Why Your Gut Might Be Freaking Out (and How to Calm It)

If your gut feels like it’s constantly “freaking out” — with bloating, discomfort, skin flares, or even low energy — you’re not alone. I’ve been there. For years, my digestion felt off, my skin showed it, and I couldn’t figure out why.

The truth is, our guts are deeply connected to the foods we eat every day. If they’re not getting what they need, they let us know! But here’s the good news: your gut doesn’t have to stay in freak-out mode. With a few simple changes, you can move toward calm, steady digestion and better health.

Why Your Gut Health Matters

Your gut isn’t just about digestion — it’s the foundation of your health. A strong gut supports:

• Nutrient absorption

• Immune function

• Skin health

• Energy and mood

When the gut is inflamed or out of balance, you feel it everywhere. That’s why focusing on gut health can transform the way you feel day to day.

4 Common Reasons Your Gut Is Freaking Out

1. Refined Grains

White bread, white pasta, and crackers are stripped of fiber and nutrients. Without fiber, your gut bacteria don’t get the fuel they need, which can lead to imbalance and poor digestion.

• Gut-friendly swap: Choose fresh-milled flour bread or sourdough, which are richer in fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

2. Refined Sugars

Sugar feeds the “bad” bacteria and yeast in the gut, creating bloating, cravings, and inflammation. Too much sugar throws your gut ecosystem off balance.

• Gut-friendly swap: Reach for fruit, raw honey, or naturally sweet fermented treats when you need something sweet.

3. Seed Oils

Highly processed oils like soybean, canola, and sunflower are inflammatory. They’re hidden in packaged snacks, salad dressings, and even bread. Over time, they irritate the gut lining and drive inflammation.

• Gut-friendly swap: Cook and bake with olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil instead.

4. Stress

It’s not just about food — stress directly affects your gut through the gut-brain connection. When stress goes up, gut symptoms often follow.

• Gut-friendly swap: Add calming routines — like walking, deep breathing, or journaling — alongside food changes.

How to Calm Your Gut Naturally

Healing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Small, steady swaps make a huge difference. Here are a few that worked for me:

• Fresh-milled flour bread instead of store-bought bread → more nutrients and easier to digest.

• Healthy oils instead of seed oils → less inflammation, more nourishment.

• Kombucha or water kefir instead of soda → probiotics that rebalance your gut flora.

• Fermented foods like milk kefir, sauerkraut, or pickles → natural support for digestion.

Baby Steps Toward Better Gut Health

Healing your gut isn’t about being perfect. It’s about progress. Even one swap this week can start to calm your gut and help you feel better.

I’m still on this journey myself, but the difference between living with a “freaked-out gut” and a calm one is night and day.

Your gut doesn’t have to feel like a chicken flapping out of control 🐓😂 — it can feel grounded, steady, and strong.

Want to learn more? I’ll be sharing more of my gut-healing journey and practical tips in upcoming posts — make sure you’re following along so you don’t miss them!