5 Main Gastrointestinal Disease Symptoms

More than 2000 thousand years ago, Hippocrates said that all human diseases begin in the gut. And today, we are more confirmed of it, as the majority of the doctors also believe in that. Read below to know why it is important and what symptoms you should pay attention to. 

Gastrointestinal definition and how it works.

The gastrointestinal or digestive system is essential for our life. Because for health and well-being, our bodies need nutrients (vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals). 

The system consists of the organs that take part in digesting the food. They are the mouth, throat (pharynx), esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines (gut), rectum, anus and also liver, salivary glands, pancreas which are responsible for digestive liquids that help in the digestion process. When food enters through the mouth,  the digestive system starts working, we chew and saliva is produced, then it moves from pharynx to esophagus into the stomach, being broken into small parts and moved by the appropriate muscles. When this process isn’t working properly and a person experiences digestive problems (even without them knowing), the GI tract, that is Gastrointestinal tract, breaks down and because of nutritional inefficiency, many diseases appear. In order to provide your organism with the essential vitamins, there are many supplements, such as those produced by Douglas Labs Vitamins, which are non-toxic and easy to absorb. However, if a person already experiences the disease, it will affect both physically and spiritually. That’s why it is essential to pay attention to your gut health, seeing even the slightest symptoms (main of them we’ll speak about below) or at least once a year. 

Most common gastrointestinal diseases.

The gastrointestinal disorders are divided into structural and functional. Contrary to functional disorders, structural disorders can’t be cured with the help of a healthy lifestyle. They are more serious and sometimes may need surgical help. 

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. This is a functional disorder and is often called an irritable colon or nervous stomach. IBS is referred to the condition when the digestive tract is abnormal when the colon muscle works faster or slower than it should be. In this condition, a person experiences frequent abdominal pains, cramps, also diarrhea, or constipation. 
• Celiac disease or gluten-sensitive enteropathy (functional). It can have both a genetic cause and environmental.  It’s the condition when the protein called gluten in grains (wheat, barley, rye) causes an autoimmune reaction. The gluten damages the lines of the small intestine, which leads to malabsorption. 
• Lactose intolerance. It’s another common condition in which a person can’t digest lactose, a simple carbohydrate in animal milk. This occurs because of the lack of lactase, an enzyme, which helps to digest lactose. 
• Chronic Diarrhea. In this condition, a person has loose or watery stools for more than a month. The causes may be age, sex, stressful situations and also eating habits or weight. It can also occur because of some intestinal infections. 
• Constipation. In this type of disorder, a person has hard, late, and painful bowel movements. This can often be cured by adding fiber and more water to the diet, exercising, or taking some supplements. 
• Leaky gut. When a person has a ‘leaky gut’ it means that all the bacteria and toxins in them can “travel” through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream. This can cause other problems connected with skin, weight, chronic fatigue, and many more.  

The 5 main symptoms you should pay attention to.

Gastrointestinal diseases have various symptoms according to the type. But there are some signs which can be common for all of the diseases. They are:

• Discomfort in the abdomen (pain, cramps)
• Vomiting 
• Bloating 
• Excess gas
• Diarrhea or constipation

These are the first signs that can occur when someone has a gastrointestinal disease. If you have these symptoms (or at least one of them) frequently, you should not neglect them or try to cure yourself at home. It’s better to see a physician or a gastroenterologist in order not to have further complications. 

Other symptoms of GI disorders according to the special type, include fatigue, loss of appetite, problems with swallowing, fecal incontinence, heartburn, etc. 

In conclusion, Gastrointestinal diseases have various symptoms and sometimes can even be without them. So, to make sure you don’t have any of them, it is necessary to get examined at least once a year and take the needed measurements. Stay healthy!

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