Is your gut healthy? 7 signals your second brain sends you when it's not working well

When our gut is not healthy, the body can send us some clear signals that we shouldn't ignore. Let's find out together.

Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous

Each of us has trillions of bacteria living in the gut, some are bad because they cause disease, but in reality there are others that we can define. essential to keep us fit and healthy. Bacteria and other microbes (including fungi and viruses) live in our guts, and play a vital role in digestion, immune function and weight regulation.

An imbalance of these leads to an unhealthy gut, which can create a number of problems in our daily life. Fortunately, there are ways to keep gut health under control, including some simple dietary changes; here are some signs that you may have an unhealthy gut. (Read also: Gut second brain: why?)

Index

Upside-down stomach

An unbalanced gut can have more difficulty processing food and eliminating food waste. This means that if your gut is "upside down" you may often suffer from bloating, gas and heartburn. Also, this is likely to affect bowel movements, which means you may experience constipation or diarrhea conversely.

Continued craving for sugar

Eating foods high in sugar, and many processed foods can reduce the levels of good bacteria in the gut; this leads to an imbalance which in turn can make you feel constant cravings for sugar, which can further damage your gut. In fact, high amounts of refined sugars have been linked to a increased inflammation, which in turn can also increase the risk of a number of serious diseases, including cancers.

Unintentional weight changes

If you gain or lose weight unintentionally, without making any changes to your diet or activity levels, this could be a sign of an unhealthy gut. A imbalanced gut can impair your body's ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugars and even store fat.

This can lead toinsulin resistance or the need to overeat due to lack of nutrients, resulting in weight gain. On the other hand, an upset intestine can cause weight loss due to the overgrowth of small intestine bacteria.

Sleep disturbances or constant fatigue

Insomnia or simply poor sleep can be caused by an unhealthy gut; this in turn can lead to chronic fatigue. Most of the Serotonin, the hormone that affects mood and sleep, is produced in the intestine; that means one intestinal imbalance can affect your ability to rest properly, and even cause mood swings or changes. (Read also: Do you sleep badly? Your gut could (also) be to blame)

Skin irritation

An unhealthy gut can also impact the skin; in fact, conditions such aseczema they can be linked to poor intestinal health. Inflammation caused by a poor diet or even food allergies can cause the body to "lose" some protein at a faster rate and, in turn, this mechanism can irritate the skin and cause conditions such as eczema.

Autoimmune conditions

A bowel that is not functioning well can increase systemic inflammation, and impair the proper functioning of the immune system. This can lead to autoimmune diseases, where the body attacks itself instead of "invaders".

Food intolerance

Food intolerances can have a huge impact on daily life. What happens in this case? The body has difficulty digesting certain foods. However, intolerances are different from food allergies which are caused by a reaction in the immune system when certain foods are consumed. In the case of intolerance, however, often unpleasant symptoms can occur, such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea.

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