A gut health nutritionist’s perspective on persistent IBS symptoms — and what helps instead

Gut Health Nutritionist & IBS Specialist (BANT, CNHC)
London-based · Online UK-wide

A gentle note before we begin

If you’re here, chances are you’ve already tried to “do the right thing” for your gut.

You may have followed Low FODMAP carefully — planning meals, avoiding trigger foods, tracking symptoms — yet still found that bloating, reflux, pain or unpredictable digestion lingered, fluctuated, or returned.

For others, the idea of another restrictive plan already feels exhausting.

This page is here to help you make sense of why that happens, and what a more supportive way forward can look like.

On this page, you’ll learn:

• Why symptoms often persist even after Low FODMAP

• What diet alone can’t address in ongoing IBS

• How stress, the nervous system and digestion interact

• What a next step could look like — whether or not you ever work with me

Take what’s useful. There’s no pressure to decide anything today.

When Low FODMAP doesn’t bring relief

Low FODMAP can be a helpful tool for symptom reduction.
But it was never designed as a long-term solution — and it doesn’t explain why your gut reacts in the first place.

Many people I work with have:

• Done everything “right” on Low FODMAP

• Struggled with reintroductions

• Become stuck rotating the same “safe” meals

• Been told their tests are normal, or that IBS is something they’ll need to manage indefinitely

Over time, this can leave people feeling unsupported, confused, and quietly disheartened.

Understanding why symptoms persist is often the first step toward lasting relief.

Your gut isn’t working in isolation

Digestion is not just about food.

Your gut is closely linked with:

• The nervous system

• The immune system

• Hormonal signalling

• Stress patterns and emotional load

Because the brain and gut are so deeply interconnected, flare-ups can be triggered — or intensified — just as easily by stress, overwhelm or emotional strain as by meals themselves.

When these layers aren’t considered together, it’s common for symptoms to continue despite dietary effort.

You might recognise yourself here if:

• Symptoms worsen during stressful periods

• Food reactions feel inconsistent or unpredictable

• Reintroductions never felt stable

• You feel hyper-aware of your digestion

• You’re tired of restriction but still want real answers

If so, nothing has gone wrong.
It may simply mean your gut needs support beyond food lists.

A different way forward

For many people, symptoms don’t persist because they haven’t tried hard enough.

They persist because diet alone — including Low FODMAP — isn’t addressing everything influencing digestion.

My Mind Body Biome™ approach, shaped by almost a decade of clinical experience, brings together:

• Nutritional Therapy

• Functional testing (when appropriate)

• Nervous system and mind–body support

Rather than focusing only on what you eat, we explore:

• Digestive capacity

• Microbial balance

• Inflammation

• Stress patterns

• How your body responds and adapts over time

Addressing any one of these can help.
But it’s when all three — mind, body and microbiome — are considered together that sustainable change becomes possible.

Moving beyond restriction

Many people arrive here because they don’t want another set of rules.

They want:

• Calmer digestion

• Greater food tolerance

• Confidence in their body again

• A plan that fits real life

My role is to help you move beyond endless elimination and toward understanding what your digestion actually needs — in a way that feels grounded, flexible and supportive.

When functional testing is useful, it’s used as a guide — not a label — and always explained in clear, human language.

What working together can support

When we work together, you can expect:

✔ A clear understanding of what’s driving your symptoms
✔ A personalised gut-health plan shaped around your life and capacity
✔ Food guidance that reduces confusion, not increases restriction
✔ Targeted supplementation when appropriate
✔ Functional testing explained clearly, without overwhelm
✔ Gentle somatic and mind–body practices to calm stress-driven symptoms
✔ Ongoing guidance, check-ins and support — so you’re not doing this alone

There are no quick fixes and no one-size-fits-all programmes here.

A few words about me

Hi, I’m Amanda.

I’m a London-based Registered Gut Health Nutritionist and Nutritional Therapist (BANT, CNHC). I support people with ongoing gut issues such as IBS, bloating, reflux, SIBO and constipation.

Together, we look beyond the surface to address digestion, microbial balance, lifestyle, stressors and emotional responses that shape gut health.

My work is deeply personalised and designed to feel manageable, supportive and human — with space for both evidence-based nutrition and gentle mind–body practices that help restore long-term gut resilience.

If you’re wondering what to do next

Your gut doesn’t need another quick fix.

It needs thoughtful, personalised support that considers the whole picture — from digestion to emotional well-being.

If what you’ve read resonates, a gentle next step is to book a free gut health call.
It’s simply a chance to talk through what’s going on, ask questions, and explore whether working together feels right.

