Dr.-Michelle-Jorgensen-Living-Well-with-Dr.-Michelle

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen
Topics:
Holistic Health and Wellness
Gut Health Assessment

How to Heal Your Gut Naturally
A bright flatlay of gut-healthy foods including yogurt, berries, sauerkraut, kimchi, ginger, and kombucha

How to Reduce Bloating, Restore Digestion, and Rebalance Your Microbiome

Let us talk about how to heal your gut naturally and restore healthy digestion.

I struggled with bloating, food sensitivities, and fatigue after meals for years. Every dinner out felt like a gamble. Eventually I discovered something that changed everything: most gut problems are not caused by one single issue. They happen when several parts of digestion stop working at the same time.

Once I understood that, I built a simple daily routine that actually works, for me and for thousands of my patients. This guide walks you through the signs of an unhealthy gut, the foods and drinks that help most, the three root causes I see again and again, and the exact protocol I use to support digestion from top to bottom.
Infographic: the three root causes of poor gut health

10 Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

If your digestive system is not working the way it should, the signs of an unhealthy gut usually show up quickly. Nearly half of adults deal with digestive discomfort regularly, so if any of these sound familiar, you are far from alone. Common signs include:

  • Bloating after meals
  • Gas or a feeling of abdominal pressure
  • Constipation or irregular digestion
  • Acid reflux or heartburn
  • Food sensitivities that seem to be growing
  • Brain fog or fatigue after eating
  • Skin issues or general inflammation
  • Frequent sugar or carb cravings
  • Trouble losing weight despite eating well
  • Feeling worse, not better, after taking antacids

Here is the key thing to understand: these gut symptoms rarely have just one cause.

The 3 Root Causes of Most Digestive Problems

In my experience, most gut health problems trace back to three underlying imbalances. Understanding them is usually the first step in learning how to heal your gut naturally.

1. Low Stomach Acid

Digestion begins in the stomach, and healthy stomach acid does a lot of quiet, important work. It helps break down protein, activates your digestive enzymes, helps release vitamins and minerals from food, and acts as a first line of defense against unwanted microbes.

When stomach acid is too low, food does not break down properly. That can lead to bloating after meals, heaviness after protein, reflux, and over time, nutrient deficiencies. A simple at-home way to check is our baking soda stomach acid test.

2. Sluggish Digestive Motility

Your digestive tract has to keep food moving. When that rhythm slows down, food sits too long in the gut, which often shows up as constipation, gas, pressure, and general abdominal discomfort.

3. Microbiome and Gut Lining Imbalance

Your gut microbiome is home to trillions of microbes that influence digestion, immunity, inflammation, and how well you absorb nutrients. When that microbiome falls out of balance, or the gut lining becomes irritated, uncomfortable symptoms tend to follow.
Infographic: the Gut Reset Protocol for healthy digestion

The Best Foods for Gut Health

Food is the foundation. If you want to support a healthy gut, these are the foods I come back to again and again:

  • Fermented foods. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso add beneficial microbes and help support a balanced microbiome.
  • Prebiotic fiber. Garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, and slightly green bananas feed the good bacteria you already have.
  • Leafy greens and colorful vegetables. Fiber and polyphenols that support digestion and a diverse microbiome.
  • Bone broth. Gentle, mineral rich, and soothing for the gut lining.
  • Omega-3 rich foods. Wild salmon, sardines, chia, and flax help support a calm, balanced gut.

The Worst Foods for Gut Health

Just as important is what you take off your plate. The foods that tend to work against a healthy gut are:

  • Ultra-processed foods. Long ingredient lists, additives, and emulsifiers that can disrupt the microbiome.
  • Added sugar. Feeds the less helpful microbes and encourages imbalance.
  • Artificial sweeteners. May alter the microbiome in ways researchers are still mapping.
  • Refined seed oils and fried foods. Promote the kind of inflammation a healthy gut does not need.
  • Excess alcohol. Can irritate the gut lining and throw off balance.
The Gut Reset Protocol: Digest Assist, Bloat Relief, and Tribiotic Repair

The Best Drinks for Gut Health

What you sip matters too. A few of the best drinks for gut health:

  • Water. The simplest and most underrated. Hydration keeps digestion moving.
  • Bone broth. A soothing, mineral rich choice, and a great morning drink for gut health.
  • Kefir and low-sugar kombucha. Fermented drinks that add beneficial microbes.
  • Ginger and peppermint tea. Time-honored for calming the stomach and easing bloating.

A warm cup of bone broth or lemon water first thing in the morning is one of the easiest habits to start with.

