Trust Your Gut: Why Gut Health Is the Foundation of Your Wellbeing

As a holistic health coach, I take a deep dive into an individual’s health history to uncover the root cause of their symptoms. When someone is experiencing chronic symptoms, whether that’s anything from fatigue and brain fog, to skin issues, or anxiety, it almost always comes down to gut health. You might be surprised how much your digestive system influences not just your physical symptoms, but your mind and emotions as well.

What Is Gut Health?

Your gut is the system that digests your food and allows absorption of nutrients via many organs including the stomach, small and large intestines. They physically and chemically break down foods from large, insoluble macronutrients, to smaller, soluble micronutrients that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body. Within the digestive system lives an intricate ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms, collectively known as the gut microbiome. 

These bacteria, yeasts, and other microbes live primarily in your intestines with the highest concentration and most diverse community located in the large intestine (colon). This fact might freak some people out, knowing that we are basically walking ecosystems, teeming with microbes. But this is a symbiotic relationship. Both parties benefit, for example, we provide a stable environment and nutrients for microbes to thrive in, while they digest food and produce vitamins that we can’t, support mood regulation and boost our immune function.

Did you know that the gut microbiota living in your gut collectively weigh up to 2kg?

The term “gut health" refers to the balance and diversity of these microorganisms, the integrity of your gut lining, and how well your digestive system is functioning as a whole. Your gut microbiome is unique to you and is influenced by many factors, including your diet, genetics, medications, whether you were breast fed and more. When the “good” microbes, outweigh and defend us against the “bad” microbes, then we feel well. The turning point is when we start feeding the bad microbes and encouraging them to thrive and outcompete our good microbes.

Why Gut Health Matters

Your gut microbes carry out many jobs including digesting fibre, producing useful products such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and vitamins as well as fighting off pathogens. This field is relatively new and there is so much more to explore.

For now, research shows that a healthy gut plays a vital role in:

• Nutrient absorption – Even if you’re eating well, your body can’t benefit from those nutrients if your gut isn’t absorbing them properly.

  
  

• Immune defence – Around 70% of your immune system resides in your gut. Therefore, the stronger and more intact your gut lining is, the stronger your immune system.

  
  

• Mental health – The gut and brain are deeply connected through the gut-brain axis. Approximately 90 – 95% of the "feel-good" neurotransmitter, serotonin, is produced in the gut.

  
  

• Inflammation control – Poor gut health can trigger chronic inflammation, which is at the root of many diseases, including leaky gut and autoimmune conditions.

What Affects Gut Health?

Our gut microbiota is influenced by many factors, including diet, exercise, previous infections, medications like antibiotics, whether you were breast fed and more. Some of these are beyond our control, however luckily for us, many factors ARE within our control meaning that we can change our gut microbiota, and therefore gut health.

1) Diet

“Good” or beneficial microorganisms feed off fibre which is the part we can’t digest. Some foods are called prebiotics where research shows they have a positive impact on human health such as onions, garlic, leeks, prunes, apricots, beans and lentils (to name just a few). Research has also demonstrated that certain prebiotics can increase levels of Bifidobacteria, a well-researched type of good gut bacteria.

However, highly processed foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and lack of fibre can feed harmful bacteria and starve beneficial ones. When you’re feeding yourself, you’re also feeding your gut, and I like to think of this as eating for two. So next time you’re plating up your food think “what’s for me, what’s for my gut microbes”

2) Antibiotics and medications

Antibiotics are incredible for killing bacteria and have saved millions of lives. There’s no denying that sometimes they are absolutely necessary. However, antibiotics can wipe out both good and bad bacteria, leaving the gut vulnerable. This disruption to your gut microbiome reduces the diversity and it can become easy for harmful bacteria to grow and outcompete the beneficial bacteria. As well as the joy of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea as a side effect, many people may not see their gut microbiome return to how it was before the antibiotics.