No pressure. Just a conversation.

Book your free gut health call

Prefer to explore further first?

You’re welcome to:

• Learn more about my Mind Body Biome™ approach

• Read client experiences

• View pricing and how my process works

• Explore more gut-health resources across the site

This page is here whenever you need it.

The Vagus Nerve & Gut Health

Why calming your nervous system matters more than most gut diets

Gut Health Nutritionist & IBS Specialist (BANT, CNHC)
London-based · Online UK-wide

A quiet question many people don’t know how to ask

You may have come across the vagus nerve in conversations about stress, anxiety, or “calming the nervous system.”

But if you live with bloating, reflux, IBS, constipation or unpredictable digestion, you may be wondering:

What does the vagus nerve actually have to do with my gut?
And more importantly — can working with it really help digestion?

This page is here to explain that connection in a grounded, practical way — without trends, hacks, or oversimplification.

On this page, you’ll learn:

• What the vagus nerve is and how it influences digestion

• Why gut symptoms often worsen during stress

• How nervous system dysregulation affects IBS

• Why diet alone isn’t always enough

• What supporting the vagus nerve can look like in real life

What is the vagus nerve?

The vagus nerve is the primary communication pathway between your brain and your gut.

It helps regulate:

• Stomach acid and digestive enzymes

• Gut motility (how food moves through the digestive tract)

• Inflammatory responses in the gut

• The body’s ability to rest, digest and repair

When the vagus nerve is functioning well, digestion tends to feel calmer, more predictable and resilient.

When the vagus nerve is under strain

Many people I work with don’t have “faulty digestion” — they have digestion that’s operating under chronic stress.

This can show up as:

• Bloating after even small meals

• Constipation or diarrhoea during stressful periods

• Reflux that worsens with anxiety

• Food reactions that feel inconsistent or unpredictable

When the nervous system is in a constant state of alert, the body prioritises survival over digestion. Over time, this can disrupt gut function — even when diet is carefully managed.

Why stress affects digestion more than people realise

Stress doesn’t just change how you feel — it changes how your body functions.

When the nervous system remains in fight-or-flight:

• Digestive enzyme output can reduce

• Gut motility may slow down or speed up

• The gut lining can become more sensitive

• Symptoms can flare without obvious food triggers

This is why many people notice their digestion worsens during periods of emotional strain — even when eating the same foods.

Why “vagus nerve hacks” often fall short

You may have seen advice like:

• Cold exposure

• Breathwork techniques

• Humming or gargling

• Quick nervous system resets

While these can be supportive, they’re often presented as fixes rather than part of a wider picture.

For people with ongoing gut symptoms, calming the vagus nerve isn’t about doing one technique correctly — it’s about creating ongoing safety in the body.

That requires:

• Consistency

• Context

• Gentle pacing

• And understanding what’s keeping the nervous system activated in the first place

Supporting the vagus nerve as part of gut healing

In practice, vagus nerve support works best when it’s integrated — not isolated.

This may include:

• Eating in a calmer, more regulated state

• Supporting digestion through nutrition and digestive capacity

• Addressing microbial imbalance or inflammation when present

• Reducing chronic stress patterns over time

• Gentle somatic practices that help release held tension

This isn’t about perfection or constant self-monitoring.
It’s about helping your body feel safe enough to digest again.

How this fits into my work with gut health

My Mind Body Biome™ approach recognises that digestion is shaped by more than food alone.

When we work together, vagus nerve and nervous system support may be woven into:

• Personalised nutrition guidance

• Functional testing (where helpful)

• Lifestyle and stress support

• Gentle somatic practices and Compassionate Inquiry

Always at a pace that feels manageable — and always alongside practical, evidence-based gut support.

A note if you feel “stuck”

If you’ve tried diets, supplements and protocols but still feel reactive, sensitive or unsure what to do next — it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

It may simply mean your gut needs a different kind of support.

Your next step (if it feels right)

If this page resonates, you’re welcome to book a free gut health call.

It’s a space to talk through your symptoms, explore whether nervous system support may be relevant, and see what a next step could look like — with no pressure to commit.

Book your free gut health call

Prefer to keep exploring?

You may also find these helpful:

• Why Low FODMAP doesn’t always work

• Why gut symptoms worsen during stress

• Why symptoms can feel unpredictable

You’re welcome to take your time.

Stress & Gut Health

Why stress is more than “having a tough time at work” — and why your digestion feels it first

Most people think they understand stress.

