What really is gut health? I always thought the word “gut” was just another way of describing the embarrassing loaf we try to squeeze into a pair of pants. It wasn’t until I came upon a podcast featuring Dr. Rhonda Patrick a few years back that I learned it was more than a backhanded way of describing the quintessential mid section of a “dad bod”.
I found that at its core, gut health is actually about how well your digestive system breaks down food, absorbs nutrients, and communicates with the rest of your body, especially the immune system and brain.
It’s an internal process which means issues don’t always show up as obvious or visible symptoms.
A key concept I kept hearing referenced (without needing to get too technical) was the mention of the “gut biome” which is a stockpile of trillions of bacteria living in your intestines. These bacteria influence digestion, inflammation, immune response, mood, stress and energy. When that balance is off, symptoms show up everywhere, not just in the stomach.
Don’t lose me here, I’m going to mention diarrhea, it’s okay to chuckle. Crack open a bottle of kombucha and let’s take a shallow dive into the deep end of gut health. It could change your life.
Common Gut Health Symptoms
These are the obvious ones, but I thought it was normal:
● Bloating (especially after eating)
● Gas or frequent burping
● Constipation or diarrhea
● Alternating constipation & diarrhea
● Acid reflux (heartburn)
● Feeling uncomfortably full after a small meal
Digestive discomfort isn’t “normal aging” or just stress, it’s often a signal.
Whole Body Symptoms (the ones we don’t connect to the gut)
● Chronic fatigue or afternoon crashes
● Brain fog or trouble concentrating
● Anxiety, irritability or low mood
● Headaches or migraines
● Joint pain or unexplained inflammation
● Skin issues (eczema, acne, rashes)
● Frequent sickness or slow recovery
When the gut struggles, the body speaks up to let you know something has gone awry. Personally and up to a few months ago, I experienced many of these issues.
Frustration. Short temper. Lack of focus. Exhaustion even when I’ve been laying around all day doom scrolling (that’s a whole other topic).
My wife and kids usually got the brunt of it and oftentimes mentioned that my demeanor didn’t match the kindhearted, patient husband and father I once was. I saw the pain caused by my actions reflected in their gentle faces and it broke me inside.
Normalizing discomfort to a point to where it affected my character was a poison I didn’t realize I was drinking. I finally made a decision, because I wasn’t proud of the person I was becoming, to try and figure out what was happening. This is what I discovered:
Root Causes of Poor Gut Health (Modern life does us dirty)
1. Processed & Inflammatory Foods
● Highly processed foods
● Refined sugars
● Artificial dyes, preservatives & emulsifiers
● Seed oils & ultra-refined carbs
These can disrupt gut bacteria balance, feed “bad” bacteria and increase intestinal inflammation. And food wasn’t the only factor even though my brain felt like it was trying to unscramble eggs.
2. Chronic Stress - Stress directly impacts digestion by:
● Slowing stomach acid production
● Reducing enzyme output
● Increasing gut permeability, “leaky gut” concept
I noticed this leading me to feel intense parenting stressors, financial pressure & not getting enough rest. The discomfort was unbearable & so I sought out a medicinal fix.
3. Antibiotics & Medications - Even when necessary, antibiotics:
● Kill harmful bacteria and beneficial bacteria
● Can take months, or longer to recover from
Other common gut disruptors include NSAIDs, acid-reducing medications & long term allergy medications. All of which I was using to combat my symptoms. The fuel I was using to energize my body also played a role.
● Inflammation
● Poor absorption
● Ongoing immune activity & responses
I had been dealing with these for years and never realized my body was trying to tell me something.
5. Nutritional Deficiencies - Low levels of:
● Zinc
● Magnesium
● Iron
● B Vitamins
● Omega-3s
Unbeknownst to me, these deficiencies were weakening my gut lining and digestive function, creating a vicious cycle of trying to treat symptoms rather than causes.
Let’s take a breath, a smooth swig of that kombucha, and pivot to looking at some ways to offer the gut some much needed support and relief.
Natural Ways to Support Gut Health
1. Simplify the diet, before introducing supplements
Helpful gut supporting foods:
● Whole, minimally processed foods
● Raw or Cooked vegetables (easier on digestion)
● Bone broth
● Fermented Foods (sauerkraut, kefir, yogurts if tolerated)
● Quality proteins (free-range, organic)
This isn’t about perfection, it’s about reducing the constant assault on the gut.
2. Support the Microbiome
Ways you can naturally rebuild balance:
● Probiotic & Prebiotic Fiber Rich Foods
● Remove triggering foods before adding more
If this sounds burdensome, I get it. Don’t feel overwhelmed just yet. You can easily incorporate these items into your diet by adding them to your meals.
3. Address Stress at the Nervous System Level
Simple but powerful:
● Breathing exercises
● Walking outdoors
● Slowing down your meals, chew longer
● Sleep consistency
It’s hard for a wound to heal if you keep bumping it, the gut is similar in this way.
4. Identify the Triggers Instead of Guessing
Find tools that will help you to grasp the concept so that you can make the most informed decisions:
● Comprehensive stool analysis
● Breath tests for SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
● Endoscopic Procedures
● Blood and hair testing
I opted for the least invasive and most cost effective option to get me started. Even though my hair has been thinning as I’ve aged, I preferred to sacrifice a few strands rather than poop in a cup or go to the doctor.
I wasn’t looking for labels or quick fixes. I just needed a different lens. Exploring options like 5Strands helped shift my focus from frustration to understanding, allowing me to approach gut health with more confidence, patience, and purpose.
Because there’s a unique kind of exhaustion that comes from not having answers, especially when you’re doing everything you can to support not only your own body, but your whole family’s health. Taking action instead of letting it continue to fester was the best decision I could have made.
Getting the results and making changes has not only reactivated my self-assurance, it has changed the way I react to the ones I love. My wife and my kids are seeing the best side of me and I’ve come back to life.
Now take that last sip of kombucha, you know, the one with all the SCOBY dust at the bottom and give yourself a break. Every step forward is progress.
By Wayne Allen
Author’s Note: I’ve been on a journey these past few years to seek out solutions to ailments and maladies that have had an unsavory impact on my life and the lives of my family and loved ones. I’m a husband and father of 3 with an ardent urge to find solutions to repair our health and get back to a state of well-being. As I’ve gotten older and began to experience the changes and quirks that come along with aging, I’ve become much more aware of the way my body & mind react to what I consume. Living a nutritious lifestyle has become paramount to me given my strong desire to be an active participant in the lives of my children. If this sentiment resonates, I hope it encourages you to take an active role in repairing and supporting your body from the degradation we experience and the wear and tear of modern life, the things we’re exposed to daily.
