5 New Year's Resolutions for a Happier Gut with IBS
There’s still time to add one or two more resolutions to your 2026 list, and you can make your gut happier in the process. Here are five New Year’s resolutions for a happier gut with IBS.
Your Gut's Warning: 3 Ways Digestive Issues Can Affect Your Heart
Is your gut a warning sign for your heart health? Maybe. Your gut and your heart are more connected than you might think.
Digestive issues are no doubt uncomfortable, but they can also trigger inflammation and even affect your cardiovascular health. In some cases, symptoms like chronic reflux, abdominal pain, or unexplained digestive changes may be your body’s way of signaling a deeper issue.
Here at Las Vegas Gastroenterology, we use tools like upper endoscopy so our team of gastroenterologists can look closely at your upper digestive tract to identify inflammation, damage, or other conditions that may be affecting your gut and potentially your heart health.
This month, in honor of American Heart Month, Noel R. Fajardo, MD, and Filippo Cremonini, MD, PhD, MSc, are talking all about your gut-heart connection.
Read on to learn three ways that your digestive issues can affect your heart.
1. Chronic gut inflammation can fuel heart inflammation
Digestive conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic gastritis, or long-term gut irritation can keep your immune system in a constant state of activation.
This ongoing inflammation doesn’t stay confined to your gut. It can circulate throughout your body and contribute to inflammation in blood vessels.
Systemic inflammation can contribute to:
- Damage to your blood vessel walls
- Plaque buildup in your arteries
- Increased risk of heart disease
Both the American Heart Association and the British Heart Association warn of the risks of chronic inflammation on your heart. Specifically, chronic inflammation can increase your risk of atherosclerosis and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
2. Poor nutrient absorption can weaken heart health
Digestive problems can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients that support heart function. Conditions that affect digestion or gut lining health may reduce absorption of nutrients like iron, magnesium, vitamin B12, and folate.
For example, if you have celiac disease, your body may not absorb nutrients like iron and vitamin B12 as well as it should. Low levels of these nutrients can make you feel tired and put extra strain on your heart because your blood may not carry oxygen as efficiently.
If you’re deficient, you may consider supplementation for the sake of your heart. For instance, research shows that vitamin B supplementation can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
3. Your gut microbiome affects cholesterol and blood pressure
Your gut microbiome, the community of 100 trillion bacteria living in your digestive tract, has many jobs to do. Your microbiome influences how your body processes cholesterol, regulates inflammation, and even influences blood pressure.
An imbalance in gut bacteria (called dysbiosis) has been linked to:
- Higher levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
- Increased blood pressure
- Greater cardiovascular risk
Digestive symptoms such as bloating, irregular bowel habits, or persistent discomfort may signal an imbalance that extends beyond your gut.
Why you shouldn’t ignore digestive symptoms
Digestive issues are often dismissed as minor or normal, especially when symptoms come and go. But when they’re persistent, they may point to deeper imbalances that impact your overall physical health, including your heart.
Plus, the sooner you reach out for care, the sooner you can get relief from your digestive symptoms.
Listen to your gut … it’s talking to your heart
Your digestive system sends key signals about what’s happening inside your body. Taking those signals seriously may protect more than your comfort; it may protect your heart.
If you’re experiencing chronic bloating, abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, acid reflux, or unexplained fatigue, it’s time for an evaluation here in one of our Las Vegas, Nevada, locations.
Our team knows that identifying and treating digestive conditions can support not just gut health but whole-body wellness.
Are you concerned about ongoing digestive symptoms? Schedule an appointment with Las Vegas Gastroenterology to get the answers you need.
You can also call 702-982-7240 to reach either of our two Las Vegas locations.
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