7 Signs Your Gut Is Out of Whack, Even If Your Stomach Feels Fine
Gut health is a trending topic, and in recent years one of the most studied among scientists.
Research shows that the health (or lack thereof) of your gut microbiome influences, for better or for
worse, numerous body functions, as well as your overall health.
An imbalanced gut microbiome doesn’t just play a role in your digestive health.
It can also wreak havoc on your emotional health, weight, and skin, and even instigate serious and
chronic autoimmune conditions.
Your gut health may be faltering due to eating standard American fare, low in fermented foods,
and the overuse of antibiotics or anti-bacterial products.
7 Signs Your Gut Is Out of Whack, Even If Your Stomach Feels Fine
It’s time for a gut check — literally.
“It’s not as easy as one would think to figure out if your gut is healthy or not,” says Kristi King, M.P.H.,
RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
That’s because, according to Scott Schreiber, D.C., CNS, chiropractic physician, and clinical nutritionist,
“Signs and symptoms of an unhealthy gut include much more than bloating, constipation or diarrhea.”
The gut is a complex organ. And thanks to advances in how we analyze our gut microbiome, researchers
are starting to understand the extent of its complexity and finding links between gut health and the
health of its gracious host (us).
Is your gut as healthy as it could be?
Read on for some surprising signs it’s imbalanced — and what to do about it
1. Do You Gain Weight Easily?
We don’t know for sure if gut microbiota is to blame for that whole “moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips” phenomenon,
but there are certainly differences seen in the microbiomes in obese versus healthy individuals, and researchers believe there is a link, even if they can’t fully define it yet.
Humans are much more complex than mice, but consider that when germ-free mice were given
microbiota from an obese person, they became obese, even though they ate less, perhaps because they
were able to absorb more calories and store them.
Interestingly, a study published in Nature found that the balance of gut microbiota in obese people began
to look more like the microbiota of lean people after they improved their diet and exercise.
The gut-brain axis may also be involved in sending signals to the brain about satiety and appetite regulation.
2. Do You Feel Anxious?
There is strong evidence that the gut and brain communicate.
A recent paper published in the Annals of Gastroenterology concludes that gut microbes regulate brain
chemistry in a way that affects how we respond to stress and anxiety.
“The gut is the second brain of the body,” says King, “and research is starting to show that people
suffering from anxiety and depression have altered gut flora.”
The Gastroenterology paper reports that certain probiotics may reduce stress-related cortisol levels and
anxious behavior, though King notes that “research is still ongoing to find out what good bacteria would
be beneficial for our brains.”
3. Do Your Joints Hurt?
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune condition that attacks the joints, is unknown.
Researchers think the answer may lie in the gut microbiome, perhaps because the gut is such an
important part of the immune system.
The idea that the gut microbiome could impact immune responses outside the digestive system is new,
but it’s been demonstrated in animal studies, as reported in Nature Reviews Rheumatology.
Recent findings show that people with RA have unbalanced microbiomes, and the hypothesis is that the
wrong bacterial populations overgrow, leading to inflammation.
Furthering the gut-joint connection, King adds that rheumatoid arthritis is often associated with other
autoimmune conditions, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.
4. Do You Get Sick Easily?
The digestive system is equipped with the largest and most complex part of the human immune system.
Among other things, a balanced gut includes microbes that secrete chemical messengers that let the
immune cells (T cells) know what to do to protect us from pathogens (bad bugs) and foreign substances.
Having plenty of good bacteria also protects us by leaving a less real estate for opportunistic pathogens
that would overgrow if given the space.
King says, “The immune system is largely based in the gut, so if you find yourself getting sick frequently,
you may need a few more good bacteria in the gut to help out!”
5. Do You Have Diarrhea After Taking Antibiotics?
Antibiotics tend to be blunt instruments, killing off pathogens and beneficial bacteria alike, upsetting the
natural balance of good bacteria to bad.
Keep in mind that even under normal circumstances, the body houses potentially harmful bacteria, but
we just don’t normally notice when the good bacteria outnumber the bad.
Without enough good bacteria, bad bacteria can grow out of control, creating toxins that hurt the gut,
trigger inflammation and cause diarrhea.
King shares that when taking antibiotics, “many times people find it helpful to either take a probiotic or
eat probiotic foods like yogurt to help replenish the good bacteria.”
Hopefully, diarrhea clears up within a week of finishing the antibiotic course, but a review paper
published in Expert Review of Anti-Infection Therapy says subtle changes to the microbiome may last
much longer, the ultimate impact of which is unknown.
6 Do You Have Food Sensitivities?
Food sensitivities are diverse and have their own world of mysteries.
King agrees, saying, “This is always a doozy and may be difficult to pin down without keeping food and symptom records.”
She recommends working with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) to help determine which foods might be causing problems.
What experts in the field do know is that promoting good bacteria in the gut can help with some food sensitivities, such as lactose intolerance.
A paper in the British Journal of Nutrition notes that the use of probiotics has helped those who have trouble absorbing lactose.
7 Are You Having Gastrointestinal Distress?
Rebalance Your Gut Microbiome
Probiotics should be part of your rebalancing regimen.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that will help recolonize your gut so that the microbiome is made up of
thriving versus dangerous organisms.
Supplement with probiotics in the form of capsules, or eat fermented foods such as kefir, yogurt,
sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, kimchi, and kombucha tea.
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Probiotics need prebiotics—food that feeds and helps to restabilize a healthy gut.
Foods rich in prebiotic fibers such as inulin and arabinogalactans include artichokes, leeks, onions,
beans, garlic, asparagus, carrots, and okra.
Anti-microbial herbs and tinctures, such as oil of oregano, grapefruit seed extract, garlic, caprylic
acid, olive leaf extract, berberine, and uva ursi can help eradicate any pathogenic organisms harming your gut health.
Sugary foods and foods processed with flour exacerbate poor gut health because harmful bacteria
in the gut thrive on sugar and refined carbs. Keep these foods to a minimum!
Stay glued to this space for more health tips…
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