Many factors can influence our gut health – from the foods we eat to stress levels, sleep, and much more. Your gut plays a significant role in your overall health; it’s not just where food breaks down; it’s also a complex system that houses trillions of bacteria that influence everything from digestion to immunity to mood and beyond. 

But how do you know if your gut health is optimal? Your gut has many ways of communicating with you when it is and isn’t healthy, so paying attention to your body’s signs is essential.

Here are some of the top signs of a healthy gut:

1. You Have Regular Bowel Movements

Regular, comfortable bowel movements are one of the best signs of a healthy gut. Bowel movements offer insight into what is happening in the body. The average person should have between one and three bowel movements per day. 

The most crucial factor is the consistency and ease of your stools. Your gut is likely functioning well if you are not straining or discomfort when you go. Healthy stools are typically medium to dark brown in shape, with a soft-to-firm consistency.

It is important to note that there is no perfect bowel pattern, as long as you don’t have uncomfortable bowel habits or associated unpleasant bowel symptoms. Patterns also ebb and flow depending on food intake changing, exercise, time of the menstrual cycle, stress, environmental alterations, etc. 

      2. You Have Smooth Digestion

If you experience bloating, gas, or indigestion frequently, it may be a sign that your gut is out of balance.

 A healthy gut should efficiently process the foods you eat without discomfort. Good digestion means your body is breaking down and absorbing nutrients properly. 

Talking a short walk after a meal can help digestion and help you consume a fiber-rich diet. Dietary fiber should come from various sources to benefit the gut, including fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, oats, and whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa.

      3. You Feel Energized

Did you know your gut produces a large percentage of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which regulates mood and sleep? When your gut microbiome is balanced, you should feel more energetic and mentally clear. 

Low energy levels and constant brain fog could signal an imbalance in your gut microbiota.

      4. Your Skin is Clear

There is a strong connection between gut health and skin health. An imbalance in your gut can lead to inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. 

When your gut microbiome is in balance, inflammation decreases, contributing to better skin health. 

Remember, skin products can only do so much if we are not healed from the inside out! 

      5. You Have a Strong Immune System

Fun fact for you– About 70-80% of your immune system resides in your gut!

A healthy microbiome helps to modulate immune responses and protects you from harmful pathogens. If you rarely get sick and recover quickly when you do, your gut is likely functioning well.

 How to Support a Healthy Gut:

→ Eat a diverse range of foods: Aim for a diverse, nutrient-dense, whole-foods diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains for good gut health. Include fiber-rich foods (whole grains, raspberries, avocados, chia seeds, lentils, beans), fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso, kombucha), and healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, salmon, nuts, seeds). 

→ Stay Hydrated: Water helps support digestion and nutrient absorption, softens stool, prevents constipation, and promotes regular bowel movements. Consuming adequate water is crucial for maintaining good gut health. Monitor urine color to assess your hydration status: pale, light yellow urine generally indicates good hydration, while dark urine suggests you may need to drink more water. 

→ Exercise Regularly: Physical activity promotes healthy digestion and gut health by increasing the diversity of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Light exercise can protect the gut, reducing the risk of colon cancer, diverticulosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. (Monda)

→ Manage Stress: Chronic stress can disrupt the gut-brain connection by increasing dangerous bacteria and reducing helpful ones. Stress can slow digestion, cause bloating, constipation, and pain, and worsen digestion conditions. Practice healthy coping skills to manage stress, such as meditation, yoga, journaling, gratitude and positive affirmations, therapy, deep breathing exercises, etc.

Takeaways 

Your gut health plays a major role in the health of many other bodily systems, which means prioritizing a healthy gut microbiome is prioritizing  overall health! 

Since your gut microbiome is as unique to you as your own fingerprint, it may be hard to understand what you personally may need to be doing to support your gut the most effectively. This is where individualization in protocols comes into practice at Hub Healthy. We work to make gut health support as specific and relevant to you as possible with various gut health tests and lab markers. 

For more personalized gut support, feel free to check out our 1:1 services! You could even give us a follow on instagram @hubhealthyboston to stay up to date on our offers.

Cheers to prioritizing our health from the inside out! We look forward to hearing from you and getting you to feel your best.