Top Three Contributors Of Poor Gut Health

Introduction

Many health problems have mild and short-lasting symptoms. Unfortunately, those involving the gut tend to have more far-reaching effects, of which can be caused by a variety of factors.

Moreover, some people may underestimate how fundamental their gut is to their overall well-being. If you are experiencing poor gut health, you will likely want to understand what is causing this. That is where you have found yourself in the right place at the right time!

Common Causes of Poor Digestive Health

To help you understand this issue further, we have listed a handful of contributors to poor gut health below. Read through them, and you may find yourself more motivated to pay closer attention to your gut.

1. Thyroid Complications

The thyroid is an important gland that is located in your neck. Your temperature and heart rate are influenced by the hormones the gland produces.

Your thyroid needs iodine, zinc, iron, and selenium to work as it should. If these are not absorbed as well as they should be, you are at a higher risk of enduring thyroid-based issues alongside other health problems too. Problems with your thyroid’s functionality might not initially appear to have an impact on your gut, but research has proven this to be true. While this is the case, it is worth noting that it is not just the thyroid functionality itself that can cause gut issues, but extends to include treatments and medications too.

Some people rely upon medication as a means of treating their existing and ongoing thyroid issue, as a means of leading a healthy life. While this medication undoubtedly provides a whole host of benefits to those who are using them, it is also worth noting there are some side effects, much like with any form of medication. This includes contributing toward poor gut health, despite the link not appearing all that obvious initially. To find out more about how thyroid medication side effects could contribute towards gut issues, check out this guide from Dr. Michael Ruscio, who discusses this more in detail.

2. A Lack Of Or Poor Sleep Quality

Sleep influences your mood. Because your gut is responsible for producing the bulk of serotonin in your system, not getting enough can also mean that you feel fatigued no matter how much ‘rest’ you think you are getting. The quality of rest matters, not just the supposed quantity.

Sleep is everything. It affects your ability to function and think. Getting enough rest also influences how well your body stays healthy. Wounds largely heal themselves during this time, and your immune system is also bolstered by getting enough rest, staving off illnesses.

It is thought that your body follows a circadian rhythm, which, as mentioned briefly above, contributes to the management of illness and diseases. At the same time, it is thought that your gut also follows a certain circadian rhythm, which impacts the levels of gut bacteria in your system. Not getting enough sleep is sure to contribute to gut issues; ensure you are setting a sleep routine and doing what you can to stick to it to minimize the chances of you experiencing anything like this!

3. Lifestyle Choices

Linking closely with our previous point, lifestyle choices have an impact on your overall health, not just that of your gut health. While this is a contributor we feel confident most people think about when considering their gut health, it is undoubtedly worth a mention in this piece all the same. There are various lifestyle choices that we make as human beings that can negatively impact your gut health; this includes choices relating to food and drink consumption, alongside a lack of regular physical activity.

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet is something that is recommended by various health organizations, and for a number of reasons. A diet that is packed with the right level of nutrients will ensure that your body is continually generating and replacing its gut bacteria. Not eating the right things, and consuming too much greasy food is likely to contribute to ill gut health, as is consuming copious amounts of alcohol. Monitoring how much of this you are consuming each week, and taking measures to balance out your choices is a sure way to ensure the poor gut health you are experiencing is minimal.

Conclusion

As you can see, many factors can contribute to poor gut health. Understanding the impact that each one can have on your overall health, and the actions you can take to minimize the impacts will go a long way. While there are sometimes other reasons as to why you are experiencing poor gut health, it is important to remember to get yourself checked over by a doctor should you have any cause for concern.

Getting to the root cause of why you are unwell is important, and will give you the useful information for making informed decisions relating to your health. From here, you will be able to make changes in your life which will benefit both your gut health, and that of your overall health too.

See also:

• How to Identify and Treat Acid Reflux Symptoms

About Theresa Duncan

Originally from Detroit, MI, Theresa has been offering health and fitness advice for the last 30 years while working as an engineer. She decided to turn her passion into a profession, and finds nothing more satisfying than helping others reach their health and fitness goals.