4 signs you have an unhealthy gut (and what to do to help it)
Research is revealing the increasing importance of digestive health to our overall wellbeing. But how can you assess the health of your gut microbiome?
Our digestive health plays a crucial role in our overall wellbeing because our gut is linked to so many other organs and systems in the body. It has a direct communication pathway to the brain (known as the gut-brain axis) and is an integral part of our immune system. Also, of course, it is responsible for digesting food and absorbing crucial nutrients. If something is off with our gut health, it can cause wide-ranging symptoms, from altering your mood to affecting your energy levels.
Discover more about gut health with the Good Food guide to digestive health, or try some of our gut-friendly recipes and the best probiotic foods.
Here's how to tell if your gut might not be as healthy as it could be…
1. You’re feeling bloated all the time
Bloating is the effect of having too much gas in the digestive system. Not all bloating is caused by an unhealthy gut – for example, drinking lots of fizzy drinks can cause bloating occasionally. But if it happens every day from lots of different food and drink, it could be a sign that food isn’t being digested properly, and instead is fermenting in the gut and producing lots of gas.
2. You’re suffering excessive wind
Everyone passes wind (the average is around 25 times a day), but if you’re finding you have a lot of wind, it’s another sign that excess gas is being produced in the gut.
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As humans we can’t digest fibre, so we rely on good gut bacteria to digest it for us. If we don’t have the right balance of bacteria in the gut – a condition called dysbiosis – the breakdown of certain foods can be affected, causing lots of gas to be produced.
3. You’re having loose stools
If your poo is soft, mushy and quite watery it is often referred to as ‘loose stools’. If you have three or more episodes of loose stools in a day, this is called diarrhoea. This is a sign that food is moving through the digestive system too quickly and may be due to an infection, medication you are taking or inflammation in the gut.
Certain foods – depending on the individual - may also cause loose stools as will some food intolerances or too much alcohol.
4. You’re constipated
Constipation is when food moves too slowly through the gut. Constipation is often caused by dehydration and not moving around enough, so it can often be easily fixed by drinking more fluids and engaging in gentle exercise. However, it can occasionally be caused by a long-term problem with the muscles in the gut.
4 ways to improve gut health
A healthy gut often depends on the bacteria that live in it. We call this the gut microbiome, and it is responsible for digesting food, producing vitamins and hormones, and other compounds to fuel our cells. A healthy microbiome trains our immune system and reduces inflammation. But for the microbiome to be healthy we need to have a good variety of useful bacteria and not too many harmful bacteria. If this balance is off, then we can start to see the problems above. The suggestions below can all help to improve the levels of good bacteria in your gut microbiome.
1. Eat fibre-rich foods
The useful bacteria need fibre to live on, so we need to make sure we eat a diet full of fruit, vegetables, pulses, nuts and wholegrains to provide a good variety. The bacteria can also benefit when we eat fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut.
2. Look at your sleep schedule
Good bacteria thrive in a gut that is well rested so if your sleep schedule is disrupted it can really affect the balance of your microbiome. Research shows that even one night of poor sleep can cause a reduction in a useful type of bacteria called lactobacillus. Having a good routine in place can really help to improve sleep. Disruption to sleep and the circadian rhythm can impact the balance of the bacteria in the gut.
3. Do some exercise
Exercise has also been shown to improve gut health and there can be added benefits if done in nature. It isn’t just food that brings us into contact with good bacteria – everything living we encounter has its own microbiome.
For example, taking a walk through a park means you come into contact with lots of healthy microbiomes from trees, soil, grass and plants, compared to walking along a busy road with lots of buildings and traffic.
There is also evidence that contact with animals can improve our gut microbiomes, so having a pet – particularly a dog that you walk outside in nature – can have a beneficial effect on gut health.
4. Seek professional advice
It’s important that if you do think you might have a gut health problem you speak to a doctor or healthcare professional – especially if any symptoms persist for more than a few days for no obvious reason.
Further reading:
How to avoid indigestion
Eating for IBS
Home remedies for constipation
Best magnesium supplements
For further information, expert advice and gut-friendly recipes to enjoy, visit loveyourgut.com.
All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
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