Gut health is a reference to the amount and functionality of good bacteria in your digestive tract.
You may associate bacteria with words like “dirty” and “gross”, but hold up! Bacteria might seem like outside invaders, but in fact, you actually have more bacterial cells than human cells in your body at any given time.
This “good” bacteria is essential to your digestive system, metabolism, organ health, and your energy levels. Good bacteria allows the gut to “talk” to your hormones, brain, and nervous system.
Gut health also plays a role in supporting your immune system and lowering our likelihood of disease. In fact, without a healthy gut with millions of good bacteria functioning properly, it would be hard to survive!
Here are some signs and symptoms of an unbalanced gut, and a few ways to kick it into high gear!
3 Signs of Poor Gut Health
There are many cautionary signs of your gut being imbalanced, but here are three big ones to watch for.
Sugary Diets
If you eat a lot of processed foods high in sugar, or add a lot of sugar to everything, it could decrease the good bacteria in your digestive system, and create nasty symptoms especially for those with IBS. In addition, sugar crashes and cravings can make it even worse! Try to aim for less than 25g a day for females, and 36g for males, according to the American Heart Association.
Restless Sleep and Constant Grogginess
Poor gut health is linked to feeling constantly fatigued! In addition, many scientists believe that your gut microbiome impacts your serotonin levels and sleep quality. This is because most of the serotonin is made in the gut, and serotonin directly affects the quality of your sleep.
Stomach and Intestinal Issues
Is your stomach constantly upset or you feel nauseous frequently? Do you have a lot of issues with your digestion? This could be connected to your gut bacteria. When your gut is healthy, it is able to digest food more quickly and eliminate waste effectively. Dysfunctional gut bacteria, however, may lead to inflammation and indigestion, which results in feeling sick, having constipation or diarrhea, and other unpleasant symptoms.
3 Habits for Good Gut Health
Fortunately, there are things you can try at home in combination with consulting your doctor if you are experiencing these or other symptoms.
Only Take Antibiotics When You Need Them
It used to be common practice to take antibiotics at the first sign of infection, but more often now, you will hear medical providers tell you only to take if absolutely necessary. Definitely listen to your doctor, but also make sure you really need to. Don’t self-diagnose! Taking antibiotics can be harmful because they not only kill the bad bacteria, but wipe out a lot of the good bacteria in your gut as well.
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
You have heard us say this before, but the practice of getting quality sleep is linked to your gut health! This is because of the strong gut-brain connection--they communicate with each other all the time. So, if your brain is not getting adequate rest, it can affect your digestive system’s function! If you find it hard to sleep at night, try EZ Melts all-natural Essential Sleep Bundle, with melatonin and l-theanine. Take them both before bedtime to ensure your body knows it is time to hit the hay.
Eat High-Fiber Foods and Drink Water
This might sound simple--and that’s because it is! Staying hydrated is essential to gut health as it supports the intestinal lining, where your bacteria lives and breaks down your food! Also, eating a diet rich in fiber is vital for speedy digestion and getting the maximum nutritional benefits from your food.
Go With Your Gut
Listening to your gut and reading your body’s physical cues is important in ensuring that your gut microbiome is functioning properly.
You’ll find that your quality of life takes a huge hit without a happy gut. It communicates with your entire body, meaning it needs all the support it can get for its good bacteria. Go with your gut--make sure you are taking care of it!
EZ Melts Difference--Zero Sugar
Natural supplements like EZ Melts vitamins are a great way to make all essential vitamins and minerals bioavailable to your metabolism. Try our all-natural, zero sugar supplements!
The best part about choosing EZ Melts? Our tablets are fast melting, EZ to take, and have delicious customer-approved flavors.
In addition, all our supplements have zero sugar, zero chemical additives, are vegan, and non-GMO. Still be sure to talk to your doctor about if EZ Melts supplements are right for your needs.
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Written by Annie-Eliza Stevens