What’s your gut type (and how is it affecting your health)?
by Erin Magner
You know your blood type, skin type, and even your Ayurvedic dosha—but what about your gut type?
According to natural medicine doctor and nutritionist Josh Axe, nearly all of us are prone to one of five distinct digestive imbalances, which he presents in his book Eat Dirt: Why Leaky Gut May Be the Root Cause of Your Health Problems and 5 Surprising Steps to Cure It. Left unchecked, these can cause the lining of your gut to break down, allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream—doctors call this “leaky gut syndrome”—leading to everything from bloating and eczema to depression and IBS. (In other words, a total, um, cluster.)
“Treating thousands of patients over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how unique every person’s health story really is,” writes Axe. “For some, the root cause of their leaky gut could be candida overgrowth. For others, it might be immune system dysfunction. When specific body systems are not functioning optimally, the path may require a slightly different approach to healing.”
To determine someone’s gut type, Axe looks at everything from your Chinese medicine constitution to the prescription drugs you take to your food cravings—and he uses that gut type to recommend a super-detailed course of treatment that encompasses food, supplements, lifestyle practices, essential oils, and more. (He’s also developed an online gut type quiz and outlined all of the protocols in depth in Eat Dirt.)
The good news? Your current gut type isn’t a life sentence, says Dr. Axe—once you know what’s ailing you, the path to balance becomes clear. (As does your skin)..
Ready to learn your gut type? Keep reading to find out which one you are—and Axe’s tips for how to treat them.
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