Learn to Listen to your Gut

What are the signs of a healthy gut?

It helps if you know how to listen to your gut and to know what you’re looking for!

First up: Bowel Movements. Everyone is a little different but you should be having regular bowel movements. That would be one to two everyday on average but again, that might vary even when you’re in perfect balance. And it’s a good idea to become familiar with the Bristol Stool Chart just to be sure that you know what you’re seeing. Obvious signs of trouble would be any blood or noticeable mucus in the stool. And be aware that sometimes blood can appear very dark, black or the consistency of coffee grounds if it originates further up the digestive tract.

Our digestive tract is a very complex system. We need adequate stomach acid, bile (made in the liver and secreted by the gallbladder) and digestive enzymes (secreted by the pancreas) for food to get processed in the stomach. Then we have many specialized cells that line our small intestine that perform many different functions and these are covered by a mucus layer that performs it’s own functions. There are components of our immune system and nervous system working all throughout the tract. In fact, researchers are still learning new ways that the gut is connected to our brain and nervous system, collectively referred to as the Brain-Gut axis. And that’s before getting to the gut microbiome which consists of around 100 TRILLION cells (bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc) that collectively weigh about 4.4 pounds! That’s about ten times the number of cells that make up the human body! They play an important role in our digestion and produce things that our bodies need.

Any of these components can become compromised or the microbiome can fall out of balance, which is called dysbiosis. These kinds of problems can cause symptoms like bloating, cramping, intestinal gas, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, depression, etc. So paying attention to your body as a whole and how you’re feeling day to day can be a signal or reflection of what state your gut health is in.

Want to know more about what we can do to support a healthy gut?

Sign up for a n initial consultation with me, The Gut health Pharmacist!