How to Figure Out What’s Going On With Your Gut

If your digestion is acting up, your energy’s gone AWOL, or your skin is suddenly breaking out, your gut might be at the root of it all. But gut issues can be seriously confusing to pinpoint. Is it what you’re eating? Stress? Hormones? That third coffee of the morning (never mind the day)?

The truth is, your gut is connected to everything, from how well you absorb nutrients to your mood, immunity, and even your skin health. And when it’s not functioning properly, the signs aren’t always so obvious.

Maybe you’re bloated after nearly every meal. Or you're dealing with acid reflux no matter what you eat. Some days you feel backed up, others it’s a sprint to the toilet as soon as you wake up. You might be low in essential vitamins even though you eat “healthy.” Or you just feel inflamed, puffy, sluggish, and like your body’s saying - “please… give me a break”.

Here’s the tricky part: a lack of digestive enzymes, poor stomach acid, imbalanced gut bacteria, or simply a gut that’s overwhelmed by toxins or stress could all be playing a role here. So where do you even start?

Let’s begin by decoding the chaos in your digestive system and what you can actually do to feel better, without overhauling your entire life (because no-one needs more stress).

Step 1: Listen to What Your Gut’s Telling You

Your body gives clues all of the time, but it’s on you to tune in. Start by tracking your symptoms for a week or two. Are you bloated all the time, or only craving certain foods? Is acid reflux frequent or occasional? Your bathroom habits are a big thing to watch out for also; consistency is key to gut health in every capacity, including toilet trips!

A food diary might sound more like it’s for someone trying to lose weight, but it has SO many uses. It helps you to spot the patterns between what you eat and how you feel. It might be that dairy triggers bloating or stress makes your reflux worse, you really won’t know until you take a closer look. Knowing what’s going on is the first step to working it all out.

Step 2: Understand What Might Be Going On

• Digestive enzyme deficiency: If your body isn’t producing enough enzymes, you won’t break down fats, proteins, or carbs efficiently. This often causes bloating, gas, and heaviness after meals. Adding a digestive enzyme supplement can really help with this, just make sure that it’s a good one (this is where our Digestive Catalyst comes in!)
• Low stomach acid: Although many people think that acid reflux is caused by too much stomach acid, it’s actually often caused by too little. When there isn't enough acid to digest your food, it leads to fermentation and discomfort. In addition, insufficient levels of acid stop your lower esophageal sphincter muscle from closing tightly, which means any acid that IS there can spurt back up into your esophagus (not fun). So rather than blocking acid further with PPIs, it’s actually better to increase it with a natural supplement such as the Reflux Inhibitor in our Heartburn Relief Kit.
• Imbalanced gut bacteria: Your microbiome plays a big part in digestion, immunity, and mood. An imbalance (known as dysbiosis) can lead to bloating, irregular bowel movements, and even brain fog. Probiotics help restore balance over time and maintain a healthy level of good bacteria in your gut.
• Inflammation and toxins: Chronic low-level inflammation in the gut lining can cause sluggish digestion and poor nutrient absorption. Toxins from processed foods, alcohol, or environmental sources can exacerbate this, making it a pretty common issue. Antioxidants like curcumin help soothe inflammation naturally and if you're adding this in a supplement it's best to go for the Liposomal delivery system to ensure the highest absorption rates and effectiveness.
• Nutrient deficiencies: Sometimes, even a healthy diet isn’t enough if your gut isn’t absorbing vitamins and minerals well. Your own homemade smoothie combined with a nutrient-rich powder like Super Greens can fill gaps and support overall gut and immune health.
  

Step 3: Create a Gut-Friendly Routine You Can Stick To

Once you’ve identified where things might be going off track, the next step is about working with your body rather than forcing a complete lifestyle change overnight. Your gut health won’t go from zero to 100% in a week but it will significantly improve over time with the right plan in place. Here’s how to build a realistic routine that supports your gut without taking over your life:

• Start small and stay consistent: Focus on one or two changes at a time. So that could be adding in a gut-supportive habit (like drinking warm water first thing in the morning), or cutting back on processed snacks or anything you’ve noted on your food diary that leaves you bloated. You don’t need to be perfect, just consistent enough for your body to catch up.
• Eat in a way that helps your gut, not just your cravings: Chew slowly. Sit down to eat. Avoid eating when stressed or distracted. It sounds boring, but these are the habits that give your digestive system a break. Less multitasking, more mindful chewing: it sounds simple but it works.
• Keep your meals simple and supportive: You don’t need to follow a complicated meal plan. Think fibre, variety, colour, and whole foods where possible. Your gut bacteria thrive on diversity, not restrictive diets (trust is, the latest diet fad is not it).
• Make stress reduction part of the plan: Stress is one of the ultimate triggers for gut discomfort. It messes with your motility, stomach acid levels, and even how well your body absorbs nutrients. Whether it’s walks, journaling, stretching, or just setting  better boundaries - you have to keep your stress levels in check.
• Don’t ignore the wins: Waking up more energized? Jeans not cutting off circulation after dinner anymore? A normal poop two days in a row? These are signs of healing, even if they seem small. Track them. Celebrate them. Seeing progress like this is what will motivate you to keep going.

Your Gut Wants to Heal

Gut issues can feel confusing, frustrating, and totally overwhelming. We get it. And this especially applies when it starts affecting your mood, energy, skin, and overall quality of life. But the good news is that your gut is resilient. With the right support and some consistency, it can (and will) bounce back.

Start small. Stay open. Listen to your body. And if you need a little extra help along the way with supplementation, contact us anytime for a free consultation about what’s going on. You don’t have to fix everything overnight; you just have to take the first step to get started. 

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