What the Gut-Mind Connection Taught Me About Healing
How I Discovered the Gut-Mind Connection
I’m not sure there was one big “aha” moment when I realized my gut and mind were connected. It was more of a slow unraveling. I had several small realizations stacking up over time until I couldn’t ignore them anymore. I started paying attention to how I felt when my stomach was acting up, and sure enough, every time my gut health was off, so was my mood.
If my stomach felt bloated, tight, or uncomfortable, I was almost guaranteed to be cranky, unfocused, or just completely exhausted. And when I was stressed, anxious, or emotionally overwhelmed? My digestion would spiral. The gut-brain connection was undeniable. It was like my gut and nervous system were constantly in conversation and I just hadn’t been listening before.
Physically, I struggled with bloating, alternating constipation and diarrhea (TMI, I know), gas, and chronic gastritis flare-ups. I had stomach pain that made eating out difficult and left me constantly worried about what might trigger a bad reaction. Mentally and emotionally, I felt like I was on a rollercoaster—dealing with brain fog, anxiety, stress, fatigue, and an overall lack of mental clarity. On top of that my sleep quality was terrible, which only made everything worse.
At first, I thought it was just me, like somehow I was broken. At the time I was also living in a foreign country with a language barrier. I had no idea where to turn for help. But I also thought that I should be able to figure it out by myself, and if I didn’t I just wasn’t smart enough. Way to make me feel even more stressed, am I right? Spoiler: That didn’t work.
Learning About the Science Behind It
I first started hearing about the gut-brain connection on Instagram through a doctor I was following (I wish I could remember who!). That led me down a rabbit hole of reading about how deeply the gut microbiome and mental health influence each other.
The science behind it was fascinating. The vagus nerve acts as a direct communication line between the gut and brain, sending constant updates back and forth. About 90% of serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, is produced in the gut microbiome. If your gut bacteria are out of balance or you’re dealing with gut dysbiosis, it affects how your brain functions and how you’re feeling. It’ll throw off your mood, focus, and even sleep quality.
Studies have also shown that gut dysbiosis, an imbalance of gut bacteria, can contribute to anxiety and depression. A healthy gut microbiome is essential for brain function, immune health, digestion, and overall well-being. Probiotic-rich foods like fermented vegetables, kefir, and kimchi can help restore gut balance, but they work best when combined with fiber-rich foods that feed beneficial gut bacteria.
You see, it wasn’t just “all in my head.” My gut health was playing a massive role in my mental health and I had been completely ignoring that piece of the puzzle in my scramble to heal my gut naturally.
The Program That Changed Everything
I knew I needed help. I had already experimented with diet changes—going from vegan to vegetarian and eventually back to eating high-quality animal protein because I felt like my body needed it. But my gut was still all over the place, reacting to random foods, flaring up unexpectedly, and making gut healing feel frustrating.
That’s when I joined Healing Guts and Shaking Butts by Hannah Aylward. I was drawn to her holistic gut healing program because she took a compassionate, root cause approach. She had struggled with gut health issues herself, so she got it. She was helping me understand my gut microbiome and get to the root cause of my issues.
Plus, her program went beyond just gut information and help. She provided breathwork sessions, journaling and she talked about the importance of meditation for your health and how a regular meditation practice showed up in your gut health and so much more. She truly took a holistic approach to healing your gut and changing your way of living to heal. It was exactly what I needed.
Through her program, I learned how much sleep, stress, and blood sugar balance impact gut health.
Prioritizing sleep was huge for me. When I wasn’t sleeping well, my digestion was a disaster. Prioritizing rest changed everything. While I already knew how important sleep was, seeing how it directly affected my gut definitely drove that home for me.
Stress reduction was another game-changer. There was a time when I had been stuck in a constant state of nervous system dysregulation, believing that if I just regulated enough, my gut health would magically improve. But it doesn’t work that way. Stress plays a massive role in digestion. That realization is why I joined her program in the first place and everything I learned in the program showed me how right I had been.
Balanced meals were crucial. I had such a negative view of what a “balanced diet” meant. Like most people in the US, I learned all about the food pyramid in school but I never saw the pyramid as complete. Actually I thought it was ridiculous and definitely not healthy. Why, you might ask? I think it had more to do with what foods and meals were shown as examples than anything else. I mean, we all had our opinions at that age, right? But Hannah showed me a completely different balanced plate. A plate that prioritized veggies and leafy greens and where grains were the smallest part. I could definitely get behind that. I learned how to eat for a healthy gut microbiome by focusing on vegetables, healthy fats, protein, and probiotic-rich foods. It was a game changer for me.
