The importance of gut cannot be stressed enough. Taking care of it means taking care of both your physical and emotional health. This is because, “over 70 per cent of serotonin aka the happiness hormone is produced in the gut, not in the heart or brain,” shared Dimple Jangda, founder of Prana points.
Did you know that Ayurveda, too, focuses a lot on gut health? Dr Dixa Bhavsar, an Ayurvedic doctor took to Instagram to share “[a]ccording to Ayurveda, the key to good health, longevity & happiness is gut health.” She explained how a healthy gut is important for good health, because not only does its functions cater to digesting food, but it also processes emotions, and oversees various bodily functions.
She added, “Ayurveda believes poor gut health to be the root cause of all the diseases.” Causes ranging from stress, anxiety, including not getting enough meals and lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle, can lead to poor health. Even overeating or untimely meals, including fasting for long, affects the gut.
“If you really wanna maintain your health, all you need is to follow the rule of ‘Eat while you eat and play while you play ,” she added, suggested practising mindful eating.
Ahead, she mentioned seven symptoms that largely signify an unhealthy gut.
- You feel heavy or bloated all the time.
- You have bad breath despite maintaining proper oral hygiene.
- You are facing difficulty in losing or gaining weight.
- You do not feel energetic on most days.
- You are either constipated or pass loose stools two or more times a day.
- If you are a woman, you have irregular periods.
- You have skin issues like acne, and medication does not seem to work on the same permanently.
“A healthy gut will bless you with happy hormones, less stress, optimum nutrients, sound sleep, good memory, glowing skin, shiny hairs, healthy gut, and a lot more, the list doesn’t seem to end,” Dr Bhavsar wrote. If you face one or more of the symptoms mentioned above, it is likely that you do not have a healthy gut. “All you need is to change your lifestyle – Your eating habits, sleeping patterns, exercise schedule, manage your stress and that’s it. That’s all it takes for your gut to stay happy and healthy forever.”