Can You Stomach The Truth About Your Digestive Health?

Health is the one area of life we should all be paying the most attention to, but it’s often the one area that we spend time ignoring. How often have you told yourself that you should be seeing a physician when something doesn’t feel right, but then pushing it to the back of your mind like it just doesn’t matter? You’d be surprised how often people put their jobs, their social lives and their chores before their own health. Before you know it, there’s a bigger issue happening, and it could all have been prevented had you headed to the doctor in the first place.

Being in tune with your body means recognising when things don’t feel good and knowing what is normal for you. The digestive system makes up a huge portion of your body, so when things don’t feel quite right, you’ll know about it quite quickly. The processes of the digestive system allow you to process food and remove waste from the body. It’s connected from top to bottom, so if there is an issue in the mechanics at the top, then you’re going to know about them by the bottom. As a species, we are increasingly ingesting processed foods, medications and chemicals on plants, which means that our bodies have to learn to adjust to processing all of these things in a way that keeps us healthy and doesn’t make us sick. Regular check-ups with the doctor and a yearly visit to the Gastroenterology Center can make a huge difference to your digestive health, but that would mean paying attention to what your guts are doing in the first place. The symptoms that you feel when it comes to your digestive system can be – well – embarrassing. We don’t make a habit of discussing our toilet habits, so it stands to reason that you’d hide away any issues and hope that they go away on their own. The most important thing that you can do is recognise when your body is having issues, and with the signs below, you can get on top of your health when they do start up. So, what should you be looking for when it comes to a healthy gut?

Reflux. Unless you’ve been pregnant or on certain medication, it’s not very likely that you’ve experienced acid reflux. The majority of the population tend not to experience heartburn and reflux unless their diet is uneven, and yet it’s a common thing to experience. You’ll know you’re experiencing reflux if you’ve got a burning feeling rising in your chest – particularly at night – and up to the throat. If you are suffering heartburn, see your doctor as soon as you can.

Bad Breath. An issue with your breath being overly ripe isn’t always an issue with your teeth. If you’ve done everything that you can dentally, you need to consider your gut is the issue. Fruity breath can indicate a hidden diabetes that you didn’t know you had. A fishy aroma can point to kidney issues. If you include probiotics in your diet, you can balance the acid in your stomach and make your breath smell better.

Intolerance. It may be hip and trendy to go gluten-free, but for a small portion of the population, it’s a necessity. These intolerances are caused when certain digestive enzymes are deficient when trying to digest and process foods. Lactose and food intolerances and allergies are treated by a trial and error with food; work out which foods are a trigger and avoid those or swap to alternatives.

IBS. Stomach pain, gas and diarrhoea are all symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and certain foods can trigger it. IBS mainly involves a lifestyle and diet change, especially high fiber options. It’s important that you try different foods to know whether your body can tolerate them, so while it can be frustrating, learning what works for you can make a huge difference.

Constipation. Being unable to go when you have the urge can be extremely uncomfortable. This list of foods can really help you when you can’t pass a bowel movement. If it’s prolonged, you can see your doctor for a suppository and to ensure that there are no blockages to worry about.

Some of the signs that your digestive system is under stress aren’t what you may expect, but unless you’re paying attention to your digestive health, you’re not going to know when there’s a problem going on. Your health matters, so make it a priority.