If you’re feeling lethargic and experiencing gastrointestinal problems, you might be suffering from an unhealthy gut.
Poor gut health can cause a range of health issues and lead to a weakened immune system.
‘Your gut is hugely important for food digestion, absorption and ridding the body of waste,’ says Sam Pearson, a digestive health expert at Procter and Gamble.
So how you can you tell if you have an unhealthy gut?
Ms Pearson says there are five tell-tale signs of poor gut health that you should look out for.
If you’re feeling lethargic and experiencing gastrointestinal problems, you might be suffering from an unhealthy gut (stock image)
1. Constipation
According to Ms Pearson, there’s no hard and fast rule when it comes to regularity.
‘Everyone’s bowels are unique to them,’ she says.
‘However, a bowel movement shouldn’t take an excessive amount of time and you shouldn’t have to strain.
‘Constipation can cause a build up of waste material and toxins in your system. Straining, hard or painful to pass stools, or not feeling ”empty” after a bowel movement are all signs of constipation.
Increasing your fibre intake through wholegrain foods and fruit and vegetable can help to gently push waste through your digestive system. Ms Pearson says fibre supplements can also help with constipation relief.
Increasing your fibre intake through wholegrain foods and fruit and vegetable can help to gently push waste through your digestive system (stock image)
2. Diarrhoea
‘If your stools are too loose and wet, it can be a sign that your gut is not functioning properly,’ says Ms Pearson.
‘A normal bowel movement can be sausage shaped, smooth and soft or with some cracks on the surface, or can be soft blobs with clear-cut edges.’
3. Feeling sluggish
If you’re feeling rundown or tired, it could be because your digestive system isn’t working properly.
‘The digestive system helps to get rid of waste in the body however, if this natural toxin removal process slows down, toxins and waste to build up in the body which can cause you to feel sluggish,’ explains Ms Pearson.
‘Your gut is hugely important for food digestion, absorption and ridding the body of waste,’ says Sam Pearson, a digestive health expert (stock image)
4. Mental health issues
‘Stress, anxiety and depression can be indicators of an issue with your gut bacteria,’ she says.
‘Our intestines produce a large portion of the happy hormone serotonin however, lifestyle factors like excess alcohol consumption, change in diet or travel can cause changes to this delicate balance, in turn impacting hormone and neurotransmitter production.’
5. Bad breath
Bad breath can mean an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. ‘Eating a healthy diet and getting enough fibre in your diet are good ways to help cleanse your insides and support gut health,’ says Ms Pearson.