They associate it with being busy, having a demanding job, feeling under pressure, or going through a difficult period. And while those experiences matter, they only describe the surface of what stress actually is.

Stress is not just an emotional experience.
It is a physiological state — one that directly shapes how your body functions, including how you digest food.

If you live with bloating, reflux, IBS, constipation, diarrhoea, or unpredictable gut symptoms, understanding stress at this deeper level can be quietly transformative.

What stress actually means in the body

From a biological perspective, stress is the body’s response to perceived threat.

That threat doesn’t have to be dramatic or dangerous. It can include:

• ongoing pressure or responsibility

• uncertainty or lack of control

• emotional strain

• unresolved experiences

• never fully feeling at ease

When stress is activated, the nervous system shifts the body into a state of protection. Resources are redirected toward survival and away from functions that aren’t essential in that moment — including digestion.

The body doesn’t distinguish between “big” and “small” stressors.
It responds to load, accumulation, and duration.

Why digestion is so sensitive to stress

Digestion is one of the most energy-intensive processes in the body.

To work well, it relies on the nervous system sensing safety — a state often referred to as “rest and digest.” In this state, the body can:

• produce stomach acid and digestive enzymes

• release bile effectively

• coordinate gut movement

• absorb nutrients efficiently

• regulate inflammation

When stress becomes chronic, even at a low level, the body adapts by staying alert.

Over time, this can contribute to symptoms such as:

• bloating after meals

• reflux or burning sensations

• constipation or loose stools

• abdominal pain or cramping

• fatigue after eating

• symptoms that fluctuate without obvious food triggers

This doesn’t mean the gut is broken.
It means digestion is happening under pressure.

Chronic stress isn’t the same as “a stressful week”

When people think of stress, they often imagine acute situations — deadlines, arguments, difficult conversations.

But the type of stress that most strongly affects gut health is often chronic and subtle.

This can include:

• constantly being “on”

• carrying emotional responsibility for others

• long-term uncertainty or instability

• feeling unsafe in the body without knowing why

• never fully switching off

In modern life, many people live in a state of low-grade activation for years. The body adapts to this as best it can — but digestion often pays the price.

Why stress-related symptoms feel unpredictable

One of the most frustrating aspects of stress-related gut symptoms is inconsistency.

You might eat the same foods, follow the same routines, and still experience different reactions from day to day. This can lead to confusion, hyper-vigilance, and self-blame.

Stress physiology fluctuates.

Sleep, emotional load, hormonal changes, workload, and cumulative pressure all influence how the nervous system responds — and therefore how digestion behaves.

This is why symptoms can flare “out of nowhere,” even when diet hasn’t changed.

This isn’t “all in your head”

It’s important to be clear about this.

Supporting stress physiology does not mean symptoms are imagined, exaggerated, or psychological.

Stress is measurable in the body. It influences:

• hormone signalling

• immune activity

• gut movement

• enzyme production

• inflammation

When stress support helps digestion, it’s because the body is being given the conditions it needs to function — not because symptoms were “just anxiety.”

Stress is not a personal failure

Many people carry quiet shame about stress.

They believe they should be coping better, managing more efficiently, or feeling calmer given their circumstances. But chronic stress today is often a contextual issue, not a personal one.

We live in a world that is:

• fast

• noisy

• contradictory

• nutritionally confusing

• emotionally demanding

The body adapts to this environment as best it can.

Symptoms are often signals of adaptation, not weakness.

What supporting stress actually looks like in gut health

Supporting stress in the context of digestion isn’t about “relaxing more” or doing everything perfectly.

It often involves:

• helping the nervous system feel safer around food

• reducing pressure and urgency around eating

• supporting digestion alongside stress physiology

• addressing patterns that keep the body in alert mode

• working at a pace the body can tolerate

This is why stress support isn’t an optional extra in gut health work — it’s foundational.

A gentle next step

If you’ve tried changing your diet, managing triggers, or following protocols but still feel reactive, sensitive, or stuck, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

It may simply mean your body has been under strain for longer than it’s been supported.

If what you’ve read here resonates, you’re welcome to book a free gut health call. It’s a space to talk through what’s going on, explore whether stress physiology may be playing a role, and see what support could look like — with no pressure to commit.

Sometimes understanding the context is the first step toward change.

Leaky Gut Explained

What gut permeability really means — and why it’s often misunderstood

“Leaky gut” is a term many people have heard — often in passing, sometimes with scepticism, and sometimes with a sense that it explains everything.

Some are told it’s not real.
Others are told it’s the root of all their symptoms.

As with many things in gut health, the truth sits somewhere in between.

