Diet
High sugar intake has been shown to change the harmonious balance of bacteria in your gut primarily because sugar can feed the bad bacteria, thereby creating an environment for unwanted microbes to thrive. As the population of less than beneficial microbes increases, the risk of an inflammatory response increases accordingly as well as the potential for gut permeability (aka “leaky gut syndrome”).
Stress
Stress can do a number on our physical, mental, and emotional states. When mental stress compounds, for instance, it can interfere with the communication between your brain and your gut. When this line of communication is less than optimal or interrupted completely, it can contribute to symptoms such as nausea and bloating.
Sleep
Lack of sleep or chronic low-quality sleep has been shown to negatively affect the ratio of our body’s gut bacteria, thus increasing our risk for “leaky gut syndrome” (gut permeability), insulin resistance, and possibly even sugar cravings.