What is Gut Health?

So exactly what is the meaning of gut health? And what does our gut actually do for us?

Our gut plays host to our microbiome - a colony of many millions of good bacteria that play an important role in our immune and digestive systems. The key to a healthy digestive system is keeping the bad bacteria in check (so you have more of the good guys), and having a good balance of different types of good bacteria.
 
It's been discovered that over 70 percent of the body's immune system is located in our gut tissue, so it's not that big a stretch to understand that the critters that call it home are going to have a substantial impact on our body’s global health.
 

• Gut Health and Skin. While not entirely understood yet, it’s accepted that improving gut health can also have a positive impact on skin conditions such as acne eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis.
  
  It's been shown that taking the good bacteria (as food or supplements) boosts gut immunity, which reduces the severity of skin allergy conditions like eczema, and skin inflammation (known for years to be the leading cause of acne and premature skin ageing).

 

• Gut Health and Weight. A recent study found that lean people have 70 percent more gut bacteria (and therefore more of that variety we want) than overweight people.

 

• Gut Health and Sleep. Recently it has been found that the gut produces most of the sleep hormone (melatonin), and a gut imbalance therefore affects its production - meaning poor or little sleep.

 

• Gut Health and Mood. Gut bacteria also produce the B 'energy' vitamins; they influence our body's ability to use vitamin D; they produce about 90 percent of our body's serotonin, as well as many other of our 'happy' and 'anti-anxiety' brain chemicals.

How Poor Gut Health Affects Your Body

Increased Inflammation.
Researchers have an increased understanding that the underlying common denominator in many of our health problems – from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s to depression, weight gain and acne - is systemic inflammation of the body. When the gut microbiome is thrown out of whack, we get an increase in inflammation.

The Mind/Body Connection.
The systems are much more interconnected than was thought previously. Which is why, for example, you will often find that a depressive person will experience weight gain, gut problems, unwanted breakouts, sleep problems (too much or too little) as well as arthritis, caused by inflammation.

Bottom line, a happy gut is crucial for a happy, healthy weight and skin, not to mention our mood. We like this formula as quoted by nutritional therapist Henrietta Norton: Unhappy Gut = Unhappy Body and Mind.

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Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

How can I tell if my gut is unhappy?
 

• Gut Imbalances.
  Besides the obvious signs – irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn and indigestion, bloating and wind, – gut imbalances can also be seen in things such as PMS, brain fog, adrenal fatigue, sleep problems, acne, and other skin conditions.

 

• Sugar Cravings.
  Another telltale sign is craving sugar, which could be a sign that your bad flora are overruling the good flora and saying ‘feed me, Seymour’ (and you know how that turned out!).

 

• Stressful Lifestyles.
  Sorry to say that we’re back to our modern lifestyle as a chief culprit in throwing us out of balance. Again, it’s all interlinked.
  
  We overwork, sleep too little, eat unhealthily and live in a state of heightened stress (which causes an inflammatory response) most of the time. If your body is constantly flooded with stress hormones, blood is diverted away from your gut, which impairs the growth of good bacteria and digestive enzyme production.
  
  This becomes a vicious circle, or, if you like, a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario, as in… we can’t sleep because we’re stressed, and we get stressed because we can’t sleep…

 
What is a Leaky Gut?
 
When all is right in our gut world, the good guys and the bad guys live in harmony. But when an imbalance causes the bad guys to take over in what is known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), harmful bacteria produce corrosive substances and toxins that attack the gut wall, breaking it down, and allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream, known as leaky gut.

This sends your immune system into overdrive as it detects the unwelcome intruders, it overreacts and, voilà!, you have inflammation.
 
Leaky gut syndrome is linked to IBS, Crohn’s disease, as well as bloating, cramps, food sensitivity and depression. It’s also linked to eczema and acne which are, you guessed it, inflammatory conditions.
 
10 Things That Can Ruin Your Gut Health 

• Hormonal birth control, such as ‘The Pill’.
• Excessive antibiotic use. They kill both the good and bad bacteria.
• Too little sleep.
• Excessive stress.
• Limited physical activity.
• Eating ultra-processed, nutrient poor food and refined grains.
• Added sugars and artificial sweeteners.
• High saturated and processed fats.
• Alcohol and caffeine.
• Eating too little plant fibre and other pre-biotics.

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The Gut Health And Acne Connection

Scientific studies on people with acne have shown for decades that they are more reactive to harmful bacteria and indicate a link between acne and gut issues.

Acne patients have higher levels of systemic inflammation than people with healthy skin. And acne seems to get worse with increased inflammation. They also have higher levels of SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and food allergies, as well as lower antioxidant levels.
 
