Ixcela

Tina Donvito, Reader’s Digest

Your gut microbiome may be trying to tell you something—but that doesn’t necessarily mean the symptoms occur in your gut. A gut microbiome imbalance often leads to seemingly unrelated symptoms, such as bad moods, cravings, and even sinus infections. Tina Donvito of Reader’s Digest talks to Ixcela co-founder Erika Angle and bestselling author Frank Lipman about gut health.

“The microbiome of your digestive system, or the gut microbiome, contains perhaps 5,000 to 10,000 different species of bacteria that provide essential services of nutrition and protection,” says biochemist Erika Angle, PhD, the CEO and co-founder of Ixcela, the internal fitness company. “The makeup of your gut microbiome is determined by your genes—however, it is the organ that can be most influenced by your actions, for example diet, exercise, and stress management.”

Maintaining your gut health may prevent illnesses or alleviate symptoms. The article lists 13 surprising symptoms of an unhealthy gut and explains the gut’s role in causing each of these problems.