5 Signs of An Unhealthy Gut (And What To Do About It)
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For the longest time, I thought what I was feeling was normal. Bloating after every meal, brain fog, the random food sensitivities that kept popping up left and right, the constipation…super glamorous stuff, I know.
All of these things I was experiencing were not “normal”, yet I wrote them off for so long because I just thought everyone must feel this way. It wasn’t until the symptoms got worse that I realized my gut was trying to tell me something… this wasn’t “normal”, these were signs of an unhealthy gut.
If something feels off in your body, but you can’t quite seem to put a finger on it, your gut may be trying to tell you something. Here are a few unhealthy gut symptoms that I wish I’d known sooner, and a few ways to start better supporting your gut right now.
Signs Your Gut Is Waving a Red Flag
So… what are the signs of an unhealthy gut, exactly? Here are some of the more common ones.
Persistent and Pesky Digestive Issues
You know… the chronic bloating, gas, constipation, irregular bowel movements…you name it. If every time you eat, it feels like you’ve swallowed a balloon, or you just can’t seem to go to the bathroom (or maybe you go too much), these could all be unhealthy gut symptoms, and signs your gut is waving a red flag.
Sure, everyone can have an off day with some bloating or digestive issues…but when it’s your everyday reality, there may be something deeper going on.
Random Food Sensitivities That Keep Popping Up
You know that feeling when you eat something you’ve had a hundred times before and suddenly…nope, your stomach wants nothing to do with it? One day, eggs are fine, the next they’re not. Suddenly gluten is a problem. Then dairy. Then that random salad you’ve eaten a million times. Sound familiar? That was me with so many foods. Food sensitivities are often a sign that your gut lining is compromised and your digestive system is overwhelmed.
Brain Fog or Poor Concentration
Do you ever feel like you’re thinking through a cloud? That mental fuzziness that just won’t seem to go away, no matter how much sleep you’re getting? This could be a sign of an unhappy gut. Your gut and brain are in constant communication through what’s called the gut-brain axis. This connection is why you sometimes feel “butterflies” when you’re nervous. The gut is often referred to as “the second brain,” so when your gut is struggling, your mind often is too.
Skin Issues That Won’t Let Up
Similarly to how there’s a gut-brain axis, there’s also a gut-skin axis. I know… what doesn’t your gut control at this point?
Basically, your gut and your skin talk to each other constantly. So when something is off in your gut, the skin can often reap the consequences. If you’re dealing with annoying, pesky breakouts, skin dryness or dullness, or irritation that no amount of skincare products seem to fix… your gut could be the sneaky culprit.
When your gut is inflamed or your microbiome is out of whack, it can cause acne, eczema, or even psoriasis. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to stop looking in the medicine cabinet and start looking at your gut.
Mood Swings, Anxiety, or Low Energy
Been feeling more anxious than normal? Or like your emotions have been a roller coaster? Or even like you’re running on empty? This could be another alarm bell that your gut is trying to signal to you.
Your gut produces around 90% of your body’s serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for your mood and sleep. When your gut is unhealthy, your mood can feel the affects.
But Why Are These Things Happening in the First Place?
So, what’s actually going on here? What could be the root cause of all of these frustrating, unhealthy gut symptoms?
Believe it or not, your gut has trillions of bacteria that make up the microbiome. The microbiome is made up of both good and bad bacteria, and together, they make up a whole ecosystem in our gut (kind of weird to think about), that lives mostly in the large intestine.
When this so-called “ecosystem” is in balance, it runs smoothly. When it gets thrown off balance, that’s when the ripple effect of symptoms can start to appear, and next thing you know, you have an unhealthy gut microbiome. It typically gets thrown off when there’s an uneven amount of bacteria, whether that be good or unhealthy gut bacteria.
To be honest… the modern-day life is really good at throwing our microbiomes out of whack. From chronic stress, poor diet, antibiotics, lack of sleep, and even environmental toxins. All of these things can affect our gut health if we let them, and can lead to inflammation in the gut lining.
