Gut Health 101: The Real Reason You’re Feeling Off—and How to Fix It from the Inside Out

Gut health used to be something whispered about in a doctor’s office—something you only thought about when things weren’t going well. Today, it’s finally getting the attention it deserves.

And that’s a good thing. Because your gut isn’t just about digestion. It’s connected to your energy, mood, skin, immune system, focus, hormones—and how you feel, full stop.

But here’s the reality: Modern life isn’t exactly gut-friendly.

We’re constantly navigating stress, ultra-processed foods, meds, alcohol, nutrient-depleted food, environmental toxins, and a pace of life that rarely lets our nervous systems catch a breath. Our bodies are doing their best—but for many of us, the result is:

• Bloating and irregular digestion

• Low energy or burnout

• Food sensitivities

• Skin issues

• Mood swings or that vague “ugh” feeling you can’t quite explain

And when you do go looking for help, the gut health world can feel… overwhelming.
Probiotics, postbiotics, colonics, “internal showers”—where do you even begin?

Right here.

We’re going back to the foundation. Over the next few posts, we’ll demystify gut health and walk you through every layer—from digestion and the microbiome to nutrient absorption and your daily habits.

And it all starts here:
👉 With digestion—your body’s first step in turning food into fuel.

When your digestion is working well, you feel energized, balanced, and clear.

But when something is off—whether it’s low stomach acid, insufficient digestive enzymes, a "leaky" gut lining, or an imbalanced microbiome—your body struggles to get what it needs. And that can show up as bloating, fatigue, skin issues, cravings, or even mood swings.

From here, we’re walking through the digestive process step by step—so you can better understand what’s really happening inside your body, and what to do when things aren’t going smoothly.

Let’s start at the top.

Tip: Start your meals with a few deep breaths. Put away your phone. Smell your food. Let your body arrive before your fork does.

Digestion isn’t just something that happens after you swallow—it actually starts the moment food hits your tongue.

Sure, chewing breaks food into smaller pieces to make it easier to digest—but more importantly, this is where chemical digestion begins.

Your saliva contains digestive enzymes like amylase, which start breaking down carbohydrates right in your mouth. This early enzymatic activity gives your body a major head start before the food even reaches your stomach.

Tip: The more you chew, the more you support your enzymes—and the easier you make it for your body to absorb nutrients later on. Aim to chew each bite 20–30 times.

Your stomach isn’t just a food container. It’s a powerful mixing chamber full of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin, which help break down protein and sterilize harmful microbes that shouldn't be in your food.

Here’s the twist: Most people think heartburn and reflux are signs of too much stomach acid. But in many cases, it’s actually too little.

When stomach acid is low, food doesn’t break down properly. It lingers in the stomach, starts to ferment, and creates pressure that pushes acid upward—causing that familiar burning sensation in the chest and throat.

So when we reach for antacids or acid blockers, we may feel better in the moment—but we’re also shutting off a critical part of digestion. That means:

• Less breakdown of protein
• Less absorption of key nutrients (like iron, B12, magnesium, and zinc)
• More chances for bloating, fatigue, and food sensitivities

Low stomach acid can be caused by chronic stress, certain medications, nutrient deficiencies (especially zinc), and aging—but it’s often overlooked.

Tip: Your stomach acid is a digestive superhero—not the villain. If you’re dealing with digestive discomfort, low HCl could be part of the story.

A few things can impact nutrient absorption:

• Low stomach acid: Without enough HCl, your body can’t properly unlock nutrients like iron, zinc, calcium, and B12.
• Poor enzyme production: If your pancreas isn’t releasing enough digestive enzymes, food doesn’t break down fully—and that means nutrients stay locked away unable to be absorbed by the body.
• Gut inflammation or damage: If the gut lining is inflamed or overly permeable (aka “leaky gut”), nutrient uptake is compromised. Think of it like trying to absorb water through a towel that’s torn and frayed.
• Imbalanced microbiome: Your microbiome plays a role in making and activating certain nutrients—so when it’s out of balance, so is your ability to absorb and convert what you eat.
• Stress and rushed eating: When your body is in fight-or-flight mode, digestion gets put on the back burner. Less stomach acid, less enzyme release, slower motility… it all adds up to less absorption.
• Medications: Common meds like antacids, PPIs, antibiotics, NSAIDs, and even birth control can interfere with how your gut breaks down and absorbs nutrients over time.

So if you’re taking supplements, eating whole foods, and still feeling depleted or low-energy? It might not be what you’re eating—it might be what your body isn't absorbing. We’ll get into this more in future blogs in this series.

But that's not all your gut microbes do. They also:

• Help make important vitamins like B12, folate, and vitamin K that your body needs for energy, mood, and blood health
• Support fat digestion by helping your body process bile acids, which also play a role in managing cholesterol
• Influence your mood and focus by helping produce brain chemicals like serotonin and GABA
• Keep your immune system in check by helping it stay balanced—not too reactive, not too sluggish

Fermentation: Your Internal Compost System 🌱

Think of fermentation as your gut bacteria’s version of cooking. When they ferment undigested fibers (aka prebiotics), they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, acetate, and propionate.

These SCFAs help to:

• Fuel your gut lining—especially butyrate, which feeds the cells of your colon
• Lower inflammation locally and systemically
• Strengthen the gut barrier and help prevent leaky gut
• Regulate appetite, insulin response, and blood sugar
• Support immune tolerance and help your body respond appropriately to threats

Several things help keep this part of digestion humming along:

• Fiber intake: Soluble fiber feeds your good bacteria. Insoluble fiber helps move things along.
• Diversity of plants: Eating a wide range of colorful, whole plant foods promotes microbial diversity—which is key to resilience.
• Hydration: Water helps your colon do its job and prevents things from getting stuck (literally).
• Movement: Daily physical activity improves gut motility and microbial balance.
• Connection with nature: Exposure to soil, fresh air, and animals can actually increase your microbial exposure—in a good way.
• Stress management: Chronic stress directly impacts microbial balance and gut motility.

This final step plays a huge role in regularity, immunity, and long-term health—so your gut bacteria deserve some serious love for all the work they do.

Dysbiosis can happen from poor diet (especially low fiber or high sugar), stress, antibiotics, alcohol, pesticides, and lack of microbial diversity. 

You can eat the most nutrient-dense food on the planet, but if your body isn’t digesting and absorbing it properly, you won’t reap the benefits. That’s why understanding (and supporting) digestion is the foundation of gut health—and a key part of how we help you feel your best, naturally.

UP NEXT: We’re going deeper into one of digestion’s underrated MVPs: stomach acid and enzymes—and how to know when they need some backup.