Eventually, it all depends on the bacterial diversity of the Gut.
Chronic Fatigue
It has been studied that 80% of chronic fatigue people could be diagnosed just by looking at their gut bacteria because particular bacteria grow in the gut of these people.
5 ways you can support your GUT
Eliminate trigger foods
Include fermented foods while cleaning up your dietary habits
Be active & exercise regularly
Attempt fasting for lowering the gut burden
Control stress to manage imbalances
The blog is contributed by nutritionist Daniyah Irfan
Author Bio: Dt. Daniyah Irfan, BSc Nutrition and PG diploma in Dietetics and Applied Nutrition from Mumbai University. Holistic Nutritionist, mindful health care expert, Certified life coach, & Nutripreuner. Life member of Indian Dietetic Association Transformed the health of many and now on a mission to educate the new generation towards healthy eating habits for optimum physical and mental wellbeing. Message for everyone: Be ready to do whatever it takes to be a health warrior!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/define.your.diet/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/defineyourdiet/