您的腸道細菌失去平衡的跡像

Causes of intestinal imbalance

indigestion

Constipation, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, acid reflux, or heartburn occur. However, they are symptoms of intestinal imbalance. A healthy digestive system will make it easier to process food and remove waste.

Unexpected changes in weight

Weight loss or gain without changing your diet or exercise habits may be a direct sign of an unhealthy gut. An imbalanced gut may have difficulty absorbing nutrients, regulating blood sugar, signaling fullness, and storing fat. A lack of diversity in the gut microbiome may be a precursor to obesity, which can lead to more serious health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

persistent fatigue

Consistently feeling tired even before the day starts may be a sign that something is wrong with your gut. A lack of diversity in gut bacteria is directly linked to sleep disorders such as low energy, chronic fatigue, insomnia and restless sleep. Serotonin is a hormone that affects sleep and mood and is produced in the gut. An abnormally functioning gut can make it difficult to produce or regulate serotonin, which can affect your ability to get a good, restful night's sleep.

irritating skin conditions

Gut health affects everything, even your skin. Conditions like eczema and acne are linked to intestinal inflammation caused by food allergies, poor diet, and a lack of beneficial gut bacteria. When the gut is imbalanced, with more bad bacteria than good, it can cause serious damage to the skin.

food intolerance

When the term "food intolerance" is mentioned, many people think of food allergies. But just because a certain type of food (like dairy or wheat) makes your stomach upset, doesn't necessarily mean you're actually allergic, or even that you have an allergy. Intolerance. The reason certain foods cause an upset stomach is that your microbiome may be imbalanced. Your gut may simply lack enough good bacteria needed to break down certain foods effectively.

mood changes

The gut has been shown to have such a strong impact on the body's functioning that it is often referred to as the "second brain." Research has repeatedly shown that factors such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and emotional well-being are related to the state of the gut. The presence of good bacteria in the gut supports the production and regulation of important mood-enhancing chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin.

things you can do

change your eating habits

Diet has a huge impact on gut health and the balance of good and bad bacteria. Reducing the amount of processed foods, high-sugar, and high-fat foods can lead to a healthier gut. Aim for a balanced diet that includes plenty of plant foods, lean protein, and fiber.

Increase sleep

Getting enough sleep can help promote gut health. Lack of sleep can lead to a decrease in beneficial gut bacteria. In turn, a lack of good bacteria in your gut can lead to more sleep problems. This is a vicious cycle.

Avoid unnecessary medication

Adding more chemicals and medications to your gut will only exacerbate the problems you already have. While some medications are certainly necessary and have a role, such as life-saving antibiotics, limit them to what you really need and what your doctor recommends. For example, antibiotics can completely wipe out the good bacteria in your gut while fighting the bad ones. Other medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antacids, birth control pills, steroids, and hormone replacements can also damage the good bacteria in your gut.

Supplementing with prebiotics and probiotics

A great way to improve gut health is to add prebiotics and probiotics to your diet. Prebiotics can be easily added to your diet by eating foods like bananas, garlic, onions, and leafy green vegetables. Probiotics are found in yogurt and fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, unpasteurized pickles, and kefir. Both can be added as dietary supplements, but talk to your gastroenterologist to make sure you're taking a high-quality supplement that won't end up harming your gut biome further.

Drink more water

One of the easiest ways to promote good gut health is to drink more water. Increasing your water intake helps keep materials moving through your digestive tract and promotes a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Avoid replacing water with caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, which can further irritate the intestines.

avoid stress

It's easier said than done, but reducing stress can help balance your gut. Small changes as simple as a walk, massage, yoga, or a few laughs can reduce stress hormones and allow your gut to produce more serotonin and dopamine.

Signs of gut health

How often do you have a bowel movement

There are no hard and fast rules about how often you "should" have a bowel movement. Instead, watch for a "three and three" pattern: between three and three bowel movements per day for a week. Anything within that range is considered healthy.

You should also have bowel movements during the day. If you find yourself getting up in the middle of the night to poop, it could be a sign that something isn't quite right and you should see your doctor.

How long it takes food to move through the intestines (intestinal transit time)

Another important indicator of gut health is how long it takes for a meal to be digested and the food eaten to pass through the intestines - this is called intestinal transit time.

A healthy intestinal transit time is neither too short nor too long. Our research shows that travel times vary widely from person to person, with typical times around 28 hours.

perfect poop

The color, shape, and consistency of your stool can give you important clues about your gut health.

A healthy intestine produces primarily brown stool, which should be between medium to dark brown.

If your poop is a different color, such as green, black, red or yellow (and you haven't eaten darker foods like beetroot), your bowel may be behaving badly and you should get it checked out.

Signs of intestinal health include stool:

  • Smooth texture;
  • Form into a soft to firm sausage shape, delivered in single large pieces or several small pieces;
  • The sink is in the toilet.

Signs of an unhealthy gut include stool:

  • Hard, lumpy, or looking like small solid pieces, which may mean you are constipated;
  • Very soft or liquid, such as when you have diarrhea;
  • Floating, this may mean there is undigested fat in your stool.

Painless defecation

Being able to poop comfortably is a sign of a healthy gut. You should be able to have a bowel movement without pain or feeling like you have to strain to pass it.

If you do find that you have some pain or discomfort during a bowel movement, or are straining too much, this could be a sign of constipation, food intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, or other medical issues that need to be checked out.

Avoid too much bloating and gas

Gas is a natural byproduct of the trillions of gut bacteria chewing the food we eat. Healthy intestinal activity allows us to fart 10-20 times a day.

