Gut Wrenching: 4 Signs you may have an Unhealthy Gut

Is your body sending you signals that you might have an unhealthy gut? If you struggle with abdominal discomfort, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, these could be some of the signs of an unhealthy gut, and the worst may yet to come.

According to FUTURELIFE® dietician, Bianca Jonischkeit, if the bacterium in your gut is unbalanced you could experience several symptoms that can disrupt your everyday life. In addition, Bianca says, “Research shows that a healthy gut plays an important role in one’s mental health and immunity. Did you know that the gastrointestinal tract is home to 70-80% of your immune cells and 90% of the body’s serotonin is made in the digestive tract!” While there are some obvious distress signals that your gut emits as a cry for help, Bianca says that there are other subtler symptoms that could indicate an unhealthy gut:

1. You have digestion problems:Frequent discomfort, gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea may indicate that your gut might be struggling to process food and eliminate waste.

2. You have extreme food (especially sugar) cravings: Eating a lot of sugar can result in the eradication of the beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can lead to inflammation in the body. Consciously reducing your sugar intake may help to restore the balance of bacteria in your gut.

3. You are moody, tired, anxious or depressed: An unhealthy gut can cause insomnia or poor sleep, which leads to fatigue. Plus, the majority of your body’s serotonin, the “feel good” hormone, is produced in the gut, so when there’s an imbalance in the gut microbiota, your mood could be affected as well.

4. You suffer from a skin condition: Research published in 2021 in the journal, Microorganisms, found that eating foods high in saturated fatand refined sugar creates an unhealthy balance of gut bacteria, resulting in an abnormal immune function, leading to inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, and dandruff.

It was the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who stated that “all disease begins in the gut”. Now, almost 2 500 years later, nothing has changed. In fact, Bianca says that it remains vital to keep the bacterium in your gut happy and healthy! “A good balance of bacteria in your gut can help your body to effectively absorb nutrients from the food you eat, rid it of toxins, help it fight harmful bacteria, and even possibly make you happier (thanks to the production of the mood-boosting hormone serotonin).”

Getting your gut health back on track

Bianca adds that it is important to remember that each person is unique. “Every person follows their own unique eating pattern and lifestyle and as a result will have a unique gut microbiome which plays an important role in preventing certain diseases. To ensure that your microbiome is doing its job correctly, you should follow a healthy eating plan and include both fibre and probiotics (live beneficial cultures) as they are known to help the body with good digestion and assist in maintaining a balance of bacteria in our gut,” she advises.

FUTURELIFE® BRAN FLAKES AND BARLEY combines both fibre and probiotics in one convenient 460g or 910g box.  Each box contains 10, separately packed, capsules of HOWARU® Premium Probiotics capsules and is our fibre “hero”, containing 39% of your daily fibre requirements in one single 45g serving.

“Put your gut first and become one step closer to a healthier and happier you,” Bianca concludes.