This page explains what gut permeability actually is, when it becomes a problem, and why healing the gut lining is rarely about cutting more foods out.

What people usually mean by “leaky gut”

When people talk about leaky gut, they’re usually referring to the idea that the gut lining has become “too open”, allowing things through that shouldn’t be there.

That image — of holes or leaks — is part of why the term causes confusion.

Your gut lining isn’t a solid wall.
It’s a living, responsive barrier.

What gut permeability actually is

The lining of your gut is designed to be selective.

Its role is to:

• absorb nutrients from food

• keep pathogens and toxins out

• communicate with the immune system

• respond dynamically to what passes through

Gut permeability refers to how regulated and responsive this barrier is — not whether it is simply “leaking” or “not leaking”.

In a healthy system, the gut lining adapts moment by moment, tightening or loosening appropriately.

Problems arise when this regulation is under strain.

When gut permeability becomes an issue

Increased gut permeability can occur when the gut lining is exposed to ongoing stress or irritation.

Common contributors include:

• chronic inflammation

• infections or food poisoning

• microbial imbalance

• nutrient deficiencies

• repeated dietary restriction

• chronic stress and nervous system activation

When the barrier becomes less regulated, the immune system at the gut wall can become more reactive. This may influence digestion, skin, mood, energy, and food tolerance.

Importantly, this is not a failure of the body — it’s a protective response to load.

Why stress plays a bigger role than most people realise

One of the most overlooked contributors to gut permeability is stress.

Stress hormones directly influence:

• gut lining integrity

• immune signalling at the gut wall

• inflammatory responses

This means gut permeability isn’t just about what you eat. It’s about the environment the gut is operating in — internally and externally.

For many people, gut lining issues don’t begin with food. They begin with prolonged strain.

Why restriction alone rarely heals the gut lining

When people suspect leaky gut, the instinct is often to remove more foods.

Short-term simplification can sometimes reduce symptoms. But long-term restriction can unintentionally:

• reduce nutrient intake

• increase stress around eating

• weaken gut resilience

• reinforce fear and hyper-vigilance

The gut lining needs nourishment, safety and repair — not just avoidance.

Healing isn’t about creating a perfect diet. It’s about supporting the body’s capacity to regulate again.

Why symptoms don’t always make sense

Gut permeability doesn’t usually present in a neat, predictable way.

Symptoms may:

• fluctuate day to day

• worsen during stress

• overlap with IBS patterns

• change with hormones or sleep

This variability can be unsettling, especially when you’re trying to “do everything right”.

Understanding permeability as a dynamic process, rather than a fixed diagnosis, helps explain this inconsistency.

A more supportive way to think about gut healing

Rather than asking:

“What do I need to remove?”

A more helpful question is often:

“What does my gut need to feel supported and safe enough to repair?”

For many people, this includes:

• adequate nourishment

• reducing inflammation gently

• supporting digestion

• calming nervous system activation

• addressing underlying contributors over time

This approach moves away from fear and toward resilience.

How this fits into my work

In my work as a gut health nutritionist, gut permeability is never viewed in isolation.

It’s explored alongside:

• digestion and microbial balance

• stress physiology and nervous system health

• emotional load and lived experience

• lifestyle patterns and capacity

This allows gut healing to happen in a way that feels steady, grounded, and sustainable — rather than urgent or restrictive.

If this resonates

If you’ve been told you have leaky gut — or suspect it — and feel unsure what to do next, you’re not alone.

Many people arrive here after trying to fix their gut through food alone, only to feel more restricted and less confident in their body.

If what you’ve read here resonates, you’re welcome to book a free gut health call. It’s simply a space to talk through what’s going on, explore what may be relevant for you, and consider what support could look like — without pressure.

Sometimes healing begins by changing the frame, not the food.

Histamines & Gut Health

Why your body may be reacting — even when you’re eating “well”

You may have heard histamine mentioned recently — perhaps on television, in a podcast, or in connection with food reactions and gut symptoms.

It’s often described alongside lists of foods to avoid, which can leave people wondering whether they’re suddenly intolerant to everything.

For many, this creates more confusion than clarity.

This page explains what histamine actually is, why tolerance can change, and why histamine reactions are rarely about one specific food — or a lifelong restriction.

What histamine actually is

Histamine is a natural chemical found in the body.

It plays important roles in:

• digestion

• immune defence

• communication between the gut and brain

• regulating stomach acid

Histamine itself is not harmful.
In fact, it’s essential.

Problems tend to arise not because histamine is “bad”, but because the body’s ability to break it down and regulate it has been reduced.

