Do You Have An Unhealthy Gut? 6 Warning Signs

Gut health is a crucial component of overall health. Your gastrointestinal tract is a delicate ecosystem home to millions of microorganisms. If this ecosystem becomes compromised or imbalanced, you may experience any number of adverse health effects.

In order to maintain overall physical health, you must restore balance to this system as quickly as possible. Your compounding pharmacy at the Lake of the Ozarks is here to help by identifying some potential warning signs of an unhealthy gut.

Possible Warning Signs Of An Unhealthy Gut 

1. Poor Immune System
Do you find yourself getting sick constantly? If your microbiome is out of whack, it can affect your immune system in multiple ways. One example is that the membranes of the intestinal walls may become permeable, allowing toxins to escape into the rest of the body. Your immune cells must work around-the-clock to keep these toxins in check, draining them of the energy required to fight off additional viruses and bacteria. Alternatively, an over-population of harmful bacteria may suppress the immune system or prevent it from functioning altogether.

2. Skin Irritations Or Blemishes
We don't often think of it as such, but skin is an organ - in fact, it's the largest organ we have. Multiple studies have recently discovered links between skin conditions and gastrointestinal challenges such as bloating and constipation. It is reasonable to believe that skin irritations, blemishes, and conditions such as acne, rosacea, dermatitis, and psoriasis can sometimes be the result of an unhealthy or unbalanced microbiome. 

3. Difficulty Maintaining A Healthy Weight
The bacteria that reside in our gastrointestinal tract play a significant role in digestion. Recent studies have shown that in comparison to slim individuals, obese people tend to have higher levels of certain bacteria and lower levels of others. Since each of these types of bacteria play important roles in the breakdown of sugars and storing/burning of fat, scientists believe that this bacterial imbalance may be partially responsible for an obese individual's challenges of maintaining a healthy weight.

4. Autoimmune Diseases

A person is diagnosed with an autoimmune disease when his immune cells mistake healthy, needed cells as foreign bodies that must be attacked. While the root cause of many autoimmune diseases are still unknown, some experts speculate that they may be linked to an imbalance of bacteria in the gut. We know that this bacteria plays a vital role in maintaining our immune system, so it seems reasonable to believe that an imbalanced gut may be partially responsible for the development of some autoimmune disorders.

5. Digestive Issues
This is perhaps one of the most obvious signs that a body's internal microbiome has been thrown off-balance. Because the bacteria in your gut plays such an integral role in the digestive process, a person with an unhealthy gut may experience any number of adverse digestive symptoms. These may include (but are not limited to) gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome, and acid reflux.

6. Mental Health Challenges
The concept of a gut-brain connection is relatively new to modern medicine, but it seems to hold several an incredibly powerful (and relevant) insights. Just as feelings of stress or nervousness can affect the gut, an imbalanced gut can directly affect the brain. Individuals who are battling with mental health issues may have an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy bacteria in their guts.

Healing An Unhealthy Gut

While the symptoms we just described are certainly not limited to imbalances in the body's natural microbiome, they are often related. If you are experiencing any of the health challenges we have discussed, it might be wise to take steps to restore balance to the bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.

The first (and possibly the most important) step you should take is to clean up your diet. If possible, you may also want to consider moving way from antibiotics and other prescription medications (including birth control) that may be upsetting your body's natural ecosystem. You can also take steps to rebuild a population of healthy bacteria by consuming probiotics. Probiotics are found naturally in certain foods such as natural Greek yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi. They can also be taken in the form of oral supplements.

Pick Up Your Probiotic At The Lime!

Our pharmacy at the Lake of the Ozarks offers a superior probiotic supplement called Ortho Biotic. It is one of our top-selling products, and for good reason. This special blend of bacteria strains have been specially chosen to complement and complete the body's natural ecosystem. For more information about probiotics, contact our Lake of the Ozarks compounding pharmacist by calling (573) 964-6786.

The Lime In The Coconut Specialty Compounding Pharmacy

Feel As Good On The Inside As You Do On The Outside!

Like Us On Facebook

Follow Us On Twitter

Connect With Us On LinkedIn

+1 Us On Google+

111 Crossings West, Suite 6

PO Box 2145

Lake Ozark, MO 65049

(573) 964-6786 

Hours:
Monday-Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM