What are the Long-Term Effects of Poor Gut Health?
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
|What happens when you fill a car with low-quality oil? At first, the engine makes weird sounds and eventually, the whole system slows down.
Now, why are we talking about this? Because your body works the same way. Imagine your body is a car, and food is fuel.
When you fuel it with poor-quality food, your gut takes the first hit. Just like a car, things start to slow down. But here's the catch, you can replace a car but not your body.
Read this blog to know the long-term effects of poor gut health and how to support your body for a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
First, look at what factors in your life are leading to poor gut health.
Factors for Your Poor Gut Health
The gut is known as the “second brain” of your body. This is because it has a vast and complex network of nerves, aka the enteric nervous system (ENS). This neural network controls the digestive process from swallowing to nutrient absorption.
Your gut also communicates with your brain to keep your mental health in check, as 90 to 95% of the happy hormone (serotonin) is produced here. Hence, any imbalance in your gut can have a drastic impact on your mood.
In this context, the following are the factors contributing to poor gut health:
|
Factor |
How It Affects Your Gut |
|
Unhealthy diet (too much sugar, not enough fiber) |
Feeds bad bacteria and reduces the healthy variety in your gut. |
|
Constant stress |
Upsets gut balance and increases inflammation. |
|
Throws off the natural rhythm of your gut bacteria. |
|
|
Not moving enough |
Lowers the number of good bacteria in your gut. |
|
Drinking alcohol / smoking |
Damages your gut lining and kills helpful bacteria. |
|
Frequent medications (like antibiotics) |
Wipe out both bad and good bacteria in your gut. |
|
Toxins in the environment |
Harm the good bacteria and mess with gut balance. |
|
Illness or infections |
Can upset the gut and make it leakier, letting bad stuff in. |
|
Being overweight |
Changes your gut bacteria and raises risk of health issues. |
|
Age, genetics, mode of birth (C-section vs. vaginal) |
Affect how your gut bacteria develop from the beginning. |
If you continue to allow these factors to affect your gut health negatively, this will have long-term effects not only on your gut but also on the whole body.
The Long-Term Health Effects of an Unhealthy Gut
The following are the 7 major effects on your body when gut health is out of balance:
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Mood Disorders & Mental Health Issues
A healthy gut supports a happy mood and emotional balance. But when your gut is out of sync, it can trigger mood swings, anxiety, depression, and stress.
This happens because harmful bacteria interfere with the production of “happy hormones” like serotonin; which is mostly made and has many of its receptors in the gut.
-
Skin Problems
If you're dealing with unexplained, frequent breakouts or skin issues and nothing seems to work, your gut might be the hidden reason. When good bacteria in your gut are low, inflammation can rise. This gives bad bacteria a chance to release harmful chemicals, which may show up on your skin as acne, eczema, psoriasis, or other irritations.
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Autoimmune Conditions
Your gut does more than digest food, it helps protect your body. When the good bacteria get out of balance, your immune system can get confused and start attacking your own healthy cells. This can lead to autoimmune issues like thyroid problems, type 1 diabetes, or joint pain.
-
Food Intolerances
You might notice that certain foods you once digested easily now cause discomfort. This can happen when your gut loses the bacteria needed to break them down. Poor gut health is a major reason for rising food intolerances, leading to bloating, gas, diarrhea, or stomach pain.
-
Sleep Disturbances & Fatigue
Your body clears out toxins while you sleep, but poor gut health can disrupt this process. An unhealthy gut may lead to trouble sleeping, feeling tired all the time, and even memory or mood issues. It can also trigger more stress hormones, making restful sleep harder.
-
Unintentional Weight Changes
If you've gained or lost weight without changing your diet, your gut might be the reason. An imbalance in gut bacteria called dysbiosis, can affect how your body absorbs nutrients and stores fat, leading to unexpected weight changes, even without trying.
-
Digestive Issues
Feeling bloated and experiencing gut discomfort more frequently? Your diet may have to be blamed. It has led to an imbalance in your gut, making it difficult to process what you have consumed, leading to gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn.
Now you know the long-term effects that an imbalanced gut brings to your life. So are there ways to protect yourself from them? Yes! Adopting healthy lifestyle changes can bring your gut health back on track. Let's explore them in the next section.
Also Read: The Gut Health-Weight Loss Connection.
How to Get Your Gut Health on Track?
These simple habits hold more power for your gut health than any costly treatment. These habits bring back the rhythm of your gut, i.e., improve good gut bacteria, and keep bad bacteria at bay.
4 healthy habits for your gut health- Bye Bye Poor Gut Health!
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Eat a fiber-rich diet, including prebiotics and probiotics – To feed the good gut bacteria
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Stay hydrated – To increase the diversity of bacteria
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Manage Stress Effectively – To reduce inflammation
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Get Enough Quality Sleep – To positively impact the gut microbiome
Conclusion
To live a healthy life, remember one simple truth: “When your gut is happy, your whole body is happy.” You don’t need costly or trendy treatments for glowing skin or better health. Nourishing your gut with water, prebiotics, probiotics, and natural ingredients can-do wonders. These tiny microbes may be small, but they hold the key to reaching your biggest health goals.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been assessed by the FDA. The information contained within this page is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the advice or care of healthcare professionals.
References:
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Ellis, S.R. et al. (2019) 'The skin and gut microbiome and its role in common dermatologic conditions,' Microorganisms, 7(11), p. 550. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7110550.
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What is dysbiosis? (2024). https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-is-dysbiosis.
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Woo, C. (2021) Our second brain: More than a gut feeling - UBC Neuroscience. https://neuroscience.ubc.ca/our-second-brain-more-than-a-gut-feeling/ rel="nofollow".
