Is Your Gut Healthy?

Your gut, or your digestive tract, can tell you a lot about your health. In fact, an unhealthy gut can cause more than just gas and bloating. Over half of your immune system is located in your digestive tract, and any gut imbalances can lead to other ailments such as skin issues, allergies, depression, fatigue and other diseases.

Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

Here are some signs you may see if there is an imbalance in your gut:

• Digestive problems like gas, bloating, diarrhea or IBS
• Hormonal imbalances like PMS or PCOS
• Depression or anxiety
• Mood swings or irritability
• Mind issues like ADHD
• Skin problems such as eczema, rosacea or other rashes
• Diabetes
• Arthritis
• Diseases like autoimmune disease
• Food allergies or intolerances

How to Heal Your Gut

If you suspect you have a gut imbalance, there are things you can do to. Here are some tips to help you heal your digestive tract.

• Get rid of the bad food. Start by getting rid of food that you are sensitive too, and those that cause inflammation. Foods to eliminate include gluten, dairy, eggs, soy and corn. You should also remove things like alcohol and caffeine.
• Eat less refined sugar. Sugar feeds bad bacteria, so eliminate as much of the processed, sugar-filled foods you can.
• Take a probiotic. A probiotic supplement will help increase the good bacteria, or gut flora, in your digestive tract. This will help attack the bad bacteria that are causing your distress.
• Eat fermented foods. Whole, fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and miso can give you that extra probiotic punch.
• Take a supplement to repair your gut. There are supplements that will give you the necessary nutrients to help repair your gut. Look for L-glutamine, an amino acid that will help heal the gut lining. You can also look for zinc, fish oils and vitamin A, C and E.
• Drink lots of water. While you should be drinking a lot of water anyway, it is especially important for those that need to heal their digestive tract. The water will help keep the bad bacteria and waste moving out of your system.
• Reduce stress. Your gut affects your mood, but your mood can also affect your gut. When you experience high amounts of stress, your brain and body goes into a fight or flight mode, causing your blood flow and digestion to slow down. This can lead to a poor functioning digestive tract.

Is your gut unhealthy? If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms above, your digestive tract could be under distress. Implement some of these tips to help heal your stomach, and heal your mind and body.