Gut Health Alarms: Subtle Signs Your Digestion Is in Trouble

33. Intolerance to Exercise-Induced Heat

Feeling overwhelmingly hot, flushed, or weak in response to even light to moderate exercise, especially when the core temperature rises, can point to a gut-linked issue with thermoregulation. Systemic inflammation driven by a struggling gut consumes a significant amount of metabolic energy, putting the body in a state of chronic stress. When you add the metabolic demand of exercise, the body struggles to allocate resources for both digestion/immune defense and cooling. This leads to an exaggerated, uncomfortable reaction to heat, where the body quickly feels overheated and exhausted, acting as a subtle flag that internal systems are already running too hot.

34. Difficulty Digesting Healthy Fats (Oily Stools)

A specific difficulty in breaking down and absorbing healthy fats—like those from avocados, olive oil, or nuts—resulting in pale, oily, or floating stools (steatorrhea) is a direct sign of poor function in the gut's supportive organs. The digestion of fat relies heavily on bile produced by the liver and released by the gallbladder, and lipase produced by the pancreas. Chronic gut inflammation or dysbiosis can disrupt the signals and flow required for optimal bile production and enzyme release. Observing undigested fat in your stool indicates that the gut environment is too hostile or the accessory organs are not properly assisting digestion.