Good gut health is paramount to good health

Apr 10, 2022 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

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By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Emergency Medicine Specialist

Kaieteur News – It is through our gut we ingest food to survive but foods can also lead to bad health if we are not careful. Our gut is one of the main barriers that shields our body from the dangers of the world. If we do not take care of our gut, then it cannot take care of us and can lead to many disorders in our body. Numerous studies in the past two decades have demonstrated links between gut health and the immune system, mood, mental health, autoimmune diseases, endocrine disorders, skin conditions, and cancer. Today, I will discuss signs that may alert you to an unhealthy gut and what you can do to improve your gut health.

What are signs that you may have an unhealthy gut?
High stress levels, too little sleep, eating processed and high-sugar foods, and taking antibiotics can all damage our gut microbiome. This in turn may affect other aspects of our health, such as the brain, heart, immune system, skin, weight, hormone levels, ability to absorb nutrients, and even the development of cancer.
The following are signs that you may have an unhealthy gut:
• Upset stomach: Stomach disturbances like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn can all be signs of an unhealthy gut.

• A high-sugar diet: A diet high in processed foods and added sugars can decrease the number of good bacteria in your gut. This imbalance can cause increased sugar cravings, which can damage your gut still further. High amounts of refined sugars, particularly high-fructose corn syrup, have been linked to increased inflammation in the body. Inflammation can be the precursor to a number of diseases and even cancers.

• Sleep disturbances or constant fatigue: The majority of the body’s serotonin, a hormone that affects mood and sleep, is produced in the gut. An unhealthy gut will therefore contribute to sleep disturbances such as insomnia or poor sleep, and therefore lead to chronic fatigue.

• Skin conditions: Inflammation in the gut caused by a poor diet or food allergies may cause increased “leaking” of certain proteins out into the body, which can in turn irritate the skin and cause conditions such as eczema.

• Autoimmune conditions: Medical researchers are continually finding new evidence of the impact of the gut on the immune system. It’s thought that an unhealthy gut may increase systemic inflammation and alter the proper functioning of the immune system. This can lead to autoimmune diseases such as Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis and many others.

• Food intolerances: Food intolerances are the result of difficulty digesting certain foods. It’s thought that food intolerances may be caused by poor quality of bacteria in the gut. This can lead to difficulty digesting the trigger foods and unpleasant symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea.
How can you improve your gut health?
You can improve your gut health and subsequently, your overall health by doing the following:
• Managing your stress levels: Chronic high levels of stress are hard on your whole body, including your gut.

• Fasting: The best way to give your gut a chance to take care of itself and cleanse toxins, is to fast. When you fast, your gut gets a rest from processing foods and can focus on healing and cleansing the body of toxic build up.

• Get enough sleep: Not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep can have serious impacts on your gut health, which can in turn contribute to more sleep issues.

• Eat slowly: Chewing your food thoroughly and eating your meals more slowly can help promote full digestion and absorption of nutrients. This may help you reduce digestive discomfort and maintain a healthy gut.

• Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestines, as well as on the balance of good bacteria in the gut. Staying hydrated is a simple way to promote a healthy gut.

• Taking a prebiotic or probiotic: Adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet is often a good way to improve your gut health. Prebiotics provide food meant to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, while probiotics are supplements with live good bacteria that help your gut with digestion and maintaining the right balance.

• Check for food intolerances: If you have symptoms such as cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, rashes, nausea, fatigue, and acid reflux, you may be suffering from a food intolerance. You can try eliminating common trigger foods to see if your symptoms improve.

• Change your diet: Reducing the amount of processed, high-sugar, and high-fat foods that you eat can contribute to better gut health. Additionally, eating plenty of plant-based foods and lean protein can impact positively your gut.
An unhealthy gut will not remain silent; it will indicate that something is wrong and display the symptoms discussed above. Listen to your gut; it’s paramount that you do if you want to remain healthy.

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