Symptoms You Never Thought Were Related To Your Gut, But Shockingly Are!
The body is such a complex system and one of the challenges is trying to understand the messages from the body (wouldn't it be nice, if it would just speak english! Jeesh!) The most confusing part is when we have symptoms that seem to be simply what they appear to be, but they are actually a sign of a deeper issue or an issue in a different part of the body then where the symptom is appearing.
Let me give you an example...
You break out in rash. Seems simple, right? It must be a "skin issue", let's treat the skin itself. Well this line of thinking is proving to be ineffective over and over again (people trying to treat their acne topically will attest to this!)
You see, "skin issues" can be an indicator of anything from a hormone imbalance to food sensitivities.
I have been told SO many times "Oh, I don't have gut issues" or "my gut feels fine." Chances are your gut is NOT fine! With daily stressors from environmental toxins, dehydration, antibiotic use, eating the same foods all the time, and emotional stressors your gut is on high drive trying to keep you fueled and supporting your gut will always prove to be beneficial.
Your body may already be signaling symptoms that are a sign of a gut imbalance and you didn't even know it. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, your gut would appreciate a little bit of love.
Bad breath
We have all experienced being around someone with bad breath or worse, been informed we have it! Bad breath is a sign of gut rot. Yummy! A good visual of what's going on in your gut to cause a rising of a bad smell. Skip the mints, gum, mouth wash and other fancy gimmicks and jump right to the root, your gut!
Longitudinal lines on fingernails
Check out your nails for lines or ridges. This is a classic sign of malabsorption. In other words, your gut is struggling to digest foods and absorb the vitamins and minerals that come with it. Which leads us to the next symptom...
Fatigue
With poor digestion and absorption of nutrients comes low energy. I mean, it makes sense right. No fuel in your car... guess what? Your not going to get very far and it is the same thing with your body.
Depression and anxiety
Studies are now showing that up to 90% of your serotonin (your happy hormone) is produced in your GUT! What this really means is that if your gut is unhappy, you will be too! Read more on one of my favourite ways to support both my gut health and mental health here.
Note: Depression and anxiety are multi-faceted and your gut is just one piece of the puzzle. Seek out a practitioner that can provide you with a complete program to guide you through your specific needs.
Undigested food in your poop
In other words if you can identify it once it's gone out the other end... you've got some work to do on your gut! Whole foods (corn doesn't count) in your poop is a good sign that you have an underactive stomach (low enzymes), causing your gut to struggle breaking down foods. With low absorption of nutrients you are likely experiencing not only fatigue but possibly even stomach pains.
White coated tongue
You may be tempted to brush or scrape it off with a toothbrush, but it doesn't fix the issue at hand. A white coated tongue is a good sign there is an imbalance of good to bad bacteria and that candida (a yeast overgrowth) may be an issue, which means your gut is our number one priority. To read more on how to kick candida to the curb, click here.
