How to listen to what your gut's telling you

(Relaxnews) - Listen to your gut. Because if it's making rumbling noises, chances are it's trying to tell you something, whether to feed it or to see your doctor.

While a healthy digestive system can be maintained by eating the right foods, experts also advise doing your belly another service and listening to your gut.

For instance, according to Loveyourgut.com, created by major Japanese fermented milk maker Yakult, a rumbling tummy is likely caused by stomach contractions sloshing digestive juices into the intestines, telling you it needs to be fed.

If stomach noise is accompanied by bloating, cramping, diarrhea or excess gas, however, the Mayo Clinic suggests the sounds could be a sign of underlying gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome.

Black, tarry stool can serve as a major red flag of internal bleeding, while pale stools accompanied by dark urine could be a sign of gallstones or pancreatic disorder.

While cramps and abdominal pain could be a sign of over-indulgence, they could also be a symptom of Crohn's Disease or partial intestinal obstruction.

And if you've ever had a metallic taste in your mouth, you've had the misfortune of experiencing acid reflux, caused by regurgitated stomach acid.

Meanwhile, to manage irritable bowel syndrome, it's important to identify the triggers, discuss the condition openly with friends and family for support, and to anticipate symptoms by doing things like locating the nearest washroom at a public event, suggests WebMD.com.