Why histamine becomes an issue for some people

Histamine is constantly being produced in the body and introduced through food.

Normally, it’s broken down efficiently and causes no symptoms.

Tolerance can drop when the body is under strain. Common contributors include:

• gut inflammation

• microbial imbalance

• reduced digestive enzyme activity

• hormonal changes

• nutrient depletion

• chronic stress

When histamine builds up faster than the body can clear it, symptoms can appear.

How histamine reactions can show up

Histamine-related symptoms don’t look the same for everyone.

They may include:

• bloating or abdominal discomfort

• reflux or nausea

• loose stools or urgency

• flushing or warmth

• headaches or migraines

• itching or skin reactions

• anxiety or a racing heart

Because histamine affects multiple systems, symptoms can feel scattered or unrelated — making them easy to miss or mislabel.

Why histamine reactions feel inconsistent

One of the most frustrating aspects of histamine issues is unpredictability.

You may tolerate a food one day and react the next. Or feel worse during certain weeks without understanding why.

This is because histamine is cumulative.

Tolerance is influenced by:

• overall histamine load

• stress levels

• sleep quality

• hormonal shifts

• gut health at that moment

This means reactions are rarely about one food in isolation — they reflect the body’s current capacity.

Why stress matters more than people realise

Histamine is closely linked to the stress response.

Stress can:

• increase histamine release

• reduce the body’s ability to break it down

• amplify sensitivity in the gut and nervous system

This is why histamine reactions often worsen during emotionally demanding periods — even when diet hasn’t changed.

It also explains why food-focused approaches alone often fall short.

Why cutting foods isn’t the long-term answer

When people suspect histamine intolerance, the natural response is to restrict.

Avoiding high-histamine foods can reduce symptoms temporarily. But long-term avoidance can:

• narrow the diet unnecessarily

• increase stress around eating

• reduce nutrient intake

• weaken digestive resilience

For many people, histamine sensitivity improves not through stricter avoidance, but through restoring tolerance.

That means supporting the systems that regulate histamine — rather than fearing the molecule itself.

A more supportive way to approach histamine

Rather than asking:

“Which foods are the problem?”

A more helpful question is often:

“Why is my body struggling to handle histamine right now?”

Support may include:

• calming gut inflammation

• improving digestion

• supporting microbial balance

• addressing stress and nervous system activation

• gently rebuilding confidence around food

This approach allows histamine to be understood as a signal, not a permanent condition.

How this fits into my work

In my work as a gut health nutritionist, histamine sensitivity is never treated as a standalone diagnosis.

It’s explored alongside:

• digestion and gut health

• stress physiology

• immune responses

• emotional and lifestyle load

This allows support to be personalised and paced — without unnecessary restriction or fear.

If this resonates

If you’ve found yourself reacting to foods that “should” be healthy, or feeling worse the more you try to control your diet, you’re not alone.

Histamine reactions are often a sign that the body needs support, not stricter rules.

If what you’ve read here resonates, you’re welcome to book a free gut health call. It’s simply a space to talk through your symptoms, explore whether histamine may be relevant, and consider what support could look like — with no pressure.

Sometimes the most important step is realising your body isn’t overreacting — it’s responding.

What Is SIBO?

A clear explanation of bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhoea

You may have heard the term SIBO mentioned recently — perhaps on television, in a podcast, or in connection with ongoing bloating and digestive symptoms.

It’s often described quickly as “too much bacteria in the gut,” which doesn’t really explain why symptoms behave the way they do — or why so many people feel stuck even after treatment.

This page explains what SIBO actually is, how it affects digestion, and why lasting improvement usually involves more than diet or antimicrobials alone.

What SIBO actually means

SIBO stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.

It refers to bacteria fermenting food in the small intestine, rather than further down in the digestive tract where fermentation normally occurs.

The small intestine is designed primarily for:

• digestion

• nutrient absorption

• coordinated movement of food

When bacteria are active there, they begin fermenting food too early — producing gas and disrupting normal digestion.

This early fermentation is what drives many of the classic SIBO symptoms.

How SIBO symptoms show up

SIBO doesn’t look the same for everyone.

Common symptoms include:

• bloating (often soon after eating)

• excessive gas

• abdominal discomfort or pressure

• constipation, diarrhoea, or both

• nausea

• feeling overly full after small meals

• fatigue or brain fog

Because these symptoms overlap with IBS, SIBO is often misunderstood or dismissed — even though the experience in the body can feel very real.

Why gas type matters more than most people realise

One of the reasons SIBO is confusing is that not all gas behaves the same way.