When our gut lining is negatively impacted, over time, it stops doing its job properly, and things that shouldn’t be passing through start to…and that’s when things start going haywire.
The First Steps to Supporting Your Gut Health
If you’re thinking, “Great, what you said above describes my life”, don’t fret. To learn how to fix an unhealthy gut, you don’t need to completely change your lifestyle! Below are the first steps I’d recommend to anyone just starting their gut health jounrey.
Remove the Biggest Triggers First
Before you add anything in, sometimes it helps to take some things out first. Things like gluten, dairy, alcohol, processed foods, and refined sugar are usually some of the most common gut irritants.
Believe me… I love bread and cheese as much as the next person, so before you panic, I’m not here to tell you to never eat bread again! But giving your gut a temporary break from some of these irritants can make a noticeable difference, even if it’s just for a week or two. You can start by removing one or two of these and see how your body responds.
This is sometimes helpful for the process of elimination in figuring out what is most irritating to your gut, and which things don’t seem to bother you at all.
Add In Gut-Loving Foods
Alright, now that we’ve cleared some space and taken out some of the triggers, we can begin adding in foods that our guts typically love.
Things like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt are incredible for your gut because they’re naturally full of probiotics that feed your good gut bacteria. Fiber-rich veggies like broccoli, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes help keep things moving along. And bone broth (one of my personal favorites) is super soothing on the gut lining and can help with inflammation.
If you’re interested in learning about what supplements are beneficial in supporting the gut, check out my post here. Two supplements that I swear by for supporting the gut lining are L-glutamine and slippery elm.
Take Some Stress Off Your Plate
Seriously…This one is non-negotiable! Chronic stress is one of the most underrated disruptors of gut health. Remember that gut-brain connection we talked about?
And I get it, telling someone to “just stress less” is genuinely unhelpful advice. But taking small steps everyday to calm your nervous system can seriously make an impact. Things such as a short walk, meditation, journaling, breath work, or a quick stretch break during work can give your mind time to decompress. Whatever stress looks like in your life right now, I encourage you to do something that will help support your nervous system… and in turn, your gut!
Move Your Body
I’ll be honest, I was not prioritizing movement when my gut was at its worst…and looking back, that only made things worse. Once I started moving my body more consistently (even on days where it was literally just a 20 minute walk around my neighborhood), my digestion noticeably improved.
Your gut actually responds really well to gentle, consistent movement (think walking, yoga, pilates, etc.). Sometimes those gentle, low-impact exercises can be more beneficial for your gut because they are less stress-inducing than high-impact, high-intensity workouts like heavy lifting and running.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate
I know, I know… you’re probably tired of hearing people say “Drink more water”. But hear me out. Dehydration is one of the most common and overlooked factors to poor digestion and constipation, yet a lot of us may not be drinking as much water as we should be.
Honestly, water is so underrated for gut health. It keeps things moving, it supports your gut lining, and it helps your body get rid of what it doesn’t need. You can start by drinking a full glass of water in the morning before putting anything else in your body.
Drinking plenty of water each day should be enough, but if you feel like you’re in need of a little hydration boost, you could consider trying an electrolyte supplement. If interested, I’ve linked below a few of my favorite, clean ingredient electrolyte brands.
Your Gut Can Heal…And So Can You
If you recognized yourself in any of these signs, you’re not alone. Your body is trying to communicate with you. The fact that you’re here, means you’re listening to it and taking a step in the right direction to heal it!
Healing your gut can take time, but it’s absolutely possible… I’m living proof of that. Once you start making these small changes, you just might notice small signs your gut is healing, too.
If you’re not sure where to start, grab my free gut health guide below. Inside, you’ll find the exact things I’d tell a friend who came to me not knowing where to begin. And, if you want to keep learning, follow along because we’re just getting started!
