What’s Up With Your Gut?
Gut issues are of various kinds and can happen to anyone during different periods of their lives. Some gut issues are acute and others are chronic with recurring flare-ups. Poor diet, stress, toxins, and bacterial infections lead to gut problems that can affect the whole body. Common problems with the gut include reflux, leaky gut, peptic ulcers, irritable bowels, diverticulitis, celiac disease, constipation, and many others.
Signs of Gut Issues and Their Treatment
Keeping the gut healthy and addressing any issues is important as the gut absorbs all our nutrients which keep us healthy. The gut is the first defense against foreign bacteria, and it is the biggest organ of immunity in the body. Many vital hormones and neurotransmitters are produced in the gut and this is essential to psychological health.
Signs of a Problematic Gut
Whilst the specter of gut problems varies in each individual case, there is a repetitive occurrence of some very common symptoms that you should pay attention to. Some of the signs of problems in the gut are:
Problems with weight
Constipation
Persisting flatulence
Mucous stool
Sticky stool
Skin problems (acne)
Dark bags under the eyes
Frequent sickness
Gingivitis (infection of the gums around the teeth)
Pain in the lower back
Periodontitis
Vaginal infections
Nail fungal infections
Leaky Gut
The deepened stage of a problematic gut is leaky gut. Leaky gut is a condition in which the wall of the gut becomes permeable and allows toxic substances to leak into the intestinal barrier. Symptoms of leaky gut are:
Lack of motivation
Fatigue
Insomnia
Heartburn
Bad breath
Chronic headaches
Diarrhea
Joint pain
Weight abnormalities
Resolving Gut Issues
With the right knowledge and tools, you can improve and reverse gut conditions. The first step is to remove any toxins and anti-nutrient rich foods from your diet. Removing these foods will prevent further damage to the lining of your intestines. Antinutrients are found in beans, grains, and nuts that have not been soaked beforehand. Alcohol, tobacco, and other toxins should be avoided as to not overload the detoxifying organs of the body.
Remove the sugar from your diet as much as possible. Sugar increases the growth of unhealthy bacteria and fungi. The more harmful bacteria the less space for good bacteria to thrive. Eat more fibers in your diet from vegetables and fruits. Most importantly, keep stress levels on the low! Stress is a huge part of any debilitating condition and doing anything to decrease it will improve your gut as well. Go to sleep on time, take time to self-reflect and meditate, and take care of your body.