Part 2: 5 Signs Your Gut Is Asking for Help

Introduction: Listening to the Body’s SOS 🚩

Your body is always communicating. Sometimes it whispers, other times it shouts. Too often we dismiss symptoms as inconveniences or random annoyances, when in truth they are trail markers 🚩 along the wellness journey. Each one points to something deeper happening in the gut. Learning to listen is the first step toward healing.

In functional nutrition, we call this process illumination. Symptoms are not mistakes; they are clues. By paying attention, you begin to see patterns that reveal what your body truly needs.

1. Digestive Upset 🚩

The most obvious signs are digestive: bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and reflux.¹

• Bloating and gas often reflect microbial imbalance or the fermentation of foods not fully digested. Some clients notice this more at night, while others experience bloating right after meals. That timing matters.

• Constipation may point to sluggish motility, dehydration, low fiber intake, or stress.² Chronic constipation isn’t just uncomfortable; it also increases the toxic burden on the body.

• Diarrhea can indicate dysbiosis or poor nutrient absorption. When food moves too quickly, vitamins and minerals are lost before the body can use them. Morning diarrhea can signal an inflamed gut lining, while post-meal urgency might point to enzyme or bile flow insufficiency.

• Reflux is often caused by too little stomach acid, not too much. When food isn’t broken down properly, it lingers in the stomach and pushes upward.

Real-life insight: A client once told me she thought her bloating “just came with age.” By tracking timing — evening bloating after high-carb dinners — we uncovered a pattern tied to microbial imbalance. With adjustments, the “normal” discomfort disappeared.

2. Skin Breakouts or Rashes 🌸

The skin and gut are in constant dialogue.

When the gut lining is compromised, the immune system may respond with inflammation that shows up externally.³ Acne, eczema, and rosacea are not just “skin problems.” They are gut messages written on the body’s surface.

The gut–skin axis is influenced by:

• Inflammation → gut permeability triggers systemic inflammation that surfaces as redness or breakouts.

• Nutrient absorption → deficiencies in zinc, vitamin A, or omega-3s (all dependent on digestion) impair skin repair.

• Microbial balance → dysbiosis can shift immune activity toward skin conditions.

Real-life insight: A client struggling with eczema had tried countless creams. Once we addressed her digestion — adding gut-healing foods and reducing inflammatory triggers — her flares calmed, and her confidence grew.

3. Brain Fog, Mood Swings, or Anxiety ☁️

The gut-brain axis is like a phone line between two trail companions. When static interferes, communication breaks down. Imbalances in the microbiome reduce serotonin production and disrupt stress hormone balance.⁴ The result: cloudy thinking, mood dips, or sudden anxiety.

Beyond serotonin, the gut helps regulate:

• Dopamine → motivation, reward, and focus. Low dopamine feels like “no drive” or procrastination.

• GABA → calm and relaxation, essential for winding down at night. Low GABA is linked to anxiety and restless sleep.

Real-life insight: A college student described struggling with focus during finals, living on coffee and sugar. Her brain fog was relentless. Once we balanced her meals for blood sugar stability and supported her microbiome, her focus sharpened — without the caffeine crashes.

4. Chronic Fatigue or Energy Crashes 🔋

You may eat nourishing food yet still feel like your tank is empty. Often the culprit is malabsorption — nutrients aren’t reaching your cells.⁵

• Without steady absorption, mitochondria (the body’s “power plants”) run out of fuel.

• Blood sugar swings add to fatigue. A meal high in refined carbs can spike glucose, followed by a crash that leaves you dragging.

• Inflammation creates constant energy demands, like running with a heavy backpack every day.

Fatigue is not laziness; it’s a sign the gut isn’t delivering fuel efficiently.

Real-life insight: A client who hit a 3 p.m. wall every day thought it was “just aging.” Once we supported digestion and blood sugar balance, her afternoons turned productive again.

5. Food Sensitivities or Immune Reactivity 🍞❓

When meals leave you feeling bloated, itchy, or fatigued, your gut may be flagging permeability. A leaky gut barrier allows food particles to cross into circulation, triggering the immune system.⁶

It’s important to distinguish:

• Allergies → involve IgE immune reactions, often immediate and severe (like peanut or shellfish allergies).

• Sensitivities → often delayed, involving IgG or IgA, creating fatigue, headaches, or digestive upset hours later.

• Intolerances → stem from enzyme deficiencies, like lactose intolerance.

Leaky gut can also create “new” sensitivities. Foods that were once tolerated suddenly cause bloating or fatigue, simply because the immune system is on high alert.

Real-life insight: One client noticed sudden reactivity to eggs after years of eating them daily. By focusing on gut repair, she was able to reintroduce eggs occasionally without discomfort.

Conclusion: Trail Markers and the Journey 🌿

These five signs are not random inconveniences. They are trail markers 🚩, guiding you to look deeper. They are the body’s way of shining a flashlight on the path, asking you to pause and notice.

In my coaching, this is the ILLUMINATE phase of The Wellness Journey with Michelle. It’s where we map symptoms, track timing, and uncover patterns that reveal what’s really driving imbalance. From there, clients move into RELEASE, NOURISH, ALIGN, and THRIVE — the full path to resilience.

This Gut Reset Series continues with practical tools: in Part 3, we’ll look at How to Support Digestion with Food & Daily Habits.

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Disclaimer:

The information provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or supplement routine. The author does not claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References 

1. Afzaal M, Saeed F, Anjum FM, et al. Human gut microbiota in health and disease: unveiling the relationship. Front Microbiol. 2022;13:999001.

2. Singh RK, Chang HW, Yan D, et al. Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health. J Transl Med. 2017;15:73.

3. Owyang C, Wu GD. The gut microbiome in health and disease. Gastroenterology. 2014;146(6):1433-1446.

4. Sorboni SG, Moghaddam HS, Jafarzadeh-Esfehani R, Soleimanpour S. A comprehensive review on the role of the gut microbiome in human neurological disorders. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2022;35(3):e00338-20.

5. Zhang YJ, Li S, Gan RY, Zhou T, Xu DP, Li HB. Impacts of gut bacteria on human health and diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2015;16(4):7493-7519.

6. Hou K, Wu ZX, Chen XY, et al. Microbiota in health and diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2022;7:135.