Gut is not just your stomach; it is also that instinctive emotional feeling! You must have a healthy gut for a happy and healthy overall body. The gut influences our entire body, from the brain to digestion and immune system.
Therefore, the medical community is doing extensive research to understand the complexity of the gut to improve overall health. Let us understand the story behind it.
Why is gut health important?
In a healthy digestive system, food is mashed down in the gut to a simpler form, such that it can enter the bloodstream, and nutrients are transferred to all body parts. A gut should contain good bacteria and immune cells and stay away from infection-causing bacteria, viruses, and fungi. A healthy gut has a direct connection with the brain through nerves and hormones that helps maintain overall well-being.
Symptoms of an unhealthy gut
Do not miss the indications your body gives. It’s essential to recognize the symptoms of an unhealthy gut, if any.
- Upset stomach – A feeling of discomfort, gas, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, and heartburn could be signs that your gut is not happy.
- Feeling exhausted – Feeling tired the whole day can be a sign of a deeper problem.
- Trouble sleeping – If someone has poor sleep or insomnia, it could be due to an unhealthy gut. The gut produces your body’s serotonin, the hormone that affects sleep and mood and sleep. If there is an infection or inflammation in the gut, your sleep is bound to suffer.
- Food Intolerance – Food intolerance is a result of difficulty digesting certain foods. Eating food that is intolerant to the gut may cause symptoms like bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Research shows that food intolerances, like lactose intolerance, may be caused by the poor quality of bacteria in the gut. It can lead to trouble digesting the trigger foods and symptoms like
- Food Cravings – Similarly, if you have extreme food cravings, especially sugar, it may be due to too much “bad” bacteria in the gut. A highly-processed diet with added sugars can decrease the number of “good” bacteria and diversity in your gut.
- Weight gain or loss – If you notice unusual weight gain or loss, your gut may be having a tough time processing food, absorbing nutrients, storing fat, and eliminating waste. Generally, weight loss is observed due to lack of nutrition or bacteria overgrowth.
- Skin irritations – If you are facing skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis, it could be related to gut issues.
Lifestyle changes to improve gut health
While you know that your gut is not keeping well,
- Reduce stress levels
Stress directly impacts your gut. Try to reduce it by following good practices like meditation, walking, limiting alcohol intake, practicing yoga, massage, and most important, being social with friends and family.
- Enjoy sound sleep
Having sufficient quality sleep can resolve many health problems. Lack of sleep may have serious impacts on gut health. Prioritize getting at least 7–8 hours of sleep.
- Keep healthy food choices
Eat fiber-rich healthy food, and remember to eat slow. Yes, chewing the food slowly improves digestion and may lower your chances of obesity. Eating high-fiber foods like legumes, whole grains, nuts, fermented food, fruits like apples, peaches, and vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, etc., effectively improves the gut scores.
Adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet improves the number of good bacteria in the gut.
Eliminate common trigger foods and specific food sensitivities. Only you can identify those foods by keeping an observant eye. If you can identify and avoid those foods, you may see a positive change in your digestive health.
- Stay Active, Stay Fit
Religiously following a regular exercise routine is crucial for gut fitness. Exercise affects the gut microbiome, increases the number of good bacteria in your digestive tract, and helps improve bacterial diversity.
- Drink plenty of water – Hydration is essential for digestive health. Fiber pulls water into the colon and helps generate softer, bulkier stools that allow easy elimination of waste out of the body.
Ayurvedic treatment for healthier gut
Along with dietary and lifestyle changes, Ayurvedic doctors recommend certain herbal formulations for gut health. These formulations improve digestion by stimulating appetite, reducing constipation, easing waste elimination, and strengthening the gut.
HempStreet offers a well-researched and evidence-based range of ayurvedic products with Vijaya as a powerful ingredient.
Bilwadi Churna is one of the best digestive medicines constituting Vijaya. It helps in binding the food and absorbing liquid from the intestine. It is beneficial in both acute and chronic cases of diarrhea by destroying infection-causing bacteria and viruses. It also treats gut diseases like abdomen colic, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, dysentery, amoebiasis, and colitis.
This churna regulates intestinal motility and relieves abdominal colic and flatulence. It improves overall gut health, which helps to regulate the gut-brain axis.
Trailokya Vijaya Vati is another potent classical formulation with medical cannabis to improve overall gut health and regulate the gut-brain axis.
Healthy guts offer loads of unseen benefits. Keep it healthy and lead a happier life.
Reference
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14510/10-signs-you-have-an-unhealthy-gut-how-to-heal-it.html
https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-how-gut-health-affects-whole-bod
