You may have heard the term “Gut Health” and wondered exactly what it means. Most of us don’t give much thought to our gut health until we have to. We used to think that our gut‘s primary job is to digest our food but we now know there is so much more to gut health. A healthy gut is imperative for a healthy immune system, good mental health, and resistance to disease.
What is Gut Health?
Our Gut, from our esophagus through our intestines, is responsible for breaking down our food so that our bodies can use the nutrients. Each part of the gut has a job to do in the digestion process and things can go wrong in multiple different areas of the gut which result in problems with digestion. Some symptoms which indicate gut problems are constipation, diarrhea, bloating, heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux, abdominal pain, nausea, and gas. In addition to these symptoms, research shows that many other symptoms are related to poor gut health. These symptoms include food allergies and allergic reactions; hormone fluctuations and thyroid disease; skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis; weight gain and fatigue, brain fog, depression, and anxiety; autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus; and many more. Yes! It’s true that what you eat and how your gut digests your food can actually be contributing to all of these health problems!
Your gut microbiome is like a rainforest where many different microorganisms are living in balance. When this balance gets disrupted, some bacteria can grow too quickly which results in the symptoms listed above.
What causes a disruption in our gut microbiome?
Our diet has a direct impact on our gut bacteria. Eating a high sugar diet can inadvertently feed bad bacteria causing an imbalance. Taking medications such as antacids, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory meds, and more, can kill off good, beneficial bacteria while allowing bad bacteria to thrive and cause damage.
Why is Gut Health so Important?
A healthy gut digests our food and allows only nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, from entering our bloodstream. The gut is important for immune function as it is the wall that prevents viruses, fungi, and bacteria from getting into our bloodstream. When our gut is not healthy, the wall becomes permeable and allows bad bacteria and other substances to cross over into our blood. This is known as “leaky gut.” Because bacteria and particles from our foods are not supposed to be in our bloodstream, our immune system mounts a response that often shows up like a food allergy. We may have GI complaints like diarrhea, bloating, and constipation, or we may develop a rash, pain, or other symptoms. Good mental health also depends on healthy gut health so patients may often experience anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, and brain fog. Many of these symptoms are simply a result of poor gut health.
Digestive problems are a huge problem in our county. Approximately 70 million Americans have GI symptoms. If you have bloating, constipation, loose stools, heartburn, or any of the symptoms listed above, you likely have gut health problems. A simple GI test can determine how healthy your gut is and if you have a leaky gut. Your provider may recommend a gut cleanse or targeted supplementation with probiotics to help balance your gut microbiome. You would be surprised how much better you will feel with some simple changes to improve your gut health!