Remember - farting is a good thing. Try not to hold your breath as holding in your fart can have negative consequences.

Trapped gas can also make you feel bloated. While it's normal to feel a little bloated and gassy after a large meal, some people do experience this more than others, especially after eating certain foods. Check out our tips for relieving bloating and gas.

If you have persistent bloating or pain that cannot be explained by changes in diet or environment (such as increased stress), you should talk to your doctor.

Review

All comments are moderated before being published

HealthyPIG Magazine

View all
無人機醫療配送:低空經濟下的香港新契機

無人機醫療配送:低空經濟下的香港新契機

  無人機醫療配送:低空經濟下的香港新契機 —— 從健康、醫療金融到商業模式的全球比較與啟示 在香港「低空經濟」監管沙盒下,無人機由數碼港跨海至長洲醫院,約 12 公里航線僅需 18–20 分鐘,相比傳統 45–65 分鐘大幅提速。本文聚焦醫療價值、醫療金融回報與商...
醫管局普通科門診改名「家庭醫學門診」——香港基層醫療新里程?

醫管局普通科門診改名「家庭醫學門診」——香港基層醫療新里程?

  基層醫療 家庭醫學 健康政策 醫管局普通科門診改名「家庭醫學門診」:利與弊、國際比較與香港基層醫療的下一步 醫務衞生局宣佈由 2025 年 10 月 11 日起,將「普通科門診」與「家庭醫學專科門診」統一命名為「家庭醫學門診服務」,74 間普通科門診...
基孔肯雅熱:被伊蚊叮咬後的劇痛病毒 — 病毒、傳播、症狀與防治全解析

基孔肯雅熱:被伊蚊叮咬後的劇痛病毒 — 病毒、傳播、症狀與防治全解析

什麼是基孔肯雅熱? 基孔肯雅熱(Chikungunya Fever)是一種由**基孔肯雅病毒(Chikungunya virus, CHIKV)**引起的急性傳染病,屬於 Togaviridae 家族 Alphavirus 屬。這種病毒最早於 1952 年在坦桑尼亞被發現,其名稱來自當地馬孔德...
登革熱:全球爆發中的熱帶威脅與防護全解析

登革熱:全球爆發中的熱帶威脅與防護全解析

登革熱係乜嘢? 登革熱(Dengue fever)係一種由登革熱病毒(Dengue virus)引起嘅急性傳染病,主要經由伊蚊(Aedes mosquito)叮咬傳播,特別係白紋伊蚊(Aedes albopictus)同埃及伊蚊(Aedes aegypti)。呢啲蚊喺日間最活躍,因此唔似瘧疾嗰...
流感點樣會引致腦病變、心肌炎同休克?——從「感冒」變成致命風暴

流感點樣會引致腦病變、心肌炎同休克?——從「感冒」變成致命風暴

近排有新聞報導,一名原本健康嘅中學生感染乙型流感(Influenza B)之後,出現腦病變、心肌炎同休克,情況危殆。好多家長都會問:「流感唔就係普通感冒?點解可以嚴重到影響腦同心臟?」其實,流感背後嘅機制比我哋想像中複雜得多。 一、流感病毒唔止攻擊呼吸道 流感病毒(包括甲型同乙型)主要透過飛...
牛骨湯食譜大全|Instant Pot 壓力煲 & 傳統老火湯版本

牛骨湯食譜大全|Instant Pot 壓力煲 & 傳統老火湯版本

牛骨湯食譜係香港家庭常見嘅煲湯之一,牛骨湯香濃滋補,配合中藥材更具養生功效。本文介紹肉骨類選擇、牛骨湯建議配搭、常見中藥材分類,以及Instant Pot壓力煲與傳統老火湯版本食譜,並引用科學研究支持。
澳洲飲用水發現「食腦變形蟲」:全球風險與地區對策(含各國/各州實用指南)

澳洲飲用水發現「食腦變形蟲」:全球風險與地區對策(含各國/各州實用指南)

澳洲飲用水發現「食腦變形蟲」:全球風險與地區對策(含各國/各州實用指南) 澳洲飲用水發現「食腦變形蟲」:全球風險與地區對策(含各國/各州實用指南) 重點:事件本身不代表飲水會感染;主要風險來自水經鼻腔進入。 目錄 ...
如何判斷雞翅是否變壞?

如何判斷雞翅是否變壞?

重點摘要 雞翅會變質嗎? 如何判斷雞翅是否變壞? 過期雞翅還能食嗎? 雞翅可存放多久? 如何儲存雞翅? 雞翅可以冷凍嗎? 結論 雞翅會變質嗎? 會。皮脂較多、表面不潔或溫度過高時,細菌繁殖更快。 如何判斷雞翅是否變壞? 外觀:皮色發黃、出黑斑或血水。 觸感:表面黏滑、軟爛。 氣...
如何判斷雞蛋是否變壞?

如何判斷雞蛋是否變壞?

重點摘要 雞蛋會變質嗎? 如何判斷雞蛋是否變壞? 過期雞蛋還能食嗎? 雞蛋可存放多久? 如何儲存雞蛋? 雞蛋可以冷凍嗎? 結論 雞蛋會變質嗎? 會。殼面有微孔,溫差及濕度變化會令細菌入侵。 如何判斷雞蛋是否變壞? 水測:沉底=較新鮮;浮起=多半變壞。 打開觀察:蛋白渾濁水樣、蛋黃...