A great quote is ‘Gut health is the key to overall health’ by Kris Carr.
This is why, as a Naturopath, I always work on improving gut health for my clients as part of their treatment protocol.
But how do we know what to look out for, when our body is telling us that we have poor gut health?
The more obvious symptoms can include things such as stomach upset, wind, bloating, constipation, heartburn, diarrhea, IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, pain or nausea.
Studies have also shown that the balance of gut bacteria can also affect our emotions, moods, behaviours and might even affect anxiety, depression and autism. Our gut bacteria plays a big role in mental health and even the way that we respond to stress.
A number of our hormones are made in our gut, including serotonin, our feel good hormone, and dopamine, our reward and motivation hormone.
Our gut also produces neurotransmitters, that are chemical messengers that support our mood, concentration and focus.
More than 70% of our immune system is located in our gut.
There are a wide, varied range of symptoms that can be linked back to poor gut health. Some of these include
Skin problems such as eczema, rashes, itching, acne and psoriasis
Sleep disturbances
Weight issues
Thyroid imbalances
Leaky gut
Inflammation
Sugar cravings
Fatigue
Low energy
Autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and hashimotos
Hormonal imbalances
We need to have good gut health in order to break down foods we eat, absorb nutrients from our food, eliminate toxins from our body and to produce hormones.
Things that disrupt our gut health can include
Our diet and food sensitivities. This is a reason why I work a lot with the Hair Analysis Biocompatibility Program, to identify problematic foods so that we can avoid these. You can find out more about that here
Stress
Not enough good quality, restorative sleep
Medications
Antibacterial products
If you are experiencing symptoms of poor gut health and would like to improve these, you can book in for a consultation here. I would really like to support you further.