Different bacteria produce different gases, which influence symptoms:

• Some gases are more associated with looser stools and urgency

• Others are more associated with constipation, bloating and slowed digestion

• Some people experience a mix, which can explain alternating or unpredictable symptoms

This is why two people with “SIBO” can have very different digestive experiences — and why one-size-fits-all advice rarely works.

Why diet often helps… but doesn’t fully solve it

Many people notice that reducing fermentable foods improves symptoms.

This makes sense — less fermentation often means less gas.

But diet changes alone don’t always resolve SIBO, because they don’t address why bacteria were able to overgrow in the small intestine in the first place.

For many people, SIBO isn’t caused by eating the wrong foods — it’s shaped by how the digestive system is functioning overall.

Why SIBO often comes back

One of the most frustrating aspects of SIBO is recurrence.

People may follow protocols carefully, see improvement, and then find symptoms return weeks or months later.

This often happens because underlying contributors haven’t been addressed, such as:

• impaired gut movement

• reduced digestive capacity

• immune changes in the gut

• chronic stress or nervous system activation

Without supporting these foundations, the conditions that allowed bacteria to thrive can remain.

The role of stress and the nervous system

Gut movement — the coordinated waves that help clear bacteria from the small intestine — is heavily influenced by the nervous system.

When the body is under chronic stress:

• digestion can become less coordinated

• gut movement may slow

• the digestive system becomes more reactive

This is why SIBO so often overlaps with periods of prolonged stress, burnout, illness, or emotional strain.

It also explains why SIBO is rarely “just a bacterial problem.”

Why SIBO isn’t a sign that your body is broken

Many people internalise a SIBO diagnosis as something having gone wrong.

In reality, SIBO is often a logical outcome of a system that has been under strain.

The body adapts in the best way it can with the resources available.
Symptoms are signals — not failures.

Understanding this can reduce fear and make space for a more supportive healing process.

A broader approach to supporting SIBO

Lasting improvement often involves more than one layer of support, such as:

• personalised nutrition strategies

• supporting digestion and gut movement

• targeted supplementation when appropriate

• addressing stress and nervous system patterns

• allowing time for the body to rebuild resilience

This isn’t about doing everything at once — it’s about working with the body rather than forcing it.

How this fits into my work

In my work as a gut health nutritionist, SIBO is never treated in isolation.

It’s explored alongside:

• digestive capacity

• microbial balance

• stress physiology

• lifestyle and emotional load

This allows support to be tailored, paced, and grounded — rather than reactive or overly restrictive.

If this resonates

If you’ve been dealing with bloating, constipation, diarrhoea or unpredictable digestion — especially if symptoms return despite your efforts — you’re not alone.

SIBO can feel confusing and disheartening, but it’s not a life sentence.

If what you’ve read here resonates, you’re welcome to book a free gut health call. It’s simply a space to talk through what’s going on, explore whether SIBO may be relevant for you, and consider what support could look like — with no pressure.

Understanding what’s happening is often the first step toward feeling more at ease in your body again.

Trauma, the Body & Gut Health

What it really means when we say “the body keeps the score”

You may have heard the phrase “the body keeps the score” — on television, in conversation, or through the book The Body Keeps the Score.

For many people, it sparks recognition.
For others, confusion or discomfort.

This page isn’t about labels or diagnoses.
It’s about understanding how the body adapts to life — and why symptoms, particularly digestive ones, can persist even when nothing appears “wrong”.

Trauma isn’t what happened — it’s how the body adapted

Trauma is often misunderstood as something extreme or obvious.

But from a physiological perspective, trauma is not defined by the event itself.
It’s defined by how the body responded, and whether it had the opportunity to return to safety afterwards.

Trauma can develop when:

• stress is overwhelming

• support is absent

• emotions aren’t processed

• the body stays in a protective state for too long

This means you don’t need a dramatic story for your body to carry strain.

Many people with ongoing symptoms don’t identify as “traumatised” — yet their nervous system has learned to stay alert as a form of protection.

The body remembers what the mind moves on from

The nervous system learns through experience.

When stress responses are repeatedly activated without resolution, the body can begin to:

• anticipate threat

• remain vigilant

• tighten, brace or shut down

• prioritise protection over repair

This learning happens below conscious thought.

You may logically know you’re safe — but the body hasn’t received that message yet.

That’s what people are often pointing to when they say “the body keeps the score”.

Why the gut is so often involved

The gut is one of the most sensitive organs in the body.

