Centuries ago the Greek Physician Hippocrates once said “all disease begins in the gut”, what a wise man he was. Of course, not ALL disease begins in the gut, however, there is a ton of evidence that many chronic diseases do in fact begin in the gut! Many scientists, doctors and researchers are now seeing how important gut health is to your overall health.
Now i’m definitely no expert, but I completely believe in the old saying “if you eat good, you feel good”. Because the gut is so connected to other parts of your body, including; your brain, immune system, and other organs, there are distinguishing symptoms implying that your gut needs a reboot. Here is what to look for:
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You cant seem to lose weight.
Do you workout and eat healthy but still seem to struggle with your weight especially around the midline? Your gut bacteria can influence your metabolism, food cravings and how many calories your body absorbs from the food you eat, making it harder to lose weight and keep it off.
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You get sick all the time.
You have probably heard this before, but most of your immune system is in your gut. So if your gut is off balance, you’re going to be more susceptible to getting sick. Instead of reaching for medications to fight off a cold, you want to boost your immunity by working on your gut health.
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You’re constantly tired and have a lack of focus.
This is a pretty complex issue, but the short explanation is: it’s your guts job to digest the food and break it down for energy. So if your gut is imbalanced, you may not be getting the energy you need from the food you’re eating, causing you to feel tired all the time. The Real Reason your so Tired all the Time explains the top 3 reasons for being exhausted 24/7.
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Break outs, skin rashes or eczema.
The skin is the largest organ in the body, so if your skin is going crazy, thats usually a sign of whats happening in your gut. You may have noticed that when you eat well, your skin is glowing. Yet when you eat junk food, it shows all over your face. This is a clear sign your skin is affected by your gut health.
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You feel anxious, moody, or depressed.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that sends signals from one part of the brain to the other, and it’s important in regulating your mood. However, did you know serotonin is actually located in your gut? No wonder the gut is known as “the second brain”. Whether you’re feeling anxious, depressed, moody, or just straight up meh, your gut is to blame!
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You’re bloated, constipated or gassy.
Ok this one is pretty obvious, digestion issues like bloating, constipation and gas is definitely linked to gut heath. But instead of just treating these issues with medications, get to the root of the problem and heal your gut!
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You have arthritis or joint pain.
This one came as a surprise to me, but it makes sense that arthritis: a painful inflammation and stiffness in the joints, would be caused by “the not so good gut bacteria”. In fact just in the last couple years there has been a ton of research on this subject. Functional medicine pioneer Dr. Susan Blum said about healing from arthritis, “taking time to dig deeper for systemic imbalances that could potentially contribute to a patient’s pain symptoms — and for many, the gut is the best place to start”. Check out her research “To treat arthritis, first heal the gut” to learn more about it.
I think it’s safe to say, if you’re having any of these issues your gut may be to blame! I would love to hear from you, please comment below with any questions or comments.
