5 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

Your gut affects your overall health more than you think. The gut microbiome- the name for the bacteria in your gut, includes thousands of species of microbes that can both be helpful and potentially harmful. In a healthy body, the microbes reach a healthy balance. If that relationship is disrupted, by infectious illnesses, certain diets, or excessive use of antibiotics for example,- then that balance can be disrupted which may make you more susceptible to disease or result in poor digestion, and inflammation. There are many ways how you can identify an unhealthy gut. Here are 5 common signs:

1. Upset stomach- The first sign of an unhealthy gut is, unsurprisingly, an irritative stomach. Stomach disruptions such as gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and heartburn can all be signs of an unhealthy gut.
2. Cravings for unhealthy foods- Eating too many unhealthy foods, particularly those high in sugar and simple carbohydrates, can lead to an increase in the bad bacteria in the gut. Sugar is what these bad bacteria feed on. The more you feed these bacteria, the more they take over the microbiome and control the signals sent from your gut to your brain. It has been shown these bacteria secrete molecules that make you crave sugar more. Fixing your gut can help you remove these cravings in the long run.
3. Sleep disturbances or constant fatigue – Most people know that serotonin is a hormone that affects mood and sleep. What most people don’t realise is that the majority of serotonin is made and used in the gut. An unhealthy gut can negatively affect your ability to sleep well.
4. Skin irritation- Inflammation in the gut, which is caused by poor diet or food allergies, may cause increased levels of particular proteins that irritate the skin and cause conditions such as eczema.
5. Mood issues- As mentioned above the majority of serotonin is made in the gut. However, the gut brain axis extends beyond serotonin. Therefore, treating your gut imbalances is a critical step for supporting mental health.

A major step in improving any, and all of these conditions is to include a broad spectrum prebiotic (such as NutriKane D) in your diet. Using NutriKane D will feed all the different types of good bacteria in the gut. This not only supplies us with essential nutrition, but also increases the types of microbiota in the gut that help us manage the day-to-day stresses of life. NutriKane D also has insoluble fibre that stimulates the full length of the gastrointestinal tract, supporting your ENTIRE gut microbiome.