In this post, we’re going to talk about the eight mistakes that people make with their gut.
So I’m going to share some things with you that are going to really help you.
Mistake #1: Trying to Fix Your Gut With Too Much Fiber
This is probably the worst thing that you could possibly do for your gut, yet it’s the thing that people will tell you to do.
Another name for fiber is a prebiotic, because prebiotics are supposed to feed the probiotics, which are your microbes. And fiber has the potential to feed the wrong microbes.
But why is it that we bloat so much when we consume too much fiber?
It all depends on what’s happening with your gut:
- If your gut is damaged — consuming fiber is like taking sandpaper to an open wound. It’s not very good. You’re going to get gas, more inflammation, more pain.
- If your gut is healthy — you can tolerate more fiber.
If you have a problem with it, maybe you want to have less fiber. Or maybe you want to consume more cooked fiber, steamed or cooked vegetables, that’s easier to digest. Or fermented fiber, as in sauerkraut or kimchi.
The more inflammation you have in your gut, the more you need to consider carnivore.
Carnivore is a great thing to eliminate all this fiber and these extra things that are irritating your gut.
And just one of the cool things about carnivore is it can help increase your glutamine, a healing amino acid for your gut.
Other things that help heal the gut:
- Zinc carnosine — really good for ulcers
- Fasting — intermittent fasting, no more snacks, and also periodic prolonged fasting. Let your system have a chance to rest and heal.
The amount of stress that the digestive system gets by eating constantly is so bad. Snacking is one of the worst things you can do for your digestive system, and this is why fasting can greatly help you. - Butyrate — something good for the microbes. You can get that from butter. Colon cells actually eat fiber and turn it into a version of butyrate. I’m not saying to dump a lot of butter into your body, but don’t be afraid to have some. It could actually help your gut.
The Absolute Worst Fiber: Whole Grains
The absolute worst fiber in the world is whole grains. And I’m mainly talking about the big one, wheat.
Modern wheat is completely different from the wheat of a thousand years ago. Ancient wheat was a completely different animal. Nowadays we have modern wheat, which is:
- High in gluten — a type of protein that is nearly impossible to digest
- Full of anti-nutrients in the bran, like phytate or phytic acid, which blocks your ability to absorb zinc, iron, magnesium, and calcium
- High in oxalates — which create problems for your kidneys, your gut, and your joints
- Fast to break down into sugar — creating a blood sugar spike
Mistake #2: Relying on Typical Probiotics or Yogurt
When you go to the store and buy probiotics, a lot of times the amount of probiotics in that bottle are so small, it’s not going to create any major difference in your gut.
And then what we do is take yogurt, thinking we’re going to get all this good bacteria.
Well, most yogurt you buy commercially is low-fat, which you never want and it’s filled with added sugar, maltodextrin, and starches.
Now, if you get a plain, grass-fed, organic yogurt, that is really good.
Even though some of those microbes never really reseed your gut, they can act as food for your microbes to a certain degree.
If you have something called grass-fed kefir, that’s a lot better.
Mistake #3: Colon Cleansing
The idea of “clearing out toxins” seems helpful, but these treatments can actually disrupt your gut microbiome.
When you detoxify all this waste, it sounds superficially like a good thing. But what’s happening is you’re getting rid of all the friendly bacteria, and you have to get those microbes back.
Sometimes you do colon hydrotherapy and then you end up with constipation and other problems.
Instead of relying on a lot of detoxing unless you have something you really need to address, focus on supporting your body’s natural detox system.
You’ve got to get to the root of it and actually work on your diet, because your food choices can actually help your liver naturally detoxify poisons through its own pathways.
Mistake #4: Antibiotics
Antibiotics can be lifesaving when truly needed. However, frequent or unnecessary use can seriously affect your gut health.
If someone tells you that your microbiome is going to come back to where it was after antibiotics, they’re lying to you. It never does.
You’ll never have the pattern of microbes that you once had after you take an antibiotic.
Antibiotics only get rid of bacterial infections. They don’t touch viral infections.
And antibiotics don’t ever kill everything. A lot of them do, but then those microbes that survive start to become very resistant, and they become superbugs, and they actually pass on this information to other microbes, to the point where these antibiotics that once worked will no longer work again. This is a slippery slope.
If you do need antibiotics: make sure you’re also at the same time taking a probiotic to put back these microbes.
Someone’s going to say, “Well, you don’t want to put back microbes because you have an infection.” But you’re not putting back pathogens. You’re restoring the friendly bacteria that got wiped out alongside the bad guys.
Antibiotics aren’t just selective to bad bacteria. So be cautious about this.
Mistake #5: Using Antacids for Acid Reflux
When you have acid reflux, most of the time that means you don’t have enough acid.
This messes up the valve on the top of the stomach; the valve starts becoming leaky, it opens up, and the acid comes back up.
And then you’re thinking, “Oh my gosh, I have too much acid.” No. You have a valve problem.
