{"id":16936,"date":"2023-01-23T13:28:43","date_gmt":"2023-01-23T19:28:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=16936"},"modified":"2023-01-23T13:28:43","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T19:28:43","slug":"why-is-gut-health-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/why-is-gut-health-important\/","title":{"rendered":"Why is gut health important?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The gut\u2019s \u201cbrain\u201d is revolutionizing our understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health and even the way we think.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a cerebral brain, but what we\u2019re learning is our gastrointestinal tract (GI) has a brain of its own,\u201d said Omar Khokhar<\/a>, MD, a gastroenterologist with OSF HealthCare.<\/p>\n

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Talk to your primary care provider about your gut health.<\/p>\n

Need a provider? Find one here.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

This means how your gut acts impacts other processes in your body. It\u2019s the most central organ that other organs depend on for life-supporting nutrition. That\u2019s why your gut health is so important.<\/p>\n

The GI tract is where food is digested, where nutrients are absorbed and assimilated and where waste is segregated and eliminated.<\/p>\n

It primarily consists of the digestive tract, which can be 20 to 24 feet long from top to bottom beginning with the mouth and moving through the esophagus, stomach and small intestine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It continues to the large intestine<\/a>, which includes the colon and rectum, and ends at the anus. Organs that are part of the digestive system<\/a> include the liver, gallbladder and pancreas.<\/p>\n

Signs of poor gut health<\/h2>\n

If you experience signs of an unhealthy gut, you could have digestive issues, Dr.Khokhar said. Those signs include:<\/p>\n