It’s closely connected to:

• the nervous system

• the immune system

• emotional processing

• threat and safety signalling

This makes it particularly responsive to unresolved stress.

When the body stays in a protective state, digestion can become compromised — not because something is broken, but because safety hasn’t been fully restored.

This can show up as:

• bloating

• pain or cramping

• constipation or diarrhoea

• nausea

• food sensitivity

• a gut that feels “on edge”

Symptoms as protection, not pathology

This is an important reframe.

From a trauma-informed perspective, symptoms are often:

• adaptive

• protective

• intelligent responses to past strain

The body learned what it needed to do to cope.

Digestive symptoms can reflect:

• heightened sensitivity

• altered gut movement

• immune vigilance

• difficulty settling into rest and repair

Healing doesn’t come from forcing the body to behave differently — it comes from creating conditions where protection is no longer needed.

Why this doesn’t mean “it’s all psychological”

Talking about trauma and the body does not mean symptoms are imagined.

Stress and trauma have measurable effects on:

• nervous system signalling

• gut motility

• immune activity

• inflammation

• digestion and absorption

This is physiology, not personality.

Supporting the body at this level is about helping it feel safe enough to function again — not talking yourself out of symptoms.

Why food-focused approaches can feel incomplete

Many people with trauma-related patterns do everything they’re told:

• follow the diet

• take the supplements

• avoid trigger foods

And still feel reactive or stuck.

This is often because food is only one part of the picture.

If the nervous system remains in a protective state, the gut may continue to struggle — regardless of how “perfect” the diet is.

This is why deeper support can feel like a relief rather than another task.

What support can look like

Trauma-informed gut support is gentle and paced.

It may involve:

• working with the nervous system

• reducing pressure and urgency

• supporting digestion alongside emotional safety

• somatic practices that help the body release held tension

• creating space for awareness without overwhelm

This isn’t about digging into the past.
It’s about helping the body come back into the present.

How this fits into my work

In my work as a gut health nutritionist, trauma is never treated as a diagnosis or a problem to fix.

It’s understood as part of a person’s lived experience — something that has shaped the body’s responses over time.

This is why my work brings together:

• personalised nutrition

• digestive and gut support

• nervous system regulation

• gentle somatic practices

• Compassionate Inquiry

All held within a framework of safety, consent and respect for the body’s pace.

If this resonates

If you’ve tried to “fix” your gut and still feel sensitive, reactive or stuck — especially if stress or emotional strain seem to make everything worse — there may be more going on than food alone.

That doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.

It may simply mean your body has been protecting you for a long time.

If what you’ve read here resonates, you’re welcome to book a free gut health call. It’s a space to talk through what’s happening, explore whether nervous system or trauma-informed support may be relevant, and consider what next steps could look like — without pressure.

Sometimes healing begins not by doing more, but by listening differently.

Functional Testing Explained

What tests can — and can’t — tell you about your gut health

Functional testing is becoming more visible.

You may have heard about advanced gut tests, microbiome testing, hormone panels or nutrient assessments — sometimes described as the key to finding “the root cause” of symptoms.

For some people, this sounds hopeful.
For others, it feels overwhelming or confusing.

This page explains what functional testing actually offers, where its limits are, and why testing works best when it’s used thoughtfully — not as an answer in itself.

What people usually expect from testing

Most people hope testing will:

• explain why they feel the way they do

• give clarity after years of uncertainty

• point to a clear plan

• finally make things make sense

Those hopes are understandable.

But testing works best when expectations are realistic and grounded.

What functional testing actually is

Functional tests are designed to look at patterns and function, rather than diagnose disease.

Depending on the test, they may offer insight into:

• digestion and absorption

• inflammation

• microbial balance

• gut immune activity

• nutrient status

• how systems are interacting

They can help build a picture of how the body is functioning — not just whether something falls inside or outside a reference range.

What testing isn’t

This part matters.

Functional tests are not:

• a diagnosis

• a verdict on what’s “wrong”

• a complete explanation on their own

• a guarantee of answers

A test result is a snapshot — not the whole story.

Without context, results can easily be misinterpreted or overemphasised.

Why results without support can feel unsettling

Many people feel more anxious after testing — not less.

This often happens when:

• results are presented without explanation

• too many markers are treated as problems

• everything looks “off” but nothing feels prioritised

• the human story is missing

Data without interpretation can create fear, hyper-vigilance, and a sense that the body is failing.

That’s not what testing is meant to do.

Testing as a map, not a destination

A helpful way to think about functional testing is as a map.

