Learn to recognize the symptoms
The human race has created the technology to deliver pizzas with drones and explore the moon, yet our bodies are stuck in the Stone Age. Our digestive systems are still expecting the diet of a hunter-gatherer but, needless to say, chicken nuggets and Doritos aren't hitting the spot!
Our modern diets aren't the only thing wreaking havoc with our digestive systems though. There are many other factors like antibiotics, pesticides, and stress that are a real punch in the gut.
Click through the following gallery to learn more about the most dangerous influences on your digestive health, and what you can do to protect yourself.
We all know that processed foods aren't good for the gut. Crops like wheat, soy, and corn are the most profitable for farmers, so they have become the most readily available products for consumers.
Each generation has less and less fiber in their diet, but the physical effects are passed down along with the poor diet.
A study performed on rats showed that a low fiber diet reduced the microbial diversity in the following generations. With each generation, it became harder to reverse the effects.
A Harvard study on the Hadza tribe from Tanzania showed they had approximately 40% greater microbial biodiversity than the average American.
It's still possible to revert the effects of poor gut health, at least partially. Switching to a high fiber diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and minimizing intake of processed food is a good place to start.
Antibiotics don't just kill the bacteria causing an infection, they can also kill the good bacteria we need for a healthy body. It can take the body anything from four weeks to six months to recover.
A rather scary statistic is that 80% of antibiotics in the US are actually being administered to livestock and not humans.
Although more research is required, it's possible that the antibiotics given to farm animals can end up in our bodies when we eat animal products and cause problems in the gut.
This is another benefit of the lifestyle of the Hadza tribe. They are in constant contact with nature in their daily lives.
On one occasion, missionaries delivered boxes of antibiotics to the Hadza tribe. They didn't understand what to do with them, so they ate them like candy in one night.
Researchers tested them afterwards and found that their bacterial balance was unchanged. They concluded that proximity to nature significantly lessens the damage external factors can cause to the body.
Levels of weed killers such as glyphosate have been steadily increasing in our food and in our bodies.
Glyphosate kills weeds by blocking essential nutrients, but it also does the same thing in the gut. It can prevent the growth of healthy bacteria that our bodies need.
Researchers from MIT believe that a high intake of glyphosate is directly linked to celiac disease, an immune condition where the small intestine is damaged and cannot tolerate gluten.
The use of these chemicals are widely protested, as they also strip fresh produce of their nutrients.
It's been proven that poor gut health can influence your mental health, and vice versa. Some gastroenterologists say that their most challenging patients are those who have experienced trauma or eating disorders.
Sleep impacts your gut by upsetting your circadian rhythm. If your sleep schedule is off, it directly alters your gut's microbiome.
Frequent jet lag and long haul flights have been shown to mess with the body's microbiome, sometimes resulting in weight gain.
Staying awake late watching Netflix or being glued to your cell phone doesn't have quite as severe an effect, but it can definitely still mess with your gut.
Increasing the amount of fiber and plant-based foods in your diet will help to restore the natural balance in your gut, particularly if you choose organic options.
Probiotic foods and supplements might be the best way to restore the balance of your microbiome. These direct hits of 'good bacteria' have been shown to improve gut health and reduce digestive issues.
How your lifestyle may be hurting your gut health
External factors jeopardizing our digestive health
HEALTH Digestive system
The human race has created the technology to deliver pizzas with drones and explore the moon, yet our bodies are stuck in the Stone Age. Our digestive systems are still expecting the diet of a hunter-gatherer but, needless to say, chicken nuggets and Doritos aren't hitting the spot!
Our modern diets aren't the only thing wreaking havoc with our digestive systems though. There are many other factors like antibiotics, pesticides, and stress that are a real punch in the gut.
Click through the following gallery to learn more about the most dangerous influences on your digestive health, and what you can do to protect yourself.