Eating Clean Isn’t Enough for Digestive Health

If you’re a health-conscious woman who is determined to support your body and feel your best, but you’re still struggling with persistent digestive issues like bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, the problem may go deeper than just your diet. While eating clean is important, it’s not the same as eating to support your digestion, hormones, and metabolism – the three key systems that largely influence how you feel.

Many women make the mistake of thinking that if they just cut out certain “problem” foods like gluten, dairy, or sugar, their digestive woes will disappear. But the reality is that digestive function is complex, and there are often multiple underlying factors at play. Simply eliminating foods may provide temporary relief, but it won’t address the root causes keeping you stuck in a cycle of gut distress.

The Five Biggest Mistakes Women Make When Trying to Fix Their Digestion

1. Focusing on cutting foods out instead of supporting digestive function. Proper digestion requires adequate stomach acid, bile production, minerals like sodium and potassium, prebiotics and probiotics, and healthy motility. Addressing these foundational elements is key, not just eliminating foods.
2. Undereating, even if it’s “clean” food. Chronic undereating can slow your metabolism, disrupt your hormones, and impair your digestion, leading to a host of unpleasant symptoms.
3. Guessing with supplements. Many women try random supplements without understanding the root cause of their issues, leading to wasted money and continued symptoms.
4. Ignoring the impact of stress on digestion. Eating on the go, lack of sleep, overexercising, and other stressors can shut down your digestive processes, no matter how “clean” your diet is.
5. Not running the right functional lab tests. Conventional lab work often misses the underlying imbalances that are contributing to digestive problems. Comprehensive testing is key to getting to the root of the issue.

The Functional Approach to Resolving Digestive Issues

Instead of just eliminating foods or guessing with supplements, the functional medicine approach involves a comprehensive assessment to identify the root causes of your digestive troubles. This includes:

• Assessing for patterns. Looking at the big picture of your symptoms, health history, and how different systems (digestion, hormones, metabolism, etc.) are interconnected.
• Testing, not guessing. Using advanced functional lab tests to uncover imbalances in areas like gut health, thyroid function, nutrient status, and more.
• Customized, multi-faceted support. Developing a personalized protocol to address the specific underlying factors impacting your digestion, metabolism, and overall wellbeing.
• Ongoing education and guidance. Providing the knowledge, resources, and support you need to make sustainable changes and achieve lasting results.

The Key Factors Influencing Digestive Health

When it comes to resolving persistent digestive issues, there are several key factors that need to be addressed:

Stomach Acid and Bile Production

Adequate stomach acid is crucial for breaking down protein, while bile production is essential for digesting fats. Issues with either of these can lead to bloating, constipation, and other gut symptoms, even if you’re eating a seemingly “clean” diet.

Mineral Balance

Minerals like sodium, potassium, zinc, and magnesium play vital roles in supporting digestive function, from stomach acid production to motility. Imbalances in these key minerals can contribute to a range of gut problems.

Gut Microbiome

The delicate balance of beneficial and opportunistic bacteria in your gut can have a major impact on your digestion, immunity, and overall health. Factors like diet, stress, and antibiotic use can disrupt this balance, leading to issues like SIBO, dysbiosis, and histamine intolerance.

Thyroid and Hormone Function

Your thyroid and sex hormones (like estrogen and progesterone) are intricately connected to your digestive health. Imbalances in these areas can slow down your metabolism, impair motility, and contribute to a range of gut-related symptoms.

Stress and Nervous System Regulation

Chronic stress, whether physical or emotional, can profoundly impact your digestion by shutting down your body’s ability to properly break down and assimilate nutrients. Addressing stress and supporting your nervous system is crucial for restoring gut health.

Getting to the Root of Your Digestive Issues

To get to the bottom of your persistent digestive troubles, it’s essential to take a comprehensive, functional approach. This involves:

1. Assessing your full health history and current symptoms. Understanding the big picture of what’s going on in your body is the first step to uncovering the root causes.
2. Running advanced functional lab tests. Comprehensive blood work, stool analysis, and other specialized tests can provide deep insights into the specific imbalances impacting your digestion and overall health.
3. Developing a customized protocol. Based on your lab results and health history, a personalized plan can be created to address the underlying factors contributing to your digestive issues.
4. Providing ongoing support and education. Making sustainable changes requires guidance, accountability, and a deep understanding of how your body works. Regular check-ins and access to resources are key.

By taking this comprehensive, functional approach, you can finally get to the root of your digestive troubles and experience lasting relief – without the need for endless food eliminations or guesswork with supplements. It’s time to stop just treating the symptoms and start addressing the underlying causes keeping you stuck in a cycle of gut distress.

If you’re ready to talk more and see what that looks like for you, click here to apply to work together.

What’s Next?

✔️ If you want to learn more, tune into my free private podcast The Fueled Female: Hormone Health Essentials where I break down how gut health, hormones, and metabolism all connect — and exactly how we approach this inside my programs. Click here to get instant access here or check it out below.

✔️ Or if you’re ready to take the first step toward understanding what’s actually going on in your gut — grab my free Gut Audit resource right here: Download the Gut Audit

✔️ And if you’re tired of trying to figure it out alone — and want a personalized plan with expert support, click here to apply to work with me.