Is Your Gut Broken? Here’s How to Tell

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted February 3, 2018

We all want to stay healthy as we age – and our guts play an ENORMOUS role.

Your gut is where you absorb nutrients, and it’s the center of your immune system.

A healthy gut = a healthy life.

So how do you tell if your gut is broken?

Here are the top things I look for in patients.

Digestive Symptoms of Poor Gut Health:

Constipation: Constipation is usually due to a lack of a healthy microbiome and not enough fiber and water (which are all related). Start by drinking more water, supplement with probiotics, and fiber. My favorite fiber is ground flax seeds.

Bloating: If you feel bloated or have frequent gas, this is not normal. Bloating can be due to yeast overgrowth (candida), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a lack of good digestive enzymes, not enough salt (stomach acid is produced from chloride), not the right microbiome, and eating too much sugar. Fix bloating by taking a probiotic, limiting sugars, taking digestive enzymes, and using a good healthy salt.

Loose stools: Having to run to the bathroom all the time is no fun for anyone. Loose stools can be a medical condition like Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but also problems (once again) with the microbiome, eating food you are allergic or intolerant of, or eating too much sugar. Start with a good probiotic and digestive enzymes, then look for food intolerances. If those don’t work, visit your doctor for more help.

Heartburn: While medical science wants you to think heartburn is due to too much acid, it is usually the opposite (too weak acid from not eating enough salt). It can also be caused by bacterial overgrowth and eating too much sugar.

Non-Digestive Symptoms of Poor Gut Health:

Yeast infections: This is more common in women, but vaginal yeast infections are often a sign of digestive problems. I know this makes little sense (there is no direct connection between the digestive tract and reproductive system) but clearing up digestive problems leads to yeast infections disappearing.

Frequent illnesses: Since you will find most of your immune system surrounding your gut, it makes sense that the health of your gut plays a big role in your overall immune system health. If you get frequent colds or flus, look to improve your gut health.

Overwhelming cravings: Everyone has cravings, but when they overwhelm you, that is when you look to your gut for a solution. Sugar is a common craving and not only feeds yeast, but increases cravings.

You can’t lose weight: There are many reasons for difficult weight loss, but gut health is one of the main culprits. Scientist do fecal transplants (yes, they take stool from a normal weight person and transfer it to a non-healthy person). The results? The overweight person loses weight. Improving your gut health can lead to losing weight.

Brain fog: Your mind can be affected by what is going on in your digestive tract. All the bacteria in your gut produce chemicals to help them survive. Some of these chemicals are harmful to our brains–hence the brain fog.

Health and Happiness,

Dr. Scott Olson, ND

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Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND