We all need food to survive. When we take in food, it passes through the mouth, throat, stomach, and other organs that make up the gut. The primary triggers of gut inflammation are the ingestion of foods that are not well tolerated and are, therefore, likely to cause an inflammatory response.
The health of your gut affects almost all parts of your body, including your;
Brain, i.e., mental health
Skin and the general wellness of your body
Inflammation is a body’s response to attacks by foreign substances. Aggravation of the gut in any way and intestinal lining causes an inflammatory response. It is quite natural to worry when you suffer from gut inflammation. However, you need not be anxious as you can seek medical assistance whether you are in Kansas City or anywhere else. Getting treatment at the earliest possible is the best way to alleviate the obvious symptoms.
There are two main types of gut inflammation;
Acute inflammation occurs when your body gets an injury, infection, or allergy. It is a standard and healthy way for your body to respond to these situations.
For example, if you are jogging, you may accidentally trip and scratch your knee. Your body will start creating inflammation. The knee area will become red, start swelling, and you will feel pain.
Another example is when you suffer from seasonal allergies. Your body’s defense mechanism will be acute inflammation. You may notice that you get a sore throat, sneeze, congested nose, or watery eyes.
An acute inflammation subsides after a few days or weeks, depending on the root cause. It then disappears without causing long-term health issues
Chronic inflammation goes on for an extended period, even with no specific trigger.
Poor diet, long-term stress, inadequate sleep, and environmental factors cause chronic inflammation.
When you suffer from chronic inflammation, your body often experiences triggers, and it uses inflammation as a defense mechanism.
It is a good gesture that your body is fighting these triggers. But, constant inflammation leads to long-term health symptoms and problems. In fact, chronic inflammation is among the major causes of chronic illnesses.
There are many symptoms of gut inflammation. Some of these may include:
Cramps- experiencing pain around your abdomen
Your belly feels full of gas, i.e., bloating
Nausea and some may end up vomiting
Your stool may contain mucus or blood or have a weird color and a funny smell.
One may lose appetite
Feeling exhausted with low energy levels
You may crave sugary foodstuff
Some people may unintentionally lose weight, while some may gain
A feeling of incomplete bowel movements
When you suffer gut inflammation, you may also experience non-gut-related symptoms. Some of these symptoms are;
1) Mental health problems
2) Excessive sweating at night
3) Fever accompanied by migraines
4) Skin-related problems
5) Ladies may experience changes in their menstrual cycle
6) Eyes reddening and becoming painful
7) Brain fog
8) Kidney stones
9) Sore mouth
10) Allergies and painful joints.
The human gut breaks down, digests, and absorbs nutrients from the foods we take in. It helps repair damaged cells, boosts our energy levels, and improves our well-being.
The gut also protects you from pathogens such as toxins, fungi, and bacteria. If you have a leaky gut syndrome, your gut will become compromised and unable to protect you.
Leaky gut syndrome develops when the intestine barrier leaks. Our intestines have small holes which allow water and nutrients to pass through. The intestinal holes are too tiny for invaders to pass through your bloodstream.
Chronic inflammation, chronic stress, poor diet, and exposure to toxins enlarge intestinal holes. Enlargement of intestinal holes makes you develop a leaky gut. A leaky gut gives way to undigested food, toxins, and microbes into your bloodstream.
Chronic inflammation triggers leaky gut syndrome. But, the leaky gut syndrome also sustains chronic inflammation. Hence, it is a continuous vicious cycle.
The leaky gut syndrome causes an autoimmune reaction and long-term inflammation. According to PNAS, leaky gut syndrome triggers autoimmune diseases like autoimmune diabetes mellitus. The syndrome also plays a part in the advancement of inflammatory bowel disease.