Your body is always talking to you. It may not have “words,” per se, but make no mistake, it will be as loud and uncomfortable, or as subtle and patient as it needs to be in order to get its point across. The main form of communication our bodies have is through the symptoms they express to get our attention. In today’s world, however, we’re often quicker to numb out or silence those symptoms with quick-fix painkillers and over-the-counter remedies than we are to discover what might be causing them in the first place. Treating the root of the problem, whether it’s a one-time occurrence or a more chronic issue, is always the best way to help our bodies perform to their maximum efficiency every day. Here are 5 of the most common digestion-related symptoms that may be trying to tell you there’s something else going on that could use your attention, and a little extra support:
1. Bloating And Gas
Bloating, or that feeling of being too full or swollen, is not the same thing as gas, though the two can sometimes occur together. On its own, however, bloating can mean a few things: an imbalance in your gut flora, a lack of necessary digestive enzymes in the stomach, pancreas or gallbladder to break down and process your food, or in some cases, bloating can be indicative of a food intolerance or sensitivity you may not yet know you have. In the case of a food intolerance, the food that isn’t digesting well may be fermenting in the large intestine and causing a delightfully smelly bloating/gas combo. This is one instance where your body might seem to be screaming at you to please identify the offending food and by all means, stop eating it! If you only treat the bloating and gas symptoms, you might get a degree of relief this time, but you can bet those symptoms will only ring loud and true again the next time you eat something your particular body doesn’t break down well. Over time, the recurring strain you’re placing on your body’s digestive system can also begin to wreak havoc on other systems that now have to work twice as hard to pick up the slack.
Note: Occasionally passing non-smelly gas is, on its own, is a fairly healthy and normal part of digestion. It’s the stinky gas we want to pay attention to, and honestly, how can we not? Next time you feel that familiar embarrassment after letting loose a super stinky fart, you might also whisper a little thank-you to your trusty body for letting you know there’s something going on inside that it doesn’t like!
2. Heartburn Or Acid Reflux
Heartburn, otherwise known as acid reflux, can feel like a burning sensation in your stomach that rises up into your esophagus. While it may sound backwards, this symptom is often trying to tell you there is NOT ENOUGH acid in your stomach for it to do its work properly. While you could just pop a Tums and ignore the larger message, there are several reasons that could be causing your stomach to produce more or less acid than it needs, and many of them are preventable. Underlying causes of heartburn include certain nutrient deficiencies, some western medications like PPIs (proton pump inhibitors), excessive stress, alcohol intake or smoking, drinking too much alkaline water during meals, or even just the natural process of your body aging. In many cases, some simple lifestyle changes can help, and in other cases, you can often supplement with hydrochloric acid (HCL) until your stomach is able to right itself and begin normal acid production again.
Note: I’m always happy to advise you on any herbal or nutraceutical supplements you may want or need to incorporate into your diet. From digestive enzymes and HCL to herbal or mineral supplements, there are many effective homeopathic and data-driven options that can help support all of your body’s complex systems.
3. Irritable Bowel And DIARRHEA
Did you know that Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), often thought of as its own formal condition or disorder, is by its very definition, an umbrella term for a series of symptoms? IBS is usually used to describe a combination of symptoms like gas, bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation that are persistent in nature, but that healthcare professionals have not yet determined an exact root cause for. As a result, many patients become more concerned with easing the various symptoms of IBS, instead of troubleshooting to find what might be causing the disruption to their digestive process. For example, if you have IBS symptoms that include diarrhea or mostly watery stool, it may be a sign of too few beneficial microbiota in the gut, or a damaged gut lining as a result of food intolerances or allergies, or use of Western medicines like antibiotics. High levels of stress, and consuming highly inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy and excessive sugar can also cause nutritional deficiencies over time which can then exacerbate the IBS symptoms as well. In these cases, I often recommend a gut healing protocol with high potency probiotics and supplements like L-glutamine. Additionally, I recommend trying a food elimination and reintroduction plan for a few months in order to allow the gut to heal, and see if we can discover whether any specific food group may be adversely affecting it. I also usually suggest thinking long and hard about taking antibiotics. They can be super helpful in certain situations, but they are often over-prescribed, and their overuse in our society is leading to many digestive terrors in the aftermath.
4. Irritable Bowel And CONSTIPATION
When IBS symptoms include constipation, on the other hand, your bowel movements may be less regular, hard and pellet-like, or even painful to pass. This combination of symptoms could indicate that you’re lacking fiber and hydration, in addition to having too few beneficial microbiota in the gut, or an intolerance or sensitivity to a food you’re consuming a lot of. While an elimination and reintroduction plan can be incredibly useful in this case as well, I might also suggest you start by increasing your fiber and electrolyte intake first, and try incorporating more physical movement into your routine. If any of your symptoms show signs of improvement as a result, we’ll have a good idea of some underlying root causes, and then take additional steps to continue our progress even further. I cannot emphasize enough that if you are not having a bowel movement EVERY DAY, you need to consult with me or a healthcare practitioner. You can bet that if you aren’t passing a stool every day, you are also building up toxins in your body that can lead to even worse symptoms and effects. And believe me, these issues add up quickly!
5. The “Lingering Poo” Effect
If your bowels are not properly absorbing certain nutrients (most commonly, fat or protein), it can sometimes lead to streaky poo that “lingers'' longer than it should. For example, you might notice you have to wipe several times, and use quite a bit of toilet paper after each bowel movement, or maybe you see streaks of poo that remain in the toilet bowl even after you’ve flushed. These are both signs that your body might be trying to tell you it’s in need of additional support; incorporating a daily probiotic, digestive enzymes, or an anti-inflammatory diet are all gentle approaches you might try to see if your symptoms improve.
When you think of your body as an intricate and balanced workplace where each department, and every employee has their own specialized job to do, then your body’s negative symptoms are like employee complaints– you can ignore them for a little while, but if you don’t address the underlying concerns at some point, they’ll only compound get louder, or worse yet– result in whole departments getting fed up and quitting altogether! Many chronic issues, in fact, begin as symptoms that could easily have been addressed with a little patience, investigation, and care.
If you’d like to learn more about what’s going on in your gut, and how you can maximize its efficiency, check out my Intuitive Gut e-course! It covers everything from the physiology of your gut and its connection to your immunity, to the various ways you can better heal and support it. You’ll also get access to the course for life too, so feel free to move at your own pace, and even revisit the info anytime you need.