Daily Mistakes that are damaging your Gut Health

Do you have persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating?

Have you been able to identify the root cause of these symptoms? A variety of organisms such as fungi, bacteria,viruses and other microbes reside inside a human body’s gastrointestinal tract, also known as the ‘gut’. The majority of these live inside the large intestine and are responsible for the effective functioning of the immune system

In this article, we will explain the most common mistakes that you incur on an almost daily basis and how these mistakes can impact the genome of the gut.

The following mistakes can hurt your gut health:

1. Anxiety and stress;

2. Dehydration;

3. Sleep deprivation;

4. Strenuous and prolonged exercise sessions;

5. Little exposure to sunlight;

6. High consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs.

Anxiety and Stress

Too much stress and anxiety have a direct impact on the hormone ‘cortisol’. This hormone is responsible for the ‘flight or fight‘ mechanism in the human body. An increased release of this hormone disrupts the gut functioning as the stomach releases fewer secretions for the digestion of food.

Dehydration

Doctors frequently emphasize the need to keep yourself well-hydrated. The human body is made up of 60 to 80 percent water. Drinking at least eight glasses of water daily is critical for the proper functioning of the gut. When a person is dehydrated, the mucosal lining of the gut starts deteriorating.

Sleep Deprivation

Inadequate sleep disturbs the balance of microbes in the gut as well as the body’s internal clock. This leads to the release of cortisol hormone. Fewer hours of sleep causes a reduction of the ‘good‘ gut bacteria. Experts recommend 7 to 8 hours of sound sleep everynight. A disturbed bacterial genome in the gut enhances the cravings for high sugar content food like junk food.

Strenuous and Prolonged Exercise Sessions

Exercise is beneficial for the overall health of a person. However, too much highintensity

exercise can lead to the disruption of hormonal levels Intense exercise sessions cause

‘leaky gut’ and secretion of cortisol. A high level of the cortisol hormone disrupts the

digestion process and leads to diarrhea, bloating and acid reflux.

Little Exposure to Sunlight

As we all know, sunlight is essential for vitamin D production in the human body. In addition to vitamin D, recent studies indicate that exposure to sunlight promotes the diversity microbes in the gut region. Our busy schedules deprive us of outdoor time like taking a stroll in the park or enjoying time in the sunlight. This causes a deficiency of essential vitamins in our body.

High Consumption of NSAIDs

Usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) disrupts the balance of microbes inthe gut region and may cause gas, bloating and diarrhea.

The mistakes mentioned above can damage the gut region and lead to stomach aches,diarrhea, nausea and bloating. One should adopt measures to avoid these mistakes and in case of persistent symptoms consult a general physician or gastroenterologist for treatment.

One major change that can be made in the diet is to consume microbiome-friendly food like Greek yogurt and bananas