Did you know that your gut plays one of the biggest roles in your overall health and well-being? It aids in the digestion of the foods you eat, absorbs nutrients, and uses it to fuel and maintain your body. Your gut is also where your body gets rid of metabolic waste and toxins.

 

However, if you have an unhealthy gut, your body will struggle to rid itself of those toxins, and your immune system may be affected as well, making it much more challenging to stay healthy.

 

So what are the common signs of an unhealthy gut that you can look out for? We’ve got the deets!

 

Common Signs of An Unhealthy Gut #1 – Stomach Discomfort

If your stomach is frequently upset by symptoms such as gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain, these can be signs of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common condition that affects the large intestines.

 

Studies show that a balanced gut will have less difficulty processing food and eliminating waste, and a gut with imbalanced gut bacteria can play a role in the development of IBS for some people.

 

Common Signs of An Unhealthy Gut #2 – Unintentional Weight Changes

Gaining or losing weight without changing your diet or exercise habits may be a sign of an unhealthy gut. Some gut bacteria actually have an impact on how many calories you can extract from your food, and microbial richness has been shown in some studies to be linked to adult BMI and metabolism. This means that the gut microbiome can play a role in weight gain and weight loss.

 

So, if you’re eating normally but seem to be slowly gaining—or losing—weight, poor gut health and lack of diversity in your microbiome might be the cause of it!

 

Common Signs of An Unhealthy Gut #3 – Fatigue

Struggling to sleep, or sleeping too much? This is another area where your gut health may be affecting your life. The majority of the body’s serotonin, a hormone that affects mood and sleep, is produced in the gut, which means imbalances in the gut microbiome, which consists of the bacteria, microorganisms, fungi, and viruses present in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to chronic fatigue syndrome.

 

Common Signs of An Unhealthy Gut #4 – Skin Irritation

Have you noticed your skin breaking out when you eat certain foods, like those high in refined sugar or saturated fat? That may be due to the bacteria in your gut.

 

According to one 2021 study, those kinds of foods promote an imbalance of gut bacteria that can contribute to a variety of skin issues, including acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis and dandruff.

 

Common Signs of An Unhealthy Gut #5 – Mood issues

The precise link between the gut and brain is not entirely clear, but studies show considerable evidence of the effect of gut health on our mental state.

 

A review published in September 2017 in the journal Clinics and Practice found that gut disturbances and inflammation in the central nervous system may be potential causes of anxiety and depression, and that probiotics may help treat these conditions.

 

 

Steps to Improve Your Gut Health

If you’re noticing one or more of these signs and suspect you have an unhealthy gut, you may be able to improve your gut health through lifestyle and diet changes.

 

#1 – Lower Your Stress levels

That’s right, high levels of stress are hard on your whole body, including your gut. Try lowering your stress levels by meditating, walking, getting a massage, spending time with friends or family, diffusing essential oils, decreasing caffeine intake, laughing, yoga, or even by having a pet.

 

#2 – Get Enough Sleep

In this modern age, getting enough sleep is a problem for many, especially those living in urban areas. Try to prioritize getting at least 7–8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night for a healthier gut. If you have trouble sleeping, seeing a doctor might be helpful.

 

 

#3 – Take Probiotics

An imbalance gut stemming from unhealthy food & lifestyle choices can cause constipation, bloating, gastric, weak immunity and other concerns. With the right probiotic supplements, you promote good bacteria back into your stomach and intestines and bring back balance to your gut microflora.

 

HAPPY PRO™ is a premium probiotic supplement that contains clinically proven probiotics stains & prebiotics to help enhance natural immune function, relieve digestive discomfort & maintain healthy gut microflora in just 14 days. HAPPY PRO™ is all-natural & free of gluten, dairy and all artificial chemical additives.

 

 

#4 – Change Your Diet

Try to reduce the amount of processed, high sugar, and high fat foods in your daily diet and instead increase fibre intake and drink more water. Eating plenty of plant-based foods and lean protein can also positively impact your gut.

 

 

#5 – Exercise More

Need we say more? We all know that exercise plays a big role in keeping us healthy mentally and physically, so it’s up to us to improve our lifestyle and change for the better.