I became a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist because I dealt with my own gut health issues in college.
Back in 2014, I was bloated almost every single day, looking about 6 months pregnant. I was having ONE bowel movement every 5–7 days (which, by the way, one of my doctors told me was completely normal). I was also dealing with acne on my chest and back, and overall constantly felt puffy, inflamed, and uncomfortable in my own skin.
I went down the conventional route first, which led me to prescription laxatives. But I knew in my gut (😉) that that was not the answer my body was actually looking for.
So I started searching for new answers.
Eventually, I stumbled upon the world of functional medicine. I’ve never looked back.
Now I get to help clients navigate the same issues, which is honestly so rewarding and still kind of blows my mind.
But my journey was nooowhere near perfect.
So let me help you save time, money and energy by immediately starting (or stopping) the following things 👇🏻
Let’s dig in!
#1: Remove Gluten
Gluten in the United States today is not what it was 100 years ago & that matters more than most people realize!
100 years ago, bread was slowly fermented, which allowed gluten and other hard-to-digest compounds to partially break down.
Modern bread is made fast, had additives and emulsifiers (we’ll talk about these later), and wheat crops are commonly sprayed with glyphosate AKA a farming chemical that can disrupt the gut microbiome.
Modern wheat has also been selectively bred for higher yield, which has actually changed the structure of the gluten protein itself. So the gluten we’re eating today is structurally completely different than the bread our grandparents ate!
The result of this modernization is: inflammation.
In the gut, this modern gluten can damage the gut lining and create what’s called “leaky gut” where contents of the stomach start to seep through into the bloodstream.
Food particles are NOT supposed to be there. It’s like riding your bike on the highway, it’s just not where it belongs.
This can show up as bloating, diarrhea, or constipation. But it can also show up beyond the gut as achy joints, skin issues, or even brain inflammation, which is increasingly being linked to depression and mood disorders.
And here’s something I wish someone had told me sooner: you don’t need a celiac diagnosis for gluten to be a problem. Celiac disease is just the most severe end of the spectrum, but your body can still be unhappy with modern gluten even if your bloodwork looks “normal”!
My doctor ordered a celiac test for me way back when, and it came back negative, so he told me I was fine 😑
I decided to remove it anyway, and I’m SO happy I did. I noticed a considerable difference in my bloating and how inflamed I felt overall. It was one of the clearest before-and-afters of my entire journey.
Now I can have it every once in a while and feel not great, but ok. So that’s why, to this day, I’m still about 90% gluten free.
#2: Start The Day with a Breakfast of Healthy Fats & Protein
My go-to breakfast in college was a big bowl of oatmeal, and I always felt sluggish and had a food baby before 10am.
The problem wasn't the food (because carbs are NOT bad for you!) it was the timing.
Your gut is still waking up in the morning, and carbs require a lot of digestive work right out of the gate.
For me, protein and healthy fats are easier to process and bonus points: they also keep your blood sugar stable!
When I first switched over to eggs in the AM I had a LOT less bloating, more energy, and no mid-afternoon crash.
#3: Drink Enough Water, But Not Too Much
In college, I was filling up my BIG 40oz Hydroflask 3–4 times a day, convinced I was doing something great for my body.
What nobody told me was that I was actually diluting my stomach acid.
Contrary to popular belief, stomach acid is amazing!! And we need a good amount of it.
It’s one of the most critical digestive tools your body has.
Our stomach acid needs to be very acidic to do its job: breaking down food, killing harmful bacteria, and signaling the rest of your digestive system to function properly.
When you’re constantly chugging water, the acidity drops…which, like a switch, turns everything off. Digestion slows, food doesn’t break down properly, and your gut starts struggling.
More water does NOT always equal better health. For me, it was actually making things worse.
Now I sip water throughout the day instead of chugging, and I aim for what I recommend to all my clients: half your body weight in ounces of water per day.
So if you weigh 200 lbs, you’re aiming for 100 oz of water per day. If you’re working out hard or spending time in the sun, you can bump that up slightly, but for most people, this is the sweet spot.
#4: Start Reading Ingredient Labels
Label reading can feel overwhelming at first, so I’d recommend starting with just one category of ingredients that I think wreaks the most havoc on the gut: emulsifiers/ thickeners = specifically anything ending in “gum”:
Xanthan gum. Guar gum. Locust bean gum. etc. 👎🏻
They’re hiding in more products than you’d think:
Salad dressings & sauces
Milk/Nut milks
Protein bars/Powders
Ice cream
Bread & pasta
Cookies, cakes & baked goods
+more!
These additives can irritate and damage the gut lining over time and interfere with how well you actually absorb nutrients. And most people have absolutely no idea they’re even consuming them.
I once had a client message me in the middle of the night with the worst stomach cramping. We figured out that she had bought a new ice cream that evening & it was loaded with these gums. She removed the ice cream and the cramping never came back.
Tonight, I challenge you to go take a look in your pantry and fridge and read your ingredient labels. I bet you’ll be surprised at just how many products contain these ingredients!
#5: Work with a Practitioner
This is the mistake I wish I could take back the most.
I spent three years eating vegan because I genuinely thought I was doing something incredible for my health. In reality, it created a whole new set of problems: deficiencies, hormonal imbalances more digestive issues, more confusion.
All of that trial and error cost me time, money, and energy that I didn’t need to spend.
When you work with a holistic practitioner, you skip the guesswork. You get a clear roadmap built specifically for your body, from someone who knows what actually works, instead of piecing together advice from Google and hoping for the best.
That’s exactly what I wish I’d had from day one, and it’s the whole reason I do what I do now.
If you’re ready to stop guessing and finally get some real answers, I’d love to be that person for you!
My books are about to reopen, so if you’d like to be the first to know when you can sign up for an Initial Consultation, fill out THIS FORM to be added to my waitlist. I can’t wait to work with you!
& one last thing..
Gut health doesn't have to be complicated; it just has to be intentional.
Small shifts like these are what moved the needle most for me, and I know they can for you too.
If you have questions, send me a DM @clairethenutritionist!
I’ll be doing my “Office Hours” Q&A post in next week where I’ll answer all your health-related questions!
Talk soon 💛