You probably don’t think about your gut unless it’s protesting about the 10 pints of beer followed by a chicken vindaloo you consumed last night. But, you should. Poor gut health is linked to dozens of serious problems, including cancer.
Your gut health is very important. When gut bacteria are out of whack, it can affect your energy levels, your mood, and even your libido. Good bacteria help the gut remove toxins, digest food, regulate hormone production, absorb vitamins and minerals, and boosts our immune system. If the bad bacteria crowd out the good bacteria, chaos ensues.
Good Vs. Bad
The gut needs beneficial bacteria to function properly. They help your digestive system do its job. Unfortunately, antibiotics kill good bacteria as well as the bad. This disrupts the fine balance in your gut, which causes a host of physical problems.
Gut Problems
When you don’t have enough ‘good’ bacteria in your gut, you will suffer a number of unpleasant symptoms: Here are 5 signs gut out of whack.
- Acne breakouts
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Irritability and mood swings
- Constipation
- Sleep problems
Other symptoms include abdominal bloating, stomach pain and cramps, excessive gas, nausea, lethargy, and if you are really unlucky, you might even develop an autoimmune disorder.
C. Diff Infection
Whilst the above problems are unpleasant, a Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection is more serious. C. diff is a group of bacteria that can invade the gut and grow out of control. There are different strains of C. diff, but the worst cause inflammation inside the gut and damage to the colon. Symptoms include persistent diarrhoea, nausea, cramps, fever, and blood/pus in your stools. A C. diff infection often occurs after taking antibiotics for another infection and should always be suspected if you have recently finished a course of antibiotics.
The standard treatment is, ironically enough, more antibiotics, but if this is ineffective and symptoms persist, a faecal transplant has been proven to be effective. Transferring a small sample of stool from a healthy person to the bowel of someone with a C. diff infection can restore the good bacteria and relieve symptoms within a few days. The Mayo Clinic claims the procedure cures nine out of ten patients.
Restoring the Balance
Eating a diet based mainly on sugar and junk food is not the best way to maintain gut health. What we eat has a direct effect on your gut health, so it is best to avoid inflammatory foods and anything that might encourage the bad bacteria to grow in abundance.
If you want to heal your gut, you need to quit your sugar habit and switch to a diet filled with healthy fats, organic meat, and fresh vegetables. Healthy bacteria are found in fermented foods and probiotic supplements, so it is wise to include some kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut in your diet. Taking a daily probiotic supplement is also a good idea.
Pay close attention to your gut’s health, especially if you have recently been prescribed a course of antibiotics. If you have, be proactive and start boosting your good bacteria before things get out of whack.