Your gut is not the only thing that can become leaky, however. Your skin's main function is to act as a protective barrier against harm, but stress and gut inflammation can compromise its protective barrier, allowing harmful bacteria to penetrate and cause infection and inflammation in the skin. And before you can blink, you have acne!

Probiotics to Clear Acne
So, how can you stop pimples appearing on your face? Numerous studies have shown that acne can be reduced and even cleared if gut issues are treated with probiotics. You can help clear or reduce your pimples by treating gut issues with live active yoghurt as well as probiotic supplements (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, found in Proven Probiotics, are the ones for both stress and acne). You can even find it in dark chocolate for a yummy after-dinner snack!

Proof of the beneficial effect of probiotics for skin is that fermented dairy does not cause acne issues, while pasteurised, unfermented dairy does. Fermented dairy is found in yoghurt, kefir, buttermilk, sour cream and cheese.

Probiotics to Soothe Skin.
The benefits of probiotics in soothing skin have been creeping into skin care, with brands such as Clinique incorporating them into their Redness Solutions range. It's also in Gatineau Melatogenine Morphobiotique Cream and Vichy Normaderm Probio BHA Serum.

Read More. Expert Advice On How to Finally Get Rid of Your Acne

Best Foods & Supplements for Gut Health

The aim here is to eat a gut-healthy diet that good bacteria can feed on so they thrive. If our digestion is poor, we don't process and extract nutrients efficiently, even from good foods. 
 

• Firbre First. Ensure you eat enough fibre from fruit, vegetables and oatmeal as gut microbes feed off fibre, and skimping on it has an impact on our microbiome.
  
  Garlic, onions, leeks, and legumes like lentils and chickpeas produce a particular kind of fibre that gut bacteria feed on, which been shown to improve gut health and decrease inflammation.
  
  Another good source is eating cooked resistance starch, which you get by cooking starchy foods like basic or sweet potatoes and brown rice, then cooling them down before you eat them.

• NO Processed Food or Sugar. Eat minimally processed food, including processed meats, and skip sugar and junk food. In particular, avoid any industrial seed oils like canola, soybean and sunflower oil (and any of the many products that contain them!).

• Focus on Fermented Foods. We can’t ignore fermented foods, naturally. Sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, yoghurt and miso are chock-full of probiotics and really nourish your gut bacteria.

• Stay Hydrated. Regularly drink water to support your digestsive system.

• Add Good Fats. Eat good fats (cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, salmon, avocado, etc.) and take a good quality omega-3 supplement.


• Lean Meats. Lean chicken and meat (preferably free-range) are not only vital for cell repair but also support the gut’s protective mucus layer.


• Antimicrobial Foods. Help control bacteria while looking after your gut lining. Garlic, ginger, oregano oil and apple cider vinegar are all antibacterial.


• Add Probiotic Drinks like kombucha, ginger, kefir, apple cider vinegar and green tea.  Check out all the benefits of probiotic drinks here.


• Probiotic Supplements. It’s always best to get your nutrients from food and drinks, but probiotic supplements are a good stopgap. Make sure you choose a good quality brand with multiple strains of probiotics.


• Use Digestive Enzymes. Check for a blended formula which breaks down a wide range of foods and look for one that says it’s blended for max effectiveness across pH ranges. The wider the range of enzymes, the better. Taking enzymes between meals is also said to help the body with tissue repair and skin rejuvenation.


• Restrict Antibiotics. Use only when you absolutely need them. And if so, ask your doctor for a probiotic supplement to protect your gut flora.


• Vitamin Supplements. Take a good multivitamin.

With over 70% of your total body’s health being driven by how healthy or unhealthy your gut is, perhaps it’s time to take it a little more seriously. Find out more about the best foods to eat for a full gut cleanse here.

Read More. Why You Might Need A Gut Reboot (And How to Do It)

Frequently Asked Questions

What are 10 signs of an unhealthy gut?

• Excess bloating and gas  
• Diarrhoea and/or constipation  
• Poor sleep  
• Sugar cravings  
• Brain fog and poor concentration  
• Increased stress or anxiety  
• Acne or eczema  
• Unexplained weight gain  
• Frequent infections/low immunity  
• Heartburn or indigestion

How can I improve my gut health naturally?
Aside from, most importantly, a gut healthy diet (see Food & Supplements), focus on these four things:

• Drink lots of water.  
• Manage stress with techniques like meditation or yoga.  
• Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night.  
• Regular exercise to reduce stress and support gut movement.