Gut Health: How Digestion Works, and Where It Goes Wrong
Good gut health rests on five things working together: stomach acid, digestive enzymes, bile, motility and the gut lining. I call them the five pillars. When one of them falters, food is not broken down properly, the wrong bacteria get fed, and symptoms follow.
How I think about gut health
I spent years with bloating, food reactions and fatigue before I understood this. I had been treating symptoms one at a time. What changed things was asking which part of digestion was struggling, and why.
That is still how I work. Bloating, reflux, constipation and food sensitivities are information. Each one points to a pillar that needs support. The articles here cover the tools I use most: probiotics and fermented foods, how to combine and reintroduce foods, and the nutrients a struggling gut tends to miss.
Articles on gut health
- Gut Health
Why Probiotics Can Make You Feel Worse, and How to Start Them
Why probiotics can cause a reaction, and the dose I start clients on.
Read the article - Gut Health
Can Your Gut Affect Your Mood? How the Gut-Brain Connection Works
The two-way link between digestion and mood, and the five pillars of a healthy gut.
Read the article - Gut Health
Food Combining Rules: The 6 I Use and Why They Work
Six rules for easier digestion and the chemistry behind them.
Read the article - Gut Health
How to Reintroduce Foods After an Elimination Diet
The physical steps, and the fear of reactions most guides miss.
Read the article - Gut Health
Probiotics vs Fermented Foods: Which Is Better for Your Gut?
Why fermented foods come first for me, and when a supplement makes more sense.
Read the article - Gut Health
Anti-Nutrients in Vegetables: How Plants Fight Back and What to Do
Enzyme inhibitors, oxalates and phytates, and how traditional preparation reduces them.
Read the article - Gut Health
Do You Need Supplements? The Ones I Have Found Most Useful
The four I come back to, what I look for in each, and what matters just as much.
Read the article - Gut Health
Fat-Soluble Vitamins A, D, E and K: What They Do and Where to Find Them
What each one does, the best food sources, and why fat digestion decides how much you absorb.
Read the article - Gut Health
The Truth About Calories: Why Counting Them Is Not Enough
Why the same calories can affect you differently, and what matters more than the number.
Read the article - Gut Health
The Keto Diet: What Ketosis Is and How I Approach It
What ketosis does to blood sugar and appetite, and who should speak to a doctor first.
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Questions I am often asked
What are the five pillars of digestion?
Stomach acid, digestive enzymes, bile, motility and the gut lining. Each one helps to break food down and to keep bacteria in the right place.
Where should I start with my gut health?
With your symptoms. They show which part of digestion is struggling. My free Gut Health Quiz turns them into a starting point.
Do I need probiotics for a healthy gut?
Not everyone does, but many people with gut problems have lost beneficial bacteria. If you try them, start with a low dose and build up slowly.
Find out which pillar needs support.
The free Gut Health Quiz takes a few minutes and shows which part of your digestion to work on first. The Gut Health Bundle then takes you through each pillar, step by step.
I’m a coach, not a medical doctor. This page shares my experience and what I see with the clients I coach. It is for education only and is not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Speak to your doctor before changing medication or if your symptoms are severe or new.