5 Gut Health Mistakes Keeping You Bloated (And What to Do Instead)
This blog is based on a video from my YouTube channel. If you prefer to watch that, click here.
If you’re dealing with bloating, brain fog, low energy, or stubborn digestive issues, there’s a good chance you’re accidentally making the same gut health mistakes I made years ago. I spent six months feeling worse — even though I was “doing all the right things.”
After coaching high performers and athletes for the last eight years, I can tell you confidently: your gut doesn’t need more supplements — it needs fewer mistakes.
Here are the five gut-sabotaging habits most people don’t realize they’re making… especially number five, which almost nobody talks about.
1. Eating “Gut-Healthy” Foods While You’re Stressed Out
Most people try to fix their gut by adding fermented foods or probiotics — which can help. But none of that matters if you're eating in a state of stress.
When you're stressed, your body shifts into fight-or-flight, pulling blood away from your digestive tract. So yes, you could be eating organic kimchi while answering emails… and still not digesting anything well.
The Fix:
Before each meal, take 3 slow, deep breaths — in through the nose, out through the mouth.
This activates your parasympathetic “rest and digest” system, improving digestion immediately.
It sounds simple, but many of my clients see reduced bloating just from this habit.
2. Over-Sanitizing Your Environment
Your microbiome thrives on diversity — yet most people are constantly sterilizing their world with sanitizers, wipes, and “99.9% antibac” everything.
Fun fact: kids raised on farms have better gut health and fewer allergies, partly because they’re naturally exposed to a wider range of bacteria.
Over-sanitizing in everyday life reduces microbial exposure your gut needs.
The Fix:
Save hand sanitizer for when it’s truly necessary: public transit, flu season, healthcare settings.
Use regular soap and water for day-to-day cleaning.
Spend time outside… yes, literally touch grass. Garden, walk barefoot, get your hands in soil.
Your immune system depends on normal environmental bacteria.
3. Forgetting to Feed Your Gut Bacteria
You might feel full after a meal, but your gut bacteria might be starving.
They need dietary fiber — especially from plants — to thrive.
Without enough fiber, research shows your microbes start breaking down your protective gut lining instead. Not ideal.
The Fix:
Add one handful of plants to every meal. That’s it.
Examples:
Breakfast: throw spinach in your eggs
Lunch: add an apple
Dinner: add a side of roasted or steamed veggies
Traveling or stuck with limited options? A fiber-containing whole-grain snack or bar can help fill the gap.
(Editorial integrity note: Snacks are not a replacement for vegetables — but they’re useful when you’re on the go or short on produce.)
4. Sacrificing Sleep for “Healthy” Habits
This one surprises people. They meal prep, drink lemon water, research supplements… but sleep only 5 hours.
The gut does not function optimally under sleep deprivation. Even a few nights of poor sleep can disrupt your microbiome diversity.
And no supplement compensates for lost sleep.
The Fix:
Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night — consistently.
If you’re choosing between getting up early for a “gut healthy” routine or sleeping an extra hour?
Choose sleep. It’s foundational.
5. Trying to Fix Everything All at Once
Here’s the mistake almost everyone makes — and almost nobody talks about.
When you overhaul your entire routine at once (new foods, supplements, workouts, sleep habits, fermented foods, etc.), your gut gets overwhelmed. Stress increases. Digestion worsens. And… you can’t tell what’s helping or hurting.
This is how people end up more bloated after “getting healthier.”
The Fix:
Choose one change, do it for two weeks, observe results… then add the next one.
This gives your gut the time it needs to adapt — and it lets you identify which foods actually work for your body. Remember: not all bloating is bad, but painful distension is a sign something isn’t settling.
If you’ve been eating healthier but feeling more bloated, you may also be reacting to FODMAP foods. (I break that down in another guide.)
Quick Gut Health Fixes You Can Start Today
Screenshot this for later ↓
Take 3 deep breaths before meals
Use less sanitizer; use soap & water, go outside
Add one handful of plants per meal
Prioritize sleep — minimum 7 hours
Change one habit at a time
The Real Truth About Gut Health
Gut health isn’t about perfection — and it definitely isn’t about buying every supplement on the internet.
Your microbiome is unique. What works for someone else might not work for you.
That’s why in my coaching practice we don’t follow generic gut protocols.
We test, adjust, and build systems that fit your reality — your schedule, stress levels, and physiology.
If you’re tired of guessing and want to understand what truly moves the needle for your gut and energy, you can book a free optimization call below.
