“Hi Jenny, I’m wondering if the symptoms I have experiencing are due to my gut health: I get some gas and bloating when eating certain foods, feel like I can’t think clearly sometimes, and have some breakouts on my forehead that won’t clear. Are they related to each other, and to gut health? – A, Dubai”
I’m going to say yes, and yes! Poor gut health has a myriad of symptoms that can sometimes feel unconnected, but all of the issues you mentioned can be related back to poor gut health.
When we talk about an ‘unhealthy gut’ we are really talking about the whole of the GI tract, mainly focussing on the small and large intestines. It is unhealthy when one or more of the following conditions occur:
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Compromised intestinal permeability, aka Leaky Gut: this is when the walls of our (just one cell thick) GI Tract are damaged and inflamed, meaning food particles and toxins that would usually be filtered out get into the bloodstream, creating systemic inflammation and setting off an immune response
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Microbiome Imbalance: our microbiome is the population of good and bad bacteria, mold and fungi that live within the mucus membrane that covers the wall of our GI tract. When these become imbalanced – i.e you have more bad than good bacteria, or when you have an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, this can cause health issues ranging from GI distress to brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, nutrient malabsorption and food cravings.
The range of symptoms that can be attributed to poor gut health are numerous and varied, but the most common include: gas, bloating, stomach cramps, constipation, diarrhea, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain or weight loss, acne, eczema, rosacea, thinning hair, weak nails, irregular periods and food cravings.
These symptoms can also be indicative of thyroid and/or hormonal imbalances, but as poor gut health can often be a cause/ contributor of these imbalances I am always recommend a protocol that heals the the gut first before moving on to other treatments.
My 28 Day Guided Gut Healing Program is designed for those experiencing these symptoms, or for those who want to reboot their health from its foundation. This program is now available to start anytime.