If you’ve been on a wellness journey for a while –or even just scrolling Instagram long enough– I know you’ve seen the term “gut health” all over the place. But what exactly does that mean and why is it important for your health?

In this blog, I’ll walk you through all the most important facts you need to know about gut health and answering the top questions I get, including:

What do we mean when we say “gut health”?
Can gut health affect your mental health or other systems in your body?
How do you heal your gut after a course of antibiotics?
Does everyone need to take a probiotic? Why or why not?
What foods contain probiotics?
What probiotic supplements do you recommend?
What are common gut health myths?

There’s a lot of ground to cover when talking about gut health, so let’s get to it!

WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY “GUT HEALTH”?

There are three essential components to gut health:

optimal breakdown of food
assimilation of nutrients
elimination of waste

Gut health also means maintenance of optimal balance of the microbiome that can affect the three essential components of gut health.

From a structural perspective, we need to ensure that we also have a properly functioning intestinal wall that frequently gets damaged due to food allergies, sensitivities, processed foods and autoimmune conditions.

Believe it or not, digestion can start as soon as you smell, see or even think about food.

You know the gurgling sound your stomach makes when you come home after work and smell something good cooking in the kitchen? That’s your stomach initiating stomach acid secretion in anticipation of food coming!

Breakdown of food mainly happens in the mouth, stomach, and is followed by further assimilation and absorption of nutrients in the small intestine all of which is affected by enzyme production, stomach acid levels and bile production in the liver. If there’s a deficiency of enzymes, stomach acid or bile production in the beginning stages of digestion, then we can see issues with acid reflux, bloating, constipation and diarrhea.

These troubles can be further exacerbated if there’s a microbiome imbalance such as with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or opportunistic and pathogenic bacteria present in the colon.

Think about that time when you went to Mexico and came back with an upset stomach: you probably inherited a few opportunistic or pathogenic bacteria along the way!

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CAN GUT HEALTH AFFECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH OR OTHER SYSTEMS OF THE BODY?

Absolutely!

They might seem unrelated but your gut health certainly does impact other systems of your body and mind.

We’ve all experienced the feeling that when our gut is “off,” we feel off. This is because about 80% of serotonin –the feel good neurotransmitter– is produced in our gut! So when our gut health is off then it can affect our mood and emotional wellbeing.

In addition to this, food sensitivities such as sensitivity to gluten can not only present with physical symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea and constipation, but also mental/emotional symptoms like irritability, brain fog and fatigue.

When there’s significant amount of inflammation in the gut due to autoimmune, food sensitivities or allergies, over consumption of seed oils, processed foods, sugar and alcohol, or environmental causes such as mold and heavy metal exposure then inflammation in the gut translates into systemic inflammation that can manifest as joint pain, hormone imbalances, poor concentration, poor immune health and much more.

No matter what symptoms you’re experiencing, always start with nutrition and gut health! Nothing in your body or mind can heal until you have proper nourishment and optimal gut health.

Even when I’m working on improving hormone imbalances, I always address nutrition and gut health!

HOW DO YOU HEAL YOUR GUT AFTER A COURSE OF ANTIBIOTICS?

Antibiotics are helpful for cleaning up harmful bacterial infections in our body but unfortunately, they’re also really good at destroying the good bacteria in our gut as well! To counteract the effects of antibiotics, take a probiotic concurrently.

About two hours away from the time you take your antibiotic each day, you want to be taking probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteriu, 20 billion CFU or more. Ideally, take your probiotics 30 minutes before, during or after a meal to help with absorption.

DOES EVERYONE NEED TO TAKE A PROBIOTIC? WHY OR WHY NOT?

Not necessarily. Even though there’s lots of talk about the importance of probiotics, some people don’t tolerate probiotics and are better off without them.

Every company claims that their probiotics are the best but the truth is that the best probiotic is the one that works for you.

I recommend that people try various probiotics to see which one resonates with them. Take your probiotic of choice for one month and observe: does it make you feel better? Worse? Or no change at all?

Most of my patients discover that when they find the right probiotic they feel lighter, less bloated, tolerate certain foods better and their bowel function improves.

Additionally, a gut test such as GI Map or GI Effects test can help uncover potential microbiome imbalances including bacterial imbalance and can provide insights into whether or not you need a probiotic.

WHAT FOODS CONTAIN PROBIOTICS?

Whether or not you’re taking a probiotic, eating clean, whole foods as a natural source of probiotics to support your gut health is a great idea!

Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha contain naturally occurring probiotics. We also can’t forget prebiotics, which is essential fuel for gut bacteria and helps to keep the gut ecosystem healthy.

What are prebiotics? While probiotics are a source of bacteria for the gut, prebiotics is what helps to fuel the bacteria. Short chain fatty acids like FOS and inulin, fiber from fruits and vegetables, and artichokes are great sources of prebiotics and are also essential to consider for optimal gut health.

Maintaining a proper microbiome (fungus, virus, bacteria, and parasite) balance impacts food cravings, inflammation, immune system function and gene expression. It really is a jungle in our gut and sometimes we need to clean it up and other times we just need to maintain it for our health’s sake.

WHAT PROBIOTICS SUPPLEMENTS DO YOU RECOMMEND?

As I mentioned, the best probiotic supplement is the one that works for you specifically, but here are ones I trust and recommend trying:

ProFlora by Biotics Research
Cymbiotika
Coconut Cult (food source probiotic)
Metagenics UltrFlora
Seed, Daily Synbiotic by Goop

WHAT ARE COMMON GUT HEALTH MYTHS?

Bloating is normal: not it’s not! It means you should look into it to identify what is causing it.
Food allergy testing is effective: not really. It’s highly variable and depends on which foods you’re including or excluding on a regular basis. And FYI - fiinger prick testing for identifying food sensitivities is a waste.
Everyone should take a probiotic: this is highly individual and can vary from person to person.

Gut Health 101: It’s More Than Probiotics