Let’s talk guts. Not metaphorical guts like “she had the guts to wear THAT” (respect), but literal, biological guts. That thing in your torso that’s probably been trying to get your attention with bloating, brain fog, breakouts, and emotional chaos every time you ignore another “what your poop says about your health” infographic.

Your gut is not just a tube that turns tacos into, well… fertilizer. It's your body's most underrated superpower, and it's been running the show behind the scenes this whole time. So if your digestion has been a hot mess express, your skin's throwing tantrums, or your mood’s been swinging harder than a wrecking ball... spoiler alert: it’s not just “getting older” or “hormones” or “vibes.” It’s your gut. And she’s mad.

Ready to fix it? Good. Let’s roll.

Your Gut: It’s Basically Your Second Brain (And Might Be the Smarter One)

You know that phrase “go with your gut”? Science backs it up. Your gut houses over 500 million neurons; that’s more than your spinal cord. And it produces a whopping 95% of your serotonin (that’s your feel-good, stay-out-of-prison hormone). So when your belly’s off, your entire world feels off.

Meet your enteric nervous system aka your “second brain.” It’s connected to your actual brain via the vagus nerve (think of it like a gossip hotline that’s always spilling tea back and forth between your belly and your brain). When your gut is thriving, you’re energized, glowing, focused, and fabulous. When it’s not? You’re bloated, anxious, breaking out, tired, cranky, and possibly Googling “am I dying” again.

What Is Your Gut, Anyway?

Quick science moment (don’t worry, no pop quiz).

Your gut includes:

• Your digestive tract (yep, all 30 glorious feet of it)
  
• Your microbiome (home to trillions of bacteria, good and bad)
  
• Your gut lining (the bouncer that decides what gets into your bloodstream)
  
• Your gut-brain axis (that chatty hotline we mentioned)

Basically, your gut is your internal universe and when it's in harmony, everything works better. But when it’s disrupted? Houston, we have a problem.

Signs Your Gut Is Screaming for Help

You might have a gut imbalance if you:

• Bloat like a balloon animal after eating
  
• Can’t poop, or can’t stop pooping (YES, Both)
  
• Have cravings that make you feel possessed
  
• Catch every cold within a 5-mile radius
  
• Break out like you're 13 again
  
• Feel like your brain is buffering
  
• Wake up tired, go to bed wired
  
• Have mystery aches, rashes, or mood swings

Sound familiar? Your gut’s burnt out. And you, my friend, are about to become the best boss she’s ever had.

The Sneaky Saboteurs Wrecking Your Gut (And Probably Your Sanity)

Let’s call these what they are: gut gremlins.

Processed Foods

Sugar, fake oils, chemicals with more syllables than a prescription drug commercials... these are a buffet for bad bacteria and the death sentence for your good bugs.

Excess Caffeine & Booze

Moderation is fine. Five coffees and a bottle of wine on an empty stomach? That’s an act of war on your gut lining.

Antibiotics & Medications

Antibiotics are life-saving, sure. But they also nuke your gut flora like a microbiome massacre. Pain meds and heartburn pills? Not much better.

Stress (Duh)

Stress turns off digestion. Literally. It puts your gut on pause so your body can “run from danger” — even if the danger is just your inbox.

Poor Sleep

Your gut has a circadian rhythm too. If your sleep’s trash, your gut’s confused. And cranky. And inflamed.

So, What Do You Do About It?

Here’s your no-BS plan for turning your gut into the glowing, digesting, serotonin-producing goddess she was meant to be.

Step 1: Take Out the Trash

Healing doesn’t happen while you’re still bathing your microbiome in Red Bull and regret.

Start by reducing:

• Ultra-processed foods
  
• Added sugars
  
• Alcohol
  
• Artificial sweeteners
  
• Stress-eating habits

Try the “one swap at a time” method. Not perfection, just progress.

Example: Swap your nightly ice cream for a banana with almond butter. Fancy? No. Effective? Hell yes.

Step 2: Feed the Good Stuff

Your good bacteria are picky eaters. They don’t want Doritos. They want fiber, fermented foods, and a rainbow on your plate.

Your Gut Glow Grocery List:

• Fermented foods: Yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut
  
• Prebiotics: Garlic, onions, asparagus, green bananas
  
• Fiber: Chia, flax, berries, leafy greens, cruciferous veggies
  
• Omega-3s: Salmon, walnuts, flax seeds
  
• Bone broth & collagen: For gut repair like a pro

Aim for 30+ different plant foods a week. Why? Because variety = diversity, and diversity = strength (in your microbiome and your life, honestly).

Step 3: Stress Less, Digest More

You could be eating kale on a mountain in Bali and still have digestive issues if you’re wired 24/7. Your gut needs rest-and-digest mode to function.

Start with:

• 3 deep breaths before meals
  
• 10-minute daily walk
  
• A “no screens 1 hour before bed” rule (yes, even TikTok)
  
• Journaling, yoga, EFT tapping, or whatever gets you out of panic mode (I actually created a free 8 Week Mood & Food Diary... you can download it for free here)

Need a lazy-girl hack? Humming. Yup, humming. It stimulates your vagus nerve and calms your gut.

Step 4: Move Your Booty, Move Your Bowel

You don’t need to join a CrossFit cult. But your gut loves movement.

Gut-friendly workouts:

• Post-meal walks (seriously, magic)
  
• Yoga (especially twisting poses)
  
• Strength training (hello, inflammation-fighting queen)
  
• Dance parties in your kitchen (because joy heals too)

Start with 10 minutes a day. Your poop will thank you. (Every morning I do 20 mins of stretching and 15 mins slow walk on the treadmill... I am talking real slow... like 1.6mph... just to get the body up and going. Bonus: Not only has it helped keep me regular, but I find it helps clear and organize my mind for the day ahead)

Step 5: Get Consistent, Not Crazy

Your gut likes rhythm. It's not into chaotic vibes.

So, aim for:

• Consistent meal times
  
• 12-hour eating windows (7AM–7PM, for example)
  
• A regular bedtime
  
• Poop time (yes, schedule it if you have to — it's self-care)

The key? Make your gut feel safe, supported, and respected. Like a diva that gets her green room just right.

Final Pep Talk (Because Your Gut Deserves a Hype Squad)

Energy? Mood? Immunity? Hormones? Skin? All run through the gut command center.

But healing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You don’t have to become a kombucha-brewing, chia-seed-sprinkling guru overnight. Just start. Choose one habit. Then another. Let it be messy. Let it be imperfect. But let it be consistent.

So breathe. Chew slower. Eat colorfully. Move your body. Sleep like it’s sacred. Hydrate like you mean it. And start treating your gut like the sacred powerhouse she is.

Because when your gut glows, you glow.

**BONUS**

Feel free to screenshot this and slap it on your fridge:

Your Gut Health Starter Kit

• Ditch ultra-processed food 80% of the time
• Eat 25-40g of fiber per day
• Include at least one fermented food daily
• Hydrate with 3L of water (add lemon!)
• Move your body for 30 minutes a day
• Sleep 7-9 hours a night
• Chew your food. Slowly
• Breathe before you eat
• Pick your top 3 gut-healing habits and stick to them