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When most people think of “digestive problems,” images of heartburn, burping, gas, bloating, belching and constipation typically come to mind.

But sometimes poor digestion doesn’t come out as typical digestive symptoms!

Instead shortcomings in your digestion can manifest themselves in ways that you would never connect to your GI tract!

Here’s what I mean—these are 10 sneaky signs of insufficient digestion that you should start paying attention to, along with the typical “remedies” that do little to no good:

1- Halitosis

Believe it or not, the same bacteria that causes ulcers (Helicobacter pylori, or H. pylori) can cause halitosis (bad breath.)

About half of all Americans carry H. pylori. While they won’t all develop ulcers, they stand at least a one in 10 chance of having it causing bad breath.

In addition, the effects of intestinal dysbiosis (having an imbalance of gut flora that favors harmful bacteria) can “travel north” and come out your mouth as halitosis.

Typical remedies: Gum, mints, mouthwash. These only temporarily cover up your monster mouth.

2- The 2pm lull after lunch

No single process that the human body carries out demands more energy than digestion.

So if yours isn’t going along so well, that can sap your energy and leave you needing toothpicks to keep your eyelids open after eating.

Typical remedies: Coffee, soda, energy drinks, sweet snacks. You might get a short-lived boost from the sugar or caffeine, but you’ll come crashing down later.

3- Body odor

Your body eliminates toxins through urination, bowel movements, exhaling, sneezing and sweating.

One of the biggest sources of inner toxin buildup is poorly digested food, so if your digestion is not what it should be, that can manifest itself as some serious BO.

Typical remedies: Deodorant, anti-perspirant, body sprays, powders, body washes, cologne. These are merely cover-ups but alas, the stink will eventually emerge.

4- Dry skin and hair

Your skin and hair need a variety of nutrients including biotin, Vitamins D, B6, C and E, zinc and Omega-3 essential fatty acids.

So the presence of dry skin or hair can suggest an unhealthy, nutrient-poor diet or inadequate absorption of nutrients—which is a consequence of poor digestion.

Typical remedies: Lotions, ointments, body washes, creams, hair conditioners. These may “smooth things out” for a while after use, but healthy hair and skin come from within—not from beauty products.

5- Acne and other skin problems

When your intestinal wall is unhealthy and too porous (leaky gut), harmful bacteria, poorly digested food molecules and other wastes can get into circulation and stir up inflammation anywhere in your body.

When your skin is affected by this inflammation, it can prompt acne and other skin problems like hives and rashes.

Typical remedies: Acne lotions, astringents, cleansers, medications. None of these does a thing for the underlying inflammation behind skin problems. 

6- Body aches and pains 

These too are tied to a leaky gut wall—the inflammation caused by toxins in your bloodstream can lead to body aches and pains.

Typical remedies: NSAIDs, opioids. While your pain may be temporarily eased with pain relievers, the root cause of your pain is not addressed, plus you are vulnerable to a slew of side effects including stomach bleeding, liver damage and addiction. 

7- Food sensitivities

When your digestion is not efficient, inadequately digested food particles can bully their way through the intestinal wall and into your bloodstream. Once in circulation, they can aggravate your immune system, making it hypersensitive and triggering the development of food sensitivities.

Typical remedies: Antacids, anti-diarrheals, lactase pills, lactose-free milk, dietary changes. While avoidance of the offending foods is helpful, it’s also important to improve digestion to avoid further problems developing. 

8- Migraines

Migraines have been linked to low serotonin levels. Many migraine sufferers experience a drop in serotonin just before the onset of an episode.

Most people don’t realize this, but the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome produces 90 percent of your body's serotonin.

So if your intestinal environment is not as healthy as it should be, this could impair your body’s production of serotonin which in turn may be contributing to your migraine attacks.

Typical remedies: Medications. These may relieve the pain but do nothing to improve the gut environment. On the contrary, many medications lead to unhealthy gut changes!

 9- Depression

Inflammation in the gut has been linked to depression, so it’s crucial to help keep your gut environment healthy!

In addition, poor nutrient absorption can also be a cause--many people who suffer from depression are deficient in B-complex vitamins, Vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and Omega-3 essential fatty acids (especially DHA).

Typical remedies: Antidepressants. Not only are these ineffective in many cases, but they come with a frightening list of potential side effects including suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

10- Iron-deficiency anemia

Gastrointestinal blood loss (such as from an ulcer) is one of the most common causes of iron deficiency anemia. In addition, insufficient stomach acid can lead to poor digestion and nutrient absorption, thus reducing iron levels.

Typical remedies: Iron supplements. Another example of treating the symptom—not the underlying cause which is digestive problems. Plus iron supplements frequently cause constipation, which prompts the typical suggestions of stool softeners or laxatives!

3 Easy steps to a healthier GI tract

Now that you can see that issues with your digestive system can cause problems that go WAAAY beyond just a sour stomach or constipation, it’s important to make sure all 30 feet of your GI tract are in tip-top shape and working the way it’s supposed to!

Here are 3 tried and true measures to pamper your food path and support sound digestion:

Make your stomach’s job easier to begin with

Our modern meals of today are typically a mish-mash of every type of food known to man, and this is extraordinarily taxing on your system. In fact, our typical “balanced meals” are the primary cause of acid reflux, gas and bloating!

But it can make a dramatic difference when you structure your meals to make them easier for your system to tackle, and that is the basis of my Great Taste No Pain program. Great Taste No Pain spells out exactly what foods you should pair together (and what combinations to avoid!) to pave the way for easy, pain-free digestion!

(By the way, this is how I completely eradicated my IBS 32 years ago, and I have remained symptom- and medication-free since then.)

Help things along with enzyme supplementation

As we age, our ability to produce digestive enzymes diminishes, so if you are over age 50, you may be starting to run low.

Plus if you use acid reducers, forget it—you’re shutting some of your enzymes right down, and are likely paying the price with heartburn and poor nutrient absorption. And if you’ve had your gallbladder out, heaven help you—poor digestion (especially digestion of fats) is a given.

The good news is Digestizol Max’s potent blend of 15 plant-based enzymes can give your body a much-needed boost and help it completely and comfortably digest whatever foods you eat!

Digestizol Max Enzyme Formula contains a full-spectrum variety of enzymes to help your body break down literally all kinds of foods so you can feel good after eating for a change!

Plus its natural herbal blend can help soothe an irritated GI tract and ease stomach discomfort.

Support a healthy gut environment

You can help support your gut environment by eating fermented foods (like sauerkraut and kimchi) and lots of fresh vegetables.

Also, supplementation with a potent full-spectrum probiotic blend like Super Shield PLUS can work to repopulate your precious microbiome and keep it in an optimal balance.

Super Shield PLUS’s 15probiotic strains and 20 billion CFUs can help turn around even the most seriously imbalanced gut environment and support its healthy functioning.

See how great you can feel from head to toe with better digestion and proper nutrient absorption!

To your health,

Sherry Brescia