3) Chronic stress

Ongoing stress can slow digestion, alter the gut microbiome, and increase intestinal permeability often referred to as "leaky gut". These symptoms are becoming more prevalent in the Western world. Stress comes in different forms, but the body still reacts in the same way it would have during the Old Stone Age. Primarily the hormone cortisol remains activated and has a cascading effect on many other hormones, including those that aid digestion. For more information on stress read my blog.

4) Lack of sleep

Research indicates a strong link between gut health, specifically the gut microbiome, and sleep quality, including insomnia and other sleep disorders. Inconsistent or poor-quality sleep has been linked to reduced microbial diversity and gut microbiome imbalances, known as dysbiosis. Disruptions in sleep patterns and circadian misalignment, particularly seen in shift workers, can also affect the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome. Research suggests links between shift work and increased risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and heightened low-grade inflammation.

5) Environmental toxins

Every day we are exposed to chemicals and toxins whether we realise it or not. From pesticides and chemicals in our food and water, to mould exposure and pollution to the personal care products we use on our clothes and skin. All of these can all take a toll on our gut health (as well as hormone health but that’s for another day). These chemical pollutants can alter the gut microbiome, leading to dysbiosis, and ultimately change the integrity and function of the gut intestinal tract, i.e. leaky gut.

Signs Your Gut Might Be Out of Balance

Sometimes it’s hard to see the signs yourself and connect the dots to find the root cause of your symptoms. You may have been to your local GP, and they have offered you medication to mask that symptom, yet you still feel unwell. This is where my training as a holistic health coach with a background in biomedical science, allows me to see the whole you and piece together what is really going on.

Listen to your gut, it is trying to tell your when you are unwell

Gut health is a balancing act to keep the good gut bacteria thriving and outcompete the bad gut bacteria. The best thing you can do is fuel your good gut bacteria to allow them to thrive, creating a more diverse and healthier gut microbiome. When you are in dysbiosis, and your gut isn’t functioning optimally you may notice:

• Bloating, gas, or irregular bowel movements (constipation or diarrhoea)

• Food intolerances or sensitivities

• Fatigue or low energy

• Skin issues like acne, eczema, or rosacea

• Brain fog or trouble concentrating

• Mood disorders like anxiety or depression

• Frequent illness or slow recovery

• Bad breath or body odour

  
  

What Can You Do?

As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of things within your control to change the make-up of your gut microbiome to help you show up and feel your best. Supporting gut health doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are my top tips for where to start laying the foundations:

1) Eat more plants

Aim for a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes to feed your good gut bacteria. One large study (the American Gut Project) found that people who ate 30 different plant-based foods per week had a more diverse gut microbiome than people who ate 10 different plant-based foods. My advice when increasing fibre intake is to take it gradually to prevent triggering gut symptoms like bloating. Give your gut time to be introduced to different fibres and work out which microbes are needed to digest that type.

Different coloured foods provide fibre and phytonutrients that good gut microorganisms thrive off

2) Incorporate fermented foods

The fermentation process can increase the production of beneficial compounds, including vitamins and organic acids as well as add live cultures, often referred to as probiotics. Try adding in foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and miso to introduce beneficial probiotics. However, be aware that many commercially fermented foods have been pasteurised, which kills any live bacteria that were previously in the food. This means not all fermented foods can be called a probiotic. 

3) Reduce processed foods and sugars

These feed harmful bacteria and allow them to outcompete the beneficial bacteria. This promotes inflammation and leads to dysbiosis. See if you can make healthy swaps starting with one processed food for a fresher, whole food a per week.

4) Manage stress

Practices like meditation, breathwork, and movement are not just good for your mind—they directly impact your gut.

5) Sleep well

Prioritise quality rest to give your body time to repair and regulate.

Your gut is talking to you all the time so sit up and listen. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, it may be time to take a deeper look at your digestive health. As a holistic health coach, I guide clients in creating sustainable changes that nurture the gut and, in turn, transform their overall health.

If you are feeling stuck, confused, or frustrated with nutrition or other aspects of your health and want support, then reach out.

Check out my private programmes here, or book a free discovery call to find out more.

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