Why Most Gut Supplements Do Not Work

Most gut health supplements only target one part of digestion. Probiotics add bacteria. Fiber products help elimination. Enzymes help break down food. But digestion is a system, and if one part struggles, it affects everything downstream. That is why I built a protocol that supports digestion from the stomach all the way to the microbiome.

The Gut Reset Protocol

My Gut Reset Protocol is a simple, three-part daily routine designed to support digestion from top to bottom:

  • Digest Assist. Supports healthy stomach acid levels and protein digestion.
  • Bloat Relief. Supports digestive motility and regular elimination.
  • Tribiotic Repair. Supports microbiome balance and gut lining health with prebiotic fiber, beneficial probiotic strains, and soothing botanicals.

Most people do best starting with the Gut Repair Duo, which pairs Bloat Relief and Tribiotic Repair to address motility and the microbiome together.
Gut Repair Duo, Bloat Relief and Tribiotic Repair, by Living Well with Dr. Michelle

Gut Repair Duo

Bloat Relief plus Tribiotic Repair, the two-step daily routine that supports digestive motility and a balanced microbiome. Dr. Michelle's most popular gut protocol.

SHOP THE GUT REPAIR DUO Most popular. Supports motility and microbiome balance.

What Results Can You Expect?

Everyone is different, but many people report improvements such as less bloating after meals, smoother and more regular digestion, steadier energy, and better tolerance to foods. Supporting digestion takes time, but when the system starts working together again, the body often responds quickly.

Which Protocol Is Right for You?

Most people do best starting with the Gut Repair Duo. If you also notice reflux after protein-heavy meals, heaviness after eating meat, or feeling overly full soon after eating, those can be signs of low stomach acid, and adding Digest Assist for the full Gut Reset Protocol may be a better fit. Not sure where to start? Take our quick gut health quiz for a personalized recommendation.

Your Gut Is the Foundation of Your Health

When digestion works properly, your body can absorb nutrients, help regulate immunity, and maintain steady energy through the day. If you have been struggling with gut symptoms, the answer usually is not one single supplement. It is restoring balance across the whole digestive system, and that is exactly what the Gut Reset Protocol was designed to support.

Hungry for a gut-friendly place to start in the kitchen? Try our gut healing soup, or ease constipation naturally with our overnight oats recipe.
Gut Repair Duo, Bloat Relief and Tribiotic Repair, by Living Well with Dr. Michelle

Start Your Gut Reset

Support digestion from the stomach to the microbiome. Start with the Gut Repair Duo, or take the quiz for a personalized recommendation.

SHOP THE GUT REPAIR DUO Bloat Relief plus Tribiotic Repair.

Ready to start? The Gut Repair Duo is the simplest way to support motility and your microbiome in one daily routine. And if you want a personalized recommendation first, take the two-minute gut health quiz.

Shop the Gut Repair Duo

Take the Gut Health Quiz
Dr. Michelle Jorgensen, DDS

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen, DDS

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen, DDS, is a biologic and holistic dentist, naturopath, author, and the founder and formulator behind Living Well with Dr. Michelle. After her own health journey through gut and digestive struggles, she built a clean, science-backed line to support the body at the root — for her own family and patients. More than one million bottles of her tooth powder have been sold.

Frequently asked questions

What are the signs of an unhealthy gut?

Common signs of an unhealthy gut include bloating and gas after meals, constipation or irregular digestion, acid reflux, growing food sensitivities, brain fog or fatigue after eating, skin issues, and cravings for sugar and carbs.

What causes poor gut health?

Most gut problems trace back to three root causes working together: low stomach acid, sluggish digestive motility, and an imbalance in the gut microbiome or gut lining. That is why targeting just one of them often does not solve the problem.

What are the best foods for gut health?

Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi; prebiotic fiber from garlic, onions, and asparagus; leafy greens and colorful vegetables; bone broth; and omega-3 rich foods like wild salmon all help support a healthy gut.

What foods should I avoid for gut health?

Ultra-processed foods, added sugar, artificial sweeteners, refined seed oils and fried foods, and excess alcohol are the ones most likely to work against a healthy gut.

How can I improve my gut health naturally?

Focus on whole, fiber-rich and fermented foods, stay hydrated, manage stress and sleep, and support the three root causes of digestion. Many people also add a targeted protocol like the Gut Repair Duo to support motility and the microbiome.

What is the best supplement for gut health?

The best gut supplement is one that supports the whole system rather than one part. The Gut Repair Duo pairs Bloat Relief and Tribiotic Repair to support digestive motility and microbiome balance together, and Digest Assist can be added for stomach acid support.

How long does it take to heal your gut?

Everyone is different, but many people notice less bloating and smoother digestion within a few weeks of consistent support. Restoring balance across the whole digestive system takes time and steady daily habits.