Don’t let an unhealthy gut ruin your life

SALT LAKE CITY – A lot of us suffer from an unhealthy gut. In fact, a new survey by MDVIP shows that about two-thirds of us suffer from this but don’t do anything about it.

In the latest Let’s Get Moving with Maria podcast episode, host Maria Shilaos spoke with Dr. Andrea Klemes, Chief Medical Officer of MDVIP, to learn what defines an unhealthy gut and when it’s necessary to seek help.

MDVIP did this survey to understand what Americans know about gut health.

“What we found is that they didn’t know that an unhealthy gut was increasing their risks for heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. They’re also not very comfortable talking about their bowels,” Dr. Klemes said.

What is an unhealthy gut?

Most people think it’s just about the stomach, but there’s actually more to it than just that.

“It’s really everything from your mouth to the other end. There are bacteria in your gut—good and bad—and you need a healthy balance… If that balance gets out of whack, it can increase inflammation,” Dr. Klemes said.

Who should be seeking help?

The first thing you should look for is whether you feel any changes in your bowel system. One of the things the survey found was that 70% of people think that everyone should have bowel movement every day. However, Dr. Klemes says that’s not true. Depending on the person, three times a day—or even three times a week—may be normal.

If you notice something different than what’s normal for you, then you should go to the doctor and talk about those changes.

Listen to the full episode below to hear the rest!

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