Is Your Gut Trying to Tell You Something?

Your gut is the foundation of your health. When it's out of balance, it doesn’t just affect digestion — it can ripple into nearly every system in your body. If you’ve been struggling with bloating, skin issues, food sensitivities, brain fog, or unexplained fatigue, your gut may be asking for attention.

Let’s talk about what’s really going on beneath the surface, and what you can do to support healing.

Signs of Gut Dysbiosis

Gut dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in the millions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes living in your digestive tract. When the "good guys" in your microbiome are crowded out by pathogens or imbalances, you may notice persistent symptoms like:

• Frequent bloating or gas

• New or worsening food sensitivities

• Skin flare-ups (acne, eczema, rosacea)

• Brain fog, difficulty focusing

• Fatigue or low energy, even with good sleep

• Irregular digestion (constipation, loose stools, or both)

• Sugar cravings or blood sugar swings

Your body speaks in symptoms. These signs are not random or something to consider “normal”— they’re invitations to dig deeper. If you checked more than one of the above, it’s time to give your gut some love.

Root Causes of Gut Imbalance

Understanding the "why" is crucial for true, lasting healing.

1. Antibiotic Use

Antibiotics can be lifesaving, but they don’t discriminate — they wipe out both harmful and beneficial bacteria. In fact, our microbiome is overly exposed to them not only from prescriptions, but also through the widespread use of antibiotics in farm animals and crops. If you’ve ever taken antibiotics (even years ago!), this can create long-term shifts in your microbiome, lowering microbial diversity and allowing opportunistic pathogens to thrive. Antibiotics are a beautiful tool when truly necessary, but they remain one of the most overprescribed medications today.

I experienced this personally. I was prescribed dozens (yes, dozens!) of rounds of antibiotics over the years — in hindsight, many were unnecessary — and it had a profound impact on my overall health. It’s part of what led me to dive deeply into gut healing. The good news is, the microbiome is resilient. With the right support, you can encourage the regrowth of beneficial bacteria and restore balance.

2. DIET

The food you eat is the most powerful, daily influence on your gut health. Unfortunately, modern diets tend to be high in processed foods and sugars but low in fiber and diversity — exactly the conditions that feed dysbiosis and increase gut permeability. Fiber is the food your good bacteria uses to thrive and without enough of it they begin to die off. Food sensitivities can also arise from existing gut imbalances, creating a cycle of inflammation and reactivity. Through functional nutrition, we can build a sustainable, nourishing plan full of whole foods, a variety of fibers, colorful fruits and vegetables, and fermented foods to feed your beneficial bacteria and calm inflammation.

3. Chronic Stress

Stress isn’t just a mental or emotional experience — it has profound physical effects, especially on your gut. When you’re under chronic stress, your body shifts into a "fight or flight" state and can cause gut permeability. This slows digestion, reduces blood flow to the gut, decreases enzyme production, and alters the balance of gut microbes. Research has shown that psychological stress alters the composition and function of the gut microbiota, which can exacerbate inflammation and gut dysfunction. This is why in my practice, I don’t just look at food and supplements — we also explore stress management techniques like breathwork, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation to fully support gut healing.

4. Toxins & Environmental Burden

We live in a world filled with unavoidable toxins — from pesticides and plastics to heavy metals and pollutants in our air, food, and water. These toxins can compromise gut health by directly damaging the gut lining, disrupting microbial balance, and increasing the body's overall inflammatory load. While we can’t eliminate all exposures, we can absolutely reduce our toxic burden through informed choices: opting for organic foods when possible, using filtered water, choosing cleaner personal care and household products, and supporting our body's natural detoxification pathways. A core part of my approach is helping you minimize toxic exposures and support natural elimination pathways to lighten your toxic load.

how to Rebalance Your Gut

Healing the gut is a process — but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. I use the 5R framework as a roadmap with my clients to bring structure and clarity to their journey. Every step builds on the last, creating the right conditions for your microbiome to heal and thrive.

Here’s how it works:

1. Remove: Clear out what’s harming your gut environment

The first step is to gently remove the things that are disrupting balance in your gut. This could include inflammatory foods, hidden infections like bacterial overgrowth or parasites, environmental toxins, and even unmanaged stress. The goal isn’t to eliminate everything at once, but to create a cleaner, safer space for healing to happen. With the help of functional testing and a close look at your history, we can pinpoint your unique gut stressors and begin clearing the path for restoration.

2. Replace: Support your digestion with what it needs to function properly

Once we've cleared the way, we need to make sure your digestive system has the tools it requires to do its job well. Low stomach acid, sluggish bile flow, or inadequate digestive enzymes can all impair your ability to break down and absorb nutrients, leaving both you and your microbiome undernourished. By thoughtfully supporting digestion — whether through specific supplements or natural digestive aids — we improve nutrient absorption and begin to repair your internal terrain.

3. Reinoculate: Rebuild your beneficial gut flora

With the environment cleansed and your digestion supported, it’s time to replenish your good bacteria. But this isn’t about throwing a generic probiotic at the problem. It’s about strategically reintroducing beneficial microbes and feeding them well. I work with my clients to increase fiber diversity, add in microbiota-nourishing foods (think: prebiotics like garlic, onions, leeks, and resistant starches), and select the right probiotic strains based on their individual needs and tolerance. The goal is to cultivate a thriving ecosystem that supports your health for the long term.

4. Repair: Heal and strengthen the gut lining

Your gut lining is the barrier between your internal world and the outside environment. When it’s compromised, inflammation increases and sensitivities emerge. In this phase, we focus on repairing that barrier with gut-healing nutrients like L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, and soothing, anti-inflammatory foods. We also pay close attention to replenishing any nutrient deficiencies that may have developed over time. Repairing the gut lining not only reduces symptoms like bloating and food sensitivities but also lays the foundation for a more resilient microbiome.

5. Rebalance: Build daily habits that sustain gut health for life

Healing the gut isn’t just about what you do in a protocol — it’s about creating sustainable practices that support your microbiome every day. This final step is about rebalancing your lifestyle: managing stress, prioritizing quality sleep, engaging in joyful movement, and cultivating mindful eating habits. These aren’t add-ons; they’re essential to keeping your gut healthy in the long run. This is where I see my clients experience true transformation — when healing moves from a checklist to an integrated way of living.

Ready to Start Your Gut Healing Journey?

Gut health is never just about digestion — it’s about your energy, mood, skin, immunity, and overall vitality. I know firsthand how confusing and overwhelming it can feel to navigate gut health on your own. That’s why I created my practice — to guide you through this with clarity and compassion. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start healing, I’d love to support you.

Book a personalized gut health consultation today and let’s create a roadmap that works for you.