And you feel every bite of it. Gut health is a highly underrated and infrequently considered aspect of overall health, but all of that bacteria gushing around in your innards is either taking a toll or contributing to your longevity.
Dr. Andrea Klemes, Chief Medical Officer of MDVIP, says a new MDVIP/Ipsos poll finds 2 in 3 adults experience recurrent digestive issues. Most people don’t even think to mention the topic with their physician.
According to the MDVIP/Ipsos survey:
·Women are more affected by digestive woes than men, with 3 in 4 experiencing symptoms a few times a month or more. But women are also more likely to feel dismissed when seeking care, with 2 in 5 saying health concerns they brought up weren’t taken seriously by their doctor.
·Younger adults (ages 18-44) are more affected by gut problems than older adults, with 3 in 4 experiencing symptoms at least a few times a month and 2 in 5 saying they’ve avoided sex/intimacy due to digestive issues.
·56% of Americans have NOT talked to their doctor specifically about their digestive health.
·85% of Americans failed the Gut IQ Quiz:
o 3 in 5 Americans don’t know unhealthy gut can increase heart attack/stroke, dementia risk.
o 69% of Americans wrongly believe that you should poop every day.
o 71% of Americans don’t know antibiotics can kill good, in addition to bad, gut bacteria.
o 60% of Americans don’t know that food sensitivities are not the same as food allergies.
“Typical GI symptoms include abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, but there are other symptoms that represent the broader effect of gut health, and those are things like brain fog, moodiness, fatigue, and even things that affect your skin, like eczema or psoriasis<” Dr. Klemes tells KTRH News.
The good bacteria is going to come from things like yogurt; fermented foods like pickles are probiotics. Prebiotics, Dr. Klemes says, include garlic, onions, asparagus, and oats.
Take the MDVIP Gut IQ Quiz and see how your understanding measures up.
As for your choice of beverage – water. As much as possible, choose to drink water. Your body needs it, craves it, wants it.
The video on plant based diets is from MD Anderson.
photo: Getty Images