I also learned about pathogenic bacteria, parasites, and how an imbalance gut microbiome can prevent healing. In HGSB, one of the first things we do is a functional stool test to get to the bottom of our symptoms. In my case, I had some bad bugs that needed to be eradicated before my gut could truly heal.
It was not an easy journey either. I struggled with more gastritis flare-ups than I had been having, pretty gnarly die off symptoms in the form of constipation and truly bad smelling gas. But Hannah prepared us for those and they worked with us to minimize the symptoms and make it through to the other side without giving up. Now this isn’t meant to be a blog promoting her course, I can only speak from my experience and her course was a huge part of healing my gut.
Herbs and Supplements That Helped
Healing my gut naturally included herbal remedies that supported my digestion. I had always loved tea, but I had never thought about herbs for gut health beyond the generic “chamomile for sleep and ginger for digestion” tips most people know.
That changed when I started using marshmallow root and aloe vera juice for my gastritis flare-ups. They helped so much that now I’ve started incorporating marshmallow root and slippery elm as a preventative and healing tool in my life.
Other gut-healing herbs that played a big role in my healing journey:
Slippery Elm – Amazing for coating and soothing the gut lining, especially during flare-ups.
Dandelion – Supports liver health, bile production, and digestion.
Tulsi (Holy Basil) – An adaptogen that helps with stress, cortisol regulation, and gut function.
Stinging Nettle – A mineral-rich herb that supports adrenal health, digestion and gut repair.
Addressing Common Gut Health Myths
Probiotics Fix Everything – While probiotics can help, they’re not a cure-all. A healthy gut needs fiber, prebiotics, and a balanced diet, not just supplements. Besides, until you know what is going on with your gut, throwing random probiotics at it could make it worse or do nothing at all. Probiotics don’t stick around in a gut environment that isn’t welcoming to it. We have to heal and provide the foods that probiotics thrive in for them to want to hang out with us.
Food Intolerances Are the Root Cause – Food intolerances are often a symptom of gut imbalances, not the cause. Addressing gut health first can help resolve many sensitivities. That’s why an elimination diet rarely solves the issue.
You Have to Cut Out All Carbs – Cutting out carbs entirely can harm gut health. Complex carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, and lentils feed good gut bacteria and support digestion. Besides, that goes back to elimination diets. You want to eat a variety of foods including carbs. Carbs are not evil.
If You Eat Healthy, Your Gut Will Be Fine – Gut health isn’t just about diet. Stress, sleep, and lifestyle factors play just as big a role as diet in gut health. Now don’t get me wrong, eating healthy is essential. But food won’t make up for a disruptive life style. Neither will herbs. If you’re not prioritizing stress reduction, sleep, and blood sugar balance, even the best gut healing diet won’t work. Get intentional with your life and you’ll see the biggest impact.
What I’d Tell Someone Struggling Now
If you’re dealing with gut issues, take it slow. Healing isn’t about elimination diets or a million supplements. Start with the basics:
Prioritize sleep – Your gut microbiome thrives when you’re rested. If you’re not resting, your body can’t heal.
Manage stress – Your gut-brain axis is deeply affected by chronic stress. Look at ways to reduce emotional and physical stressors.
Eat balanced meals – Fiber, leafy greens, protein, fermented foods, and healthy fats support gut healing. And please, eat enough! Most women don’t.
Work with a holistic practitioner – Don’t just settle for an IBS diagnosis and a prescription for PPI blockers.
Looking back, I wish I had understood the bigger picture sooner. I spent so much time trying to perfect my diet or fix myself with nervous system work alone. But healing is about layers: food, lifestyle, mental health, and nervous system regulation all work together.
Final Thoughts
Healing your gut naturally and restoring gut balance isn’t a quick fix, and it’s not always linear. But understanding how my gut health and mental health were connected helped me stop blaming myself and start making real changes.
If you’re on this gut-healing journey, be patient and go get support. The more you support your gut, the more you support your overall well-being.
Want to learn more about holistic gut health and what’s helped me? Subscribe to my email list for more gut-healing insights and herbalism tips!
