Eight Signs You Need to Improve Your Gut Health
People often say, “you are what you eat” but the truth is “you are what you absorb.” Meaning, you can have the healthiest diet of properly prepared, nutrient-dense foods but you must also be able to adequately break down and absorb the nutrients you’re consuming. Here’s the good news: with a few small lifestyle adjustments, many people can experience a huge shift in the health of their gut.
So how do you know if you’re properly absorbing these nutrients or if your gut is in an unhealthy state?
Signs of an Unhealthy Gut
1. Belching, gas, or bloating after eating a meal
2. Heartburn or acid reflux
3. Undigested food in your stool
4. Stools that are not not well-formed
5. Stools that are hard or difficult to pass
6. Bad breath
7. Strong body odor
8. Feeling better when you don’t eat
The root cause of each of these varies a bit, however, each symptom is a telltale sign that you have digestive dysfunction, aka, an unhealthy gut. Habits of antacid drug use, excess sugar, highly processed foods, chronic overeating, constant snacking between meals, excess alcohol consumption, or nutrient deficiencies, may all be worsening your digestive symptoms.
Let’s go back to the good news! There are many things you can do in terms of lifestyle changes to help support your digestive system. By following these recommendations, you can ensure that each part of the digestive system is working optimally and the organs and systems to follow can rely on the health of the organs before it.
1. Rest To Digest
The most important step you can take to improve digestion is to ensure you are in a relaxed state before you eat. Step away from the phone, TV, and any other electronics or distractions. Sit down, take a deep breath, and enjoy your food. By entering into this “rest and digest” mode of your body (called your parasympathetic state) you’re allowing your brain to activate the salivary glands and produce saliva, which begins the digestion process.
2. Chew Your Food
Aim to chew 20-30 times per bite, or until your food is in a liquid state. Many people find it helpful to put their fork down in between bites to avoid eating too quickly. As you eat, savor the taste, smell, texture, and colors of your food. Remember, your mouth is the physical gateway to the digestive system. The mechanical and chemical breakdown of food takes place here, so when we skip this step it enormously affects the rest of the digestive process. Chewing ineffectively or too quickly allows large particles of food to enter your stomach and intestines, potentially causing digestive dysfunction. Chewing your food thoroughly allows you to absorb more nutrients from your food, helps you maintain a healthy weight, allows for easier digestion, and leads to fewer digestive issues like gas and bloating.
3. Increase Stomach Acid
Hydrochloric acid promotes digestion and the absorption of many vital nutrients. Unfortunately, with the prevalence of the Standard American Diet and poorly managed stress, this critical digestive component is often negatively affected. Incorporating digestive bitters, raw apple cider vinegar, or even lemon in warm water before a meal will help prepare the digestive tract for digestion and encourage the production of digestive juices and enzymes. Additionally, following the two steps before this will set the stage for the production of stomach acid.
4. Test, Don’t Guess
If you’re still having trouble conquering your digestive symptoms, testing can be a helpful tool. Food sensitivity testing, elimination diets, and stool analysis all reveal more information about your body and can guide you in modifying food and nutritional supplements to meet your unique needs. Stool analysis, for examples, gives information on gut bacteria , inflammation markers, bacterial or fungal overgrowth, and more. All can be helpful to get to the root of your digestive problems and resolve your symptoms.
Whether you’re experiencing one, two, or all eight of the symptoms listed above, following these recommendations will provide a foundation for a healthy gut and optimal functioning digestive system..
Source:
“Upper Gastrointestinal System.” SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS ANALYSIS FROM A FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE- 2ND EDITION, by DICKEN WEATHERBY, WEATHERBY & ASSOCIATES, L, 2004, p. 139.
Courtney Hasseman is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and Nurse Practitioner who provides integrative gynecologic care for women. Additionally, she is certified in nutritional therapy and offers functional nutrition programs specializing in hormonal and menstrual health. Courtney is an educator at heart and is passionate about providing unhurried, highly personalized, comprehensive care for women. She provides both in-person and online consultations based from her Northern Virginia clinic.