Table of Contents
Table of Contents
When your gut runs smoothly, it’s business as usual. You eat comfortably, and your bowel movements are regular. You don’t think about your digestive system because it’s doing what it’s supposed to do.
But if your gut goes haywire, it’s not always obvious. Given your gut’s importance to your overall health — your gut supports immune function too — it’s wise to know what to look for.
“When your gut is healthy, it breaks down the food you eat into nutrients that fuel your body and then removes everything else as waste,” says Dallas-based dietitian Kelly Taliaferro, who specializes in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and digestive disorders at Hues Nutrition. “If your gut isn’t healthy, it can’t digest, absorb, or remove waste properly.”
A healthy gut produces between three bowel movements a day and three bowel movements a week. Your stool should be formed, and your bowel movement should be a comfortable, quick, and easy experience.
“Your bowel movements can tell you a lot about your gut health,” Taliaferro says. “If you’re having less than three bowel movements a week, hard stools, straining, or incomplete bowel movements, that’s a sign that your gut needs some support.”
Two of the most common causes of constipation are:
“Fiber and water help regulate gut motility and stool consistency, promoting softer and more frequent bowel movements,” Taliaferro says.
Also, certain medications and certain medical conditions, such as pelvic floor dysfunction, can affect gut motility and contribute to constipation.
“Diarrhea can happen for a lot of reasons,” Taliaferro says. Inadequate fiber intake is one of them here, too. “Fiber, especially soluble fiber, helps hold stools together and keep them formed,” she says.
Sometimes, diarrhea can also be a sign of infection, malabsorption, or inflammation. Consult your doctor if you’re experiencing diarrhea three or more times a week for more than a couple of months.
Medications can also sometimes cause diarrhea by increasing gut motility.
Nausea, heartburn, and pain can each be symptoms of an unhealthy gut.
“Overeating, stress, and even the way we eat — like rushing through meals — can all affect stomach function,” Taliaferro says.
Don’t worry if you occasionally have an upset stomach.
“There’s cause for concern if there’s a pattern,” Taliaferro says. As with diarrhea, if you have an upset stomach several times a week for more than a couple of months, see a healthcare provider.
“Bloating and distension aren’t exactly the same thing,” Taliaferro says. “Bloating is more like an internal sensation, while people with distension say they look six months pregnant.”
Being constipated can create bloating and distension due to the amount of stool and gas in the gut.
Carbohydrate intolerance, such as lactose intolerance and bacterial overgrowth, can change how nutrients are absorbed and then lead to discomfort. The discomfort usually presents as bloating or distension, though both are possible at the same time.
Some skin conditions seem to be associated with an altered gut microbiome. They include atopic dermatitis, acne vulgaris, rosacea, and hidradenitis suppurativa.
Sometimes unexplained rashes can be a sign of a systemic problem that’s also affecting the gut — histamine intolerance or a systemic nickel allergy, for example, Taliaferro notes.
And certain skin conditions carry an increased risk of gut diseases, among them IBD.
“The tricky thing is that a skin condition isn’t always a sign of an unhealthy gut, and an unhealthy gut often doesn’t manifest as a skin condition,” Taliaferro says. “In my practice, I pay extra attention to skin conditions that have a better-documented relationship to gut health, or skin conditions that don’t respond to treatment well or are unexplained.”
The general population should aim for 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day, Taliaferro says.
“Most Americans fall short on fiber even though we know it’s a gut-health hero,” she says. “Fiber has a host of benefits for digestion, including regulating gut motility, feeding good gut bacteria, and keeping us healthy.”
Most plants have fiber, “but they’re not all equal,” Taliaferro says. Her favorite high-fiber foods include raspberries, oats, pumpkin, carrots, and kiwi.
Everyone’s water intake is unique, based on their gender, age, activity level, the weather, and, in some cases, medication.
“The best way to tell if you’re hydrated is to check your urine,” Taliaferro says. If it’s pale yellow, much like the color of hay, you’re well-hydrated.
“Water is just as critical for digestion as fiber,” she says. “Water helps food move smoothly through the gut and helps keep our gut bacteria and cells healthy. Without water, digestion slows down, contributing to constipation.”
Feeding your gut bacteria is one important step in maintaining gut health.
“Different bacteria in your gut have different food sources they prefer, so the more diverse your diet is, the more diverse your gut microbiome will likely be,” Taliaferro says.
Aim for whole plant-based foods. Recent research shows that eating at least 30 different plants per week may help gut microbiome diversity.
“Your gut bacteria support your immune system, produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids, and can even produce certain vitamins,” Taliaferro says. They include vitamin K, B12, B6, riboflavin, niacin, and folate, she notes.
Focus on fruits, vegetables, and greens. Whole grains such as millet, quinoa, kamut, farro, and barley also support a healthy gut microbiome. So do nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, and seeds, including hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds (be sure to grind flaxseeds for better absorption).
Eating too fast can:
“In our fast-paced society, it’s easy to find ourselves scarfing down meals,” Taliaferro says. “Try chewing each bite to an applesauce consistency before swallowing. Enjoying longer mealtimes, when possible, and putting phones away to avoid distractions are great ideas too.”
Lack of sleep can:
To keep your gut functioning optimally, aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep every night.
“Sleep is an opportunity for the body to heal and repair itself,” Taliaferro says. “During the night, digestion slows down, and our gut can rest.”
References:
DISCLAIMER: These statements have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
