What Causes Issues with Gut Health?

Before diving into strategies, let's first understand what disrupts our gut health. By understanding the reasons for imbalanced gut function, I hope you can better connect them to the strategic fixes that we’re going to explore.

Our modern lifestyles can wreak havoc on our gut health in ways that often go unnoticed until symptoms arise. This gradual decline is common, and by the time symptoms appear, the underlying issues may have been developing for months, years, or even decades!

Chronic stress, poor sleep quality, and a sedentary lifestyle all contribute to the disruption of the gut’s delicate balance. Environmental toxins, overuse of antibiotics, and even our fast-paced, high-pressure society further lead to inflammation that affects gut health.

Additionally, the standard Western diet, rich in processed foods and low in fiber, starves beneficial gut bacteria while feeding more potential harmful microbes. This imbalance not only affects digestion but also plays a significant role in mood disorders, immune dysfunction, and chronic disease development.

To truly optimize gut health, it's essential to address these underlying causes holistically. The following 10 tips are designed to help you tackle these disruptors and restore balance to your gut, and in turn, your overall well-being.

About the Author

Dr. Kenny Mittelstadt, DACM, DC, L.Ac., Dipl.OM.

Kenny Mittelstadt is a functional health practitioner and acupuncturist based in San Antonio, Texas. He is trained through the Institute for Functional Medicine and received both of his doctorate degrees with highest honors from Southern California University of Health Sciences. He focuses on empowering patients through wellness education and root-cause healing – transforming health through personalized, lab-based functional medicine programs!

Website: DrKennyMittelstadt.com

1. Support Your Gut-Brain Connection & Manage Stress

2. Reduce Inflammatory and Incorporate Anti-inflammatory Foods

4. Prioritize Quality Sleep

5. Regular Movement & Exercise

6. Consider Targeted Functional Medicine Testing

3. Tend Your Microbiome with Healing Foods

7. Use Strategic Supplements to Support Gut Health

8. Identify Any Adverse Food Reactions

9. Bolster Your Body’s Ability to Detox

10. Foster Quality Social Connection and Personal Life Purpose