And now we’re treating the wrong problem. We’re making your stomach acid less acidic. So now the next time you eat, it’s the same or worse. And over time, it gets weaker and weaker and weaker to the point where you have a lot of problems digesting food.
The normal acid pH in your stomach should be between 1 and 3.
What your stomach acid actually does:
- Digests protein
- Kills off microbes from food
- Absorbs minerals
If you don’t have enough acid, undigested food at the stomach level is going to end up in the small intestine undigested.
Now the small intestine is going to work harder to digest it, and you’re going to get all sorts of issues: bloating, constipation, diarrhea. If you’re facing this constipation problem, here are the things you can try to heal your constipation.
Instead of masking symptoms with antacids, it’s important to look into the root cause of the reflux.
Check with your doctor before implementing any of this information.
Mistake #6: Following Extremely Low-Fat Diets
Low-fat diets are not good for your digestion because your gallbladder is triggered by fat. If you don’t have that trigger, you produce less bile.
And bile is there to:
- Help digest fat and break it down
- Allow the enzymes from the pancreas to take over and really break it down into small particles
- Help you absorb the healthy parts of fat like fat-soluble vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids
- Kill off microbes in the small intestine
The small intestine is where you don’t want a lot of microbes. The large intestine is where you have the majority of microbes.
Bile acts like a detergent that keeps bacteria out of the small intestine — and then it travels all the way down and gets recycled back up to the liver.
When you go on a low-fat diet, you have less bile to do all of that.
So when you’re on an antacid or you have less stomach acid, you also lose the triggering system of the gallbladder.
Both the acid of the stomach and sufficient fat for the gallbladder are needed for good digestion. Because if there’s too much bacteria in your small intestine, you will develop SIBO, and you’re just going to be bloated all the time.
Mistake #7: Eating Too Many Carbohydrates
You’ve probably heard the advice of a balanced diet and to eat a little bit of everything.
That is actually the worst advice, especially for people struggling with gut issues, because typically, that means going higher in carbohydrates.
Too many carbohydrates feed the bad bacteria, and they will create bloating.
The typical diet puts carbohydrates at 45–65% of daily calories. Drop that down to around 10%, and your digestion is going to be so much better.
Mistake #8: Drinking Superfood Shakes
If you ask an average person what some superfoods are, they’re going to say kale, spinach, berries. And then they make the shake, and they’re bloated.
Many people notice bloating within minutes of drinking them.
Why? Because these drinks can overwhelm the gut with large amounts of fiber all at once.
Try red meat. It’s actually a superfood if you don’t know. Red meat doesn’t only have most protein, but it also has some other things that are great for overall health and healing.
Bonus Tips for a Healthier Gut
Let’s Talk About SIBO
40% of the population has small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
Dr. William Davis, who came up with this great approach: you basically take the microbe L. reuteri in a yogurt maker and make your own high-concentrated microbes. That gets rid of the bad guys. It helps reduce SIBO, but it also does other things like:
- Increase your oxytocin, which lowers your stress
- Increase your social capacity, like you’re going to be more social
Pretty wild.
Other things that help:
- Betaine hydrochloride — for any type of acid reflux and bloating
- Purified bile salts after you eat, goes in and helps kill off some of the bacteria in the small intestine
- TUDCA on an empty stomach — take two in the morning, two in the evening. It will go in there and help reduce SIBO as well
And with the help of fasting, very important, do not snack. Do not consume any fiber if you have SIBO.
The fiber is going to add more fermentation because those microbes are fermenting fiber and turning it into gas.
Feed Your Microbes Right
You want to actually eat for your microbes. You want to take care of them. One of the things they love is polyphenols, plant-based chemicals found in:
- Chocolate — of course, without the sugar
- Berries
- Coffee
- Cacao
- Avocado
- Extra virgin olive oil
Two probiotic hacks: Sauerkraut juice. You don’t have the fiber, but you drink a little of the juice — that’s like some serious probiotics, and it’ll really help you.
And kefir is a good probiotic that’s better than yogurt.
Skin Issues and the Gut
A lot of skin issues will clear up when you fix the gut, because your microbes are not just in the gut. They’re all over your body.
The Sun and Your Gut Microbiome
Believe it or not, the sun, not just the vitamin D, but the infrared spectrum and the ultraviolet, actually help your gut microbiome.
There’s some research on it now. You will find that your gut microbiome will be happy when you get more sun. Not to mention your eyes, and not to mention melatonin in the cells will start increasing, so your sleep cycles will be better.
Final Thoughts
Gut health is complex, and what works for one person may not work for another. Sometimes the biggest improvements come from removing habits that irritate your digestive system rather than constantly adding new supplements or foods.
If you struggle with symptoms like bloating, gas, or digestive discomfort, start by paying attention to how your body responds to different foods and habits.
If you’re facing this bloating issue, read more about bloating & gas, and ways to fix it here.
Small adjustments over time can make a big difference in how your gut feels every day.
This post is based on insights shared by Dr. Eric Berg, who’s a health educator with over 30 years of experience in chiropractic care and natural health.
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