5 Signs that You Need a Digestive Tune-Up

Many of us wade through life without giving our digestive system much thought. You know it’s there, but you can’t see it, and unless reminded of it on a regular basis, you forget how important it is.

Right?

Your digestive tract is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL for good health. How well it performs its daily duties can determine many things regarding your wellness situation. The following are 5 signs that you need a digestive tune-up,

1- You have no energy. 

One of the top reasons people experience low energy is a poorly functioning bowel. If your tummy is consistently bogged down with trying to digest shitty food (pardon the pun), it’s borrowing a lot of energy to complete its work. By eating healthy, easy-to-digest foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, you can save your gut a lot of energy, and divert it back to other things, such as functioning like a normal human being.

2-Your bowel movements suck.

 If you’re not experiencing at least one great bowel movement a day, then you’re constipated. Don’t let the whole “people-are-different-and-everyone-goes-differently” theory fool you. We’re not different. We’re all the same. Our digestive systems should ideally be functioning similarly if we all ate a great diet. The problem is not that your gut isn’t doing its job—it’s that the food you’re feeding it sucks. Stop eating crappy food and you’ll be amazed. By the way, the average North American holds about 5-10 pounds of waste in their constipated colons. Wanna lose a fast five? Start having great bowel movements.

3-Your skin looks bad. 

The skin is your body’s largest organ and is constantly detoxing for you. If you have a lot of acne, rashes, or even just dull skin, then that could mean that it’s trying harder than it should to detox. Much of the toxins in our bodies lurk in our digestive tracts. If you ate cleaner (whole and unprocessed) food,

consumed more vegetables (particularly leafy greens), and drank WAY more water, I guarantee that your skin would begin to clear up and begin to glow. How much it changes depends on you. Now if you’re thinking “hold up—bad skin can reflect things like hormone imbalances!” you’re right. But guess what can fix hormone imbalances? Good food.

4-You experience symptoms of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). 

Are you prone to bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea? Those things are not normal, and they are repairable! Those symptoms mean that your gut is SCREAMING for an overhaul. You don’t have to live with such horrible symptoms. I have first-hand experience with ditching IBS for good after making a hard-core lifestyle change. You can do it, too. It’s definitely worth it.

5-You’re depressed. 

Depression is actually another symptom of IBS but often presents on its own. While the obvious reason for depression in someone that is experiencing digestive malfunction is attributable to all of the above reasons (daily pain, bad skin, constipation, and no energy—those things would ALL bum me out), there is also another reason. Serotonin is a “happy hormone” that is necessary for feelings of contentment. The vitamin D that we absorb from the sun helps to regulate it. If you are living somewhere that does not get sun on a consistent basis (like me), then you can also obtain in by taking supplements. But guess where serotonin is made? I used to assume it was the brain, but the answer is that most of it is produced in the gut! So if you’re feeling less than stoked on a regular basis, you can consider your stressed-out digestive system to be a reason for your lack of happy hormones.

Here are some recommendations to get you started on your tune-up, and remember that this way of eating doesn’t have to be forever. (But after experiencing the effects, you might want to keep it up!) The idea is to clean you up and get you thinking differently about your health:

• 1- Cut out animal products and gluten. These are proven triggers for digestive angst.
• 2- Stop eating processed foods. They are loaded with chemicals that your body has to fight to expel. This takes ENERGY.
• 3- Cut way back on sugar. Again, this will help the energy issue, as well as make your skin happy.
• 4- Swap all your bevies for water. Water helps to remove toxins, and it also loosens up old stool for better elimination.
• 5- Incorporate WAY more veggies and whole grains into your daily meal plans. These foods are essential for sweeping debris out of the colon and infusing your gut with the nutrients it craves. It will also help with increased energy.