What is Gut Health and How Is It Important?

You have many bacterias in your body. These bacteria are more than the cells present in your body. Most of these bacteria are good for your health. The bacteria present in your gut are not only useful in digesting foods but are vital in assisting your body to function optimally.

That discussed, what is gut health?

Gut health is the function and balance of bacteria of the many parts of the gastrointestinal tract.

What are some of the signs of an unhealthy gut? Here are some of the most common ones are:

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  Stomach Upset

Stomach disturbances such as bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn are all indicators of an unhealthy gut. A balanced and healthy one will encounter difficulties in body processes such as digesting food and eliminating waste products.

• A High-Sugar Diet

A diet high in processed foods and sugars may cause a decrease in the amounts of good bacteria in the gut. This sudden decrease may lead to an imbalance related to sugar cravings, which can lead to the damaging of the gut. Excessive amounts of refined sugars, particularly high-fructose corn syrup, have been linked to increased inflammation in your body. This can be the precursor to a couple of diseases and even some cancer types.

• Weight Changes

Gaining and losing weight without making any changes to your diet may be a sign of an unhealthy gut. An unhealthy gut may inhibit your body’s capability to absorb nutrients, monitor blood sugar, and store fat. Losing weight may be as a result of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, popularly known as (SIBO), while weight gain may be as a result of insulin resistance or the urge for overeating.

• Sleep Disturbances

An unhealthy gut may be instrumental in contributing to sleep disorders such as insomnia and or sleep. The majority of the serotonin produced in your body affects how you sleep and your moods throughout the day. Serotonin is the body’s hormone responsible for affecting your mood and sleep. Gut damage can impair your ability to sleep soundly and peacefully.

• Constant Fatigue

An unhealthy gut may lead to fatigue throughout the body. Gut damage can impair how you feel in terms of the body’s rest. When the body is constantly feeling tired and inactive, your gut health could be at risk. Examples of body issues related to sleep have also been linked to the risk of fibromyalgia.

• Skin Irritation

Ever hear of skin issues such as eczema? The skin disorder may be a result of a damaged gut. Inflammation in the gut is caused by practices such as consuming an unhealthy diet and, food allergies may cause proteins to leak out of the body, leading to adverse skin conditions such as eczema. The allergies may irritate your body, and this is an indication of an unhealthy gut.

• Autoimmune Conditions

Researchers are every day coming up with evidence-based on the impact of the gut on the immune system. An unhealthy gut may impact the increase of systemic inflammation and affect the proper functioning of your body’s immune system. It can lead to autoimmune diseases, where your body tends to attack itself rather than harmful invaders.

• Food Intolerances

Food intolerances are a sign of indigestion of certain types of foods. Food allergy is a superb example in this case. Certain foods may lead to an allergic reaction, and this is thought to be due to the poor quality of bacteria in the gut. It can lead to difficulties digesting the trigger food substances, resulting in unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, nausea, and bloating. So much evidence points out that food allergy is linked to gut health.

Several ways you can practice to improve your gut health

Some of the essential practices that are vital for the improvement of your gut health include:

• Reduce Your Stress Levels

Reducing your stress level is instrumental in the improvement of your gut health. Chronic high levels of stress can cause severe problems in your body. Some of the best ways to counter stress are through meditation, spending time with loved ones, diffusing essential oils, and taking time to enjoy the oils. Other ways are through decreasing the intake of caffeine and caffeinated drinks, reducing the intake of carbonated beverages, laughing, engaging in yoga, going for runs, having your best pet, visiting a new place, or just getting a massage. Following these ways is crucial in helping you to have sound gut health.

• Get Enough Sleep

Insufficient sleep or bad quality of sleep may have dire repercussions on your gut health. Having uninterrupted sleep for at least eight hours per night is crucial in improving your gut health. Also, try to counter sleep issues by not overeating before you sleep. If you experience consistent trouble trying to find sleep, consult a doctor. The medical practitioner can devise ways that will help you to sleep better and deal with insomnia.

• Eat Slowly

Chewing your food slowly and thoroughly can help to improve digestion, hence gut health. When you eat your meals slowly, you promote full digestion, and absorption in your body takes place the right way. This may help to counter issues such as digestive discomfort and maintaining healthy gut health.

• Stay Hydrated

Drinking lots of water has many beneficial contributions to not only your body in general but also your gut health. The water lines the intestines with good mucus, which helps to balance good bacteria in your body’s system. Drinking at least eight glasses of water per day is crucial for your gut health. Remember to split up the internals with which you take water, as you will get the most out of their benefits.

• Check for Food Intolerances

If you encounter problems such as abdominal pains, diarrhea, cramping, bloating, nausea, fatigue, acid reflux, and related issues, you may be suffering from food intolerance. Start by eliminating all the trigger foods in your diet, and your symptoms will improve. You will also notice a change when it comes to the improvement of your gut health. You also feel better in general.

• Change Your Diet

As you may already know, consuming unhealthy, processed, high-fat, high-sugar, and junk food can have adverse effects on your gut health. Reduce the intakes of these foods, or eliminate them. Additionally, eat plenty of healthy foods and plant-based ones, and you will notice an increased improvement in your gut health. Studies have shown that foods rich in fiber have a massive contribution to your gut health and your microbiome.

• Reduce Antibiotics

A reduction in the intake of antibiotics is crucial in improving your gut health. Antibiotics can wipe out good and also bad bacteria in your body, hence the need to avoid having them only when you have no option.

Some suitable foods to consider for the improvement of your gut health is:

• High fiber foods. They include beans, bananas, berries, asparagus, and leeks.
• Garlic and onion
• Fermented foods –kimchi, yogurt, miso, kefir
• Collagen boosting foods- Salmon, mushrooms, and good dairy

Conclusion

To sum up, any kind of food you ingest is broken down in the gut in a way that it can enter the bloodstream and deliver nutrients required for normal body function. This is only made possible if your gut health is healthy. A healthy gut has good bacteria that keep infections away from your body. A healthy gut also communicates with the brain, ensuring your general health and well-being gets taken care of. For these reasons, it is essential to take care of your gut health and indulge in ways to keep improving it.