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Many people think gut health starts with buying a probiotic.

It does not.

Gut health starts with providing your body with the right nutrients and reducing inflammation (1,2).

Let me tell you about Bonnie.

Bonnie’s Story

Bonnie W. is 63 years old.

She felt bloated and puffy. She had gained weight over the past year. Her stomach felt uncomfortable. She thought her gut was “off.”

So, she tried intermittent fasting.

She was eating only one or two meals a day.

But her bloating did not improve.

That is when she contacted me.

I recommended two at-home tests:

• • The BalanceTest
  • The Gut Health Test

While waiting for results, she joined my 8-Week Fat Loss Challenge.

Her BalanceTest showed high inflammation. When inflammation remains elevated for an extended period, it can lead to weight gain and other health problems (3,4).

Then her Gut Health Test came in.

The results showed:

1. 1. She was not eating enough protein.
   2. She was low in tryptophan, an important amino acid.
   3. She was not eating enough prebiotic fiber.

Her problem was not what she was eating.

Her problem was what she was not eating.

Here are the five tips that helped her.

1. Eat Enough Protein, Especially Tryptophan

Because Bonnie was skipping meals, she was not getting enough protein.

Protein gives your body amino acids. One of those is tryptophan.

Tryptophan helps your body make:

• • Serotonin
  • Melatonin
  • Important gut messengers (5,6)

Her test showed she was low.

Research by Dr. Don Layman shows that eating enough protein at each meal helps protect muscle as we age (7,8). Muscle helps control blood sugar and keeps your metabolism strong.

When people fast and do not eat enough protein, they may lose muscle.

That is why I recommend three balanced meals a day for most adults.

When my clients eat three meals with enough protein, they do not test low in tryptophan.

Bonnie did not need fewer meals.

She needed better meals.

2. Do Not Just Eat Fiber, Eat Prebiotics

Not all fiber feeds your gut bacteria.

Prebiotics are specific types of fiber that support the growth of beneficial bacteria (9).

When bacteria eat prebiotics, they make helpful compounds that protect your gut lining and reduce inflammation.

Resistant starch is one type of prebiotic (10).

Prebiotic-Rich Foods

Bonnie was eating vegetables, but not enough fermentable fibers.

We increased these slowly. Her bloating improved.

3. Include Fermented Foods

Prebiotics feed bacteria. Fermented foods introduce beneficial bacteria. Fermented foods can increase microbial diversity and improve gut markers (11).

Fermented Foods to Include

Bonnie added small amounts weekly. Not large portions. Just consistency.

Her bloating began to improve.

A Quick Word About Probiotics

Many people believe gut health means buying a probiotic supplement.

But the research is more complex.

Some probiotics do not permanently colonize the gut (16,17).

In a study using next-generation sequencing, subjects taking unregulated probiotics had significantly lower levels of Bifidobacterium than those taking regulated probiotics or no probiotics (18).

Bifidobacterium is an important genus that supports digestion and immune function.

This does not mean all probiotics are harmful.

It means quality, regulation, and personalization matter.

Simply adding bacteria in a capsule does not fix:

• • Low protein intake
  • Low prebiotic intake
  • High inflammation
  • Poor dietary diversity

Bonnie did not need a capsule.

She needed nourishment.

4. Increase Polyphenols and Lower Inflammation

Polyphenols are natural plant compounds.

They support the growth of beneficial bacteria and reduce inflammation (12,13).

You can find them in:

High-Polyphenol Foods

Bonnie’s test showed high inflammation.

Inflammation can irritate the gut lining (1,3).

Omega-3 fats help lower inflammation and support the gut lining (14,15).

That is why I added BalanceOil+, which combines omega-3s and olive polyphenols.

We fed the bacteria.
We lowered inflammation.
We improved the gut environment.

Her symptoms improved.

5. Test, Do Not Guess

Bonnie thought she was eating healthy.

The tests revealed what was missing.

The BalanceTest showed an inflammation imbalance.

The Gut Health Test showed low tryptophan and low prebiotic intake.

Chronic inflammation is linked to insulin resistance, fatty liver, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegeneration (3,4).

Gut health plays a major role in regulating inflammation (1,2).

Testing removes the guesswork.

Final Message

If you feel bloated, puffy, or stuck with weight gain, you may not need to eat less.

You may need to eat better.

Bonnie needed:

• • More protein
  • More prebiotics
  • More fermented foods
  • More polyphenols
  • Better inflammation balance

And she needed clarity.

To learn more about either one or both at-home tests, contact the person who shared this article with you, or email me at robert@dietfreelife.com.

You can also schedule a free consultation.

If you want to start small, try our 6-Day Detox Drop.

If you want a full plan, visit our store and learn about the 28-Day Gut Reset Program, which includes:

• • A Gut Health Test
  • A grocery list
  • A simple eating plan
  • Step-by-step guidance

Your gut is not broken.

It may just be underfed.

Start there.

References

1. 1. Cani, P. D. (2018). Human gut microbiome and metabolic inflammation. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 14(7), 397–411.
   2. Tilg, H., et al. (2020). The intestinal microbiota fueling metabolic inflammation. Nature Reviews Immunology, 20(1), 40–54.
   3. Hotamisligil, G. S. (2017). Inflammation and immunometabolic disorders. Nature, 542, 177–185.
   4. Furman, D., et al. (2019). Chronic inflammation in disease. Nature Medicine, 25, 1822–1832.
   5. Agus, A., et al. (2018). Gut microbiota regulation of tryptophan metabolism. Cell Host & Microbe, 23, 716–724.
   6. O’Mahony, S. M., et al. (2015). Serotonin and the brain–gut–microbiome axis. Behavioural Brain Research, 277, 32–48.
   7. Layman, D. K. (2009). Dietary protein and aging. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 28, 463S–470S.
   8. Paddon-Jones, D., & Rasmussen, B. B. (2009). Dietary protein and muscle health. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care, 12, 86–90.
   9. Makki, K., et al. (2018). Dietary fiber and gut microbiota. Cell Host & Microbe, 23, 705–715.
   10. Birt, D. F., et al. (2013). Resistant starch and human health. Advances in Nutrition, 4, 587–601.
   11. Marco, M. L., et al. (2017). Health benefits of fermented foods. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 44, 94–102.
   12. Cardona, F., et al. (2013). Polyphenols and gut microbiota. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 24, 1415–1422.
   13. Del Rio, D., et al. (2013). Polyphenols and health. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 18, 1818–1892.
   14. Costantini, L., et al. (2017). Omega-3 fatty acids and gut microbiota. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 18, 2645.
   15. Watson, H., et al. (2018). Omega-3 supplementation and gut microbiome. Scientific Reports, 8, 1409.
   16. Zmora, N., et al. (2018). Personalized colonization resistance to probiotics. Cell, 174, 1388–1405.
   17. Suez, J., et al. (2018). Probiotics impair microbiome reconstitution. Cell, 174, 1406–1423.
   18. Jordan, D., Papoutsis, A., Barrows, B., & Hazan, S. (2021). Impact of probiotics on gut microbiome Bifidobacterium relative abundance. Journal of Clinical Trials, 11(5), 473.

__________
Robert Ferguson is a California- and Florida-based single father of two daughters, clinical nutritionist, Omega Balancing Coach™, researcher, best-selling author, speaker, podcast and television host, health advisor, NAACP Image Award Nominee, creator of the Diet Free Life methodology, and Chief Nutrition Officer for iCoura Health. He also serves on the Presidential Task Force on Obesity for the National Medical Association and the Health and Product Advisory Board for Zinzino, Inc.

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