What Are the Symptoms of An Unhealthy Gut & How to Fix It?

Blogs26 Sep 2024

Easy to ignore, and a tad bit tougher to control, gut health is one of the most important aspects of our health. A healthy gut is a sign of overall health and wellness of the body, especially in older adults. Did you know that your gut has links to your hormones, digestion and even your brain? Yes, that’s what makes it so important to maintain!

In this article, we’ll take you through what a healthy gut means, the common bad gut health symptoms and some helpful tips to help you improve it.

What is a healthy gut?

A healthy gut has a well-functioning and diverse gut microbiome. But what’s a microbiome? The gut microbiome or gut flora or gut microbiota is the gut environment that is made up of trillions of living bacteria or microorganisms. You can think of it as a microscopic city of bacteria that are a mix of good and bad, living inside our bodies!

Interestingly, each person has a unique set of microorganisms based on their DNA. In a healthy gut, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses coexist peacefully and help support several other functions in the body.

How is Your Gut Microbiome Responsible for Your Health?

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the health of an individual.

• It can carry out a variety of metabolic functions that other organs cannot, such as the breakdown and digestion of nondigestible carbohydrates such as resistant starches etc., to produce energy in the body.
• It can strengthen the immune function of the body by causing protective responses to harmful bacteria, inflammatory responses to pathogens and triggering the death of bad cells in the body.
• It can fight allergens and prevent allergies.
• It may also maintain a bi-directional connection to the brain. This channel helps send signals to the brain when the gut is troubled and vice versa!

Gut Issues One Might Face as They Age

With age, one is bound to face physiological changes in the body which can impact the digestive system and the gastrointestinal tract. Here are some of the commonly faced issues with the gut with age:

• Decreased digestive efficiency
• Reduced ability to absorb nutrients
• Increased risk of constipation, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Diverticular disease
• Weakened immune system
• Higher susceptibility to infections

Poor Gut Health Symptoms: Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

While any symptom can be caused by several different issues and can be confusing to trace sometimes, below are some of the most common symptoms related to a poor gut.

Upset stomach

Do you regularly have an upset stomach or other issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn etc.? This might be a sign of an unhealthy gut! If occurring repeatedly, visit a doctor to understand its underlying causes.

Sleep issues

Science has found a connection between shorter sleep duration or fragmented sleep and a weak gut. However, more research is required on the matter to draw a firm conclusion, since sleep issues might be caused due to a multitude of factors.

Irregular Weight

When you have a weak gut, your body’s ability to absorb more nutrients, regulate blood sugar, and store fat can take a huge hit. This might result in abnormal fluctuation in weight.

Food intolerances

Not quite like food allergies but having an unhealthy gut might cause difficulty in digesting certain kinds of foods. This difficulty in digestion could manifest in several ways such as bloating, gas, nausea etc.

Autoimmune conditions

Our body can protect itself through a strong immune function. However, sometimes, it can mistake our organs as foreign and attack them. This is how autoimmune diseases like Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and more work. Studies have found that gut microbes can be a cause for some of these conditions.

Tips To Improve Gut Health for Older Adults

• Maintain a healthy diet filled with fruits and vegetables, particularly dark green leafy vegetables, along with legumes, and whole grains. Since these foods contain fibre, they might help feed gut microbes, creating a good gut environment. 
• According to a study, exercising regularly might help food move easily in the body, and reduce inflammation in the gut and this could positively affect the gut microbiome!
• Add probiotics to your diet to ensure that your gut is introduced to more beneficial bacteria!
• Look to include more fermented foods to your meals too. They increase microbiome diversity in the gut and improve immune responses too. Some examples of fermented foods that you can include in your day are yoghurt, kombucha, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh etc.

Types of Food to Support Your Gut

High-fibre foods: Fruits, vegetables (green leafy vegetables), and whole grains

Fermented foods: Kimchi, pickles

Prebiotic-rich foods: Garlic, Onions, Bananas, Oats, Asparagus, Apples

Conclusion

Your gut contains a host of good and bad bacteria that coexist peacefully and help you digest foods and maintain physical and mental health. With age, it's possible to face gut health issues through common symptoms such as constipation, gas, and diarrhoea, among others, leading to complex issues such as lower nutrient absorption, weaker immunity and more. By understanding the signs of an unhealthy gut and taking steps to improve gut health , you can ensure a smoother journey towards healthy ageing.

We at Right Shift are champions for better eating and lifestyle habits in your 40s and beyond. We understand the importance of making health a priority during this phase of life to enjoy it to its fullest. You can explore our website to find tailor-made meal plans filled with foods to improve gut health to boost your gut health and more and say hello to a fitter, happier you!