Gut Issues and Gut Health

An unhealthy gut can be caused by lots of things. Antibiotics, wipe out beneficial bacteria. A diet low in fiber or the wrong kind of fiber such as is found in the SAD - Standard American Diet, can cause gut problems. Long term stress and hormone dysregulation is bad for the gut.  Pathogen bacteria or "bd guys" or yeast can cause more gut problems.  Why is a healthy gut so important? Read On. 

Your gut and your brain work together. In fact they are connected via the Vegas nerve. Ninety percent of your Serotonin for the brain is make in the gut. seventy-two percent of your dopamine is made in the gut. Fifty percent of your calming chemical Gaba is made in the gut. Many functional medicine doctors call your gut your second brain. An imbalanced gut has been linked to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.

You heard right. All your B vitamins B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, and more are all extracted from food, assembled and absorbed into the body. in the gut. These vitamins are essential for the body to function properly.   

With the right bacteria microbiome (collection of bacteria) your gut can absorb the nutrients and minerals in the food we eat. Without these mineral cofactors your bodies biochemical pathways cease. The nutrients absorbed in your gut keep you alive and thriving.

Approximately seventy percent of your immune system resides in your gut. The billions of bacteria in your gut microbiome guard against disease and aid in activating and maintaining your immune system. If these bacteria are killed or eliminated it can lead to a range of diseases and health issues such as viruses and bacteria overgrowth, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, allergies, and other serious diseases. . 

Gut health is one of the major factors determining skin health.  Food and other allergies often erupt on the skin. Ache, eczema and psoriasis are directly connected to the gut. What's happening to your skin is often a reflection of what's going on with your gut.   

Gut health is closely linked to the sleep-wake cycle. Studies have suggested that the gut plays a essential role in getting to sleep and staying asleep. An unbalanced microbiome in the gut can lead to insomnia and interrupted sleep.