It can:

• highlight areas that may need support

• help prioritise what matters most

• guide decisions gently

• reduce guesswork

But a map still needs:

• interpretation

• context

• pacing

• and a person to walk the path

Testing supports understanding — it doesn’t replace it.

Why symptoms always matter more than markers

One of the most important principles in functional work is this:

People are not their test results.

Two people can have similar results and feel very different.
One person can have “perfect” results and still feel unwell.

Symptoms, lived experience, stress load, history and capacity always matter more than numbers on a page.

Testing should serve the person — not override them.

When testing can be genuinely helpful

Testing can be supportive when:

• symptoms have been ongoing or unclear

• diet changes alone haven’t helped

• patterns keep repeating

• there’s a need to prioritise where to focus

• reassurance or confirmation is helpful

It’s particularly useful when it’s targeted and purposeful, rather than done “just in case”.

When testing may not be needed

Testing isn’t always the first or best step.

Sometimes progress comes from:

• simplifying rather than adding

• supporting digestion and nervous system regulation

• addressing stress and capacity

• working with food gently and consistently

Good support means knowing when not to test.

How I use testing in my work

In my work as a gut health nutritionist, functional testing is never used routinely or automatically.

When it’s used, it’s:

• chosen carefully

• explained clearly

• interpreted in plain language

• integrated with symptoms and lived experience

Testing is there to support clarity — not create more complexity.

And it’s always optional.

If you’re unsure about testing

If you’ve been recommended tests and feel unsure — or if you’re wondering whether testing could be helpful but don’t want to open a can of worms — that uncertainty makes sense.

You don’t need to decide anything immediately.

If what you’ve read here resonates, you’re welcome to book a free gut health call. It’s simply a space to talk through your symptoms, explore whether testing might be useful for you, and understand what support could look like — without pressure.

Sometimes the most supportive choice is not more information, but clearer guidance.

Why Taking Care of Your Health Feels Harder Than It Should

And why getting support makes sense in the world we live in

Many people arrive at gut health feeling like they’ve failed.

They’ve tried to eat well.
They’ve read the articles.
They’ve followed the advice.

And yet their body still feels reactive, unpredictable, or exhausted.

What often goes unspoken is this:
the world we live in has become very difficult to metabolise.

We weren’t meant to navigate this alone

Food used to be simpler.

Information used to be slower.
Guidance came from community, culture, and continuity.

Today, food is:

• industrialised

• contradictory

• marketed as medicine and poison at the same time

Health advice is:

• constant

• conflicting

• algorithm-driven

• often divorced from the human body it’s meant to serve

Trying to make sense of this alone is not a personal failure — it’s an unrealistic expectation.

The modern body is under quiet, constant strain

Most people aren’t living in crisis — but they are living under pressure.

Pressure to:

• work harder

• cope better

• optimise themselves

• make the “right” choices

• self-regulate endlessly

The nervous system was never designed for this level of complexity, noise and responsibility.

When the body struggles, it’s often responding intelligently to an environment that is asking too much.

Why food alone can’t fix what food didn’t cause

Many people arrive at gut health believing the solution must be dietary.

If they could just:

• find the right plan

• avoid the wrong foods

• follow the rules properly

Things would settle.

But food didn’t create:

• chronic stress

• emotional overload

• nervous system vigilance

• disconnection from the body

• a sense of doing everything alone

Food matters — deeply.
But it’s only one piece of a much bigger picture.

Why support is not a weakness

We’ve absorbed the idea that we should be able to manage our health independently.

That asking for help means:

• you’ve failed

• you’re not resilient enough

• you should “try harder”

In reality, seeking support is a developmental need, not a deficit.

Just as:

• we need teachers to learn

• guides to navigate complexity

• therapists to help us grow into ourselves

We also need support to understand our bodies — especially in a world that has made that understanding unnecessarily hard.

Why everyone needs help navigating food now

Food is no longer just food.

It’s wrapped in:

• health claims

• moral judgement

• fear

• perfectionism

• conflicting science

Expecting individuals to navigate this alone — while stressed, busy, and disconnected from their bodies — is unrealistic.

Needing guidance doesn’t mean you’re incapable.

It means the landscape has changed.

Why everyone benefits from emotional support too

Healing isn’t just about removing symptoms.

It’s about becoming more at home in yourself.

Most of us were never taught:

• how to listen to our bodies

• how to process emotions safely

• how to feel without overwhelm

• how to ask for help

Having support to develop these skills isn’t indulgent — it’s foundational.

Health is not just the absence of symptoms.
It’s the presence of safety, connection and capacity.

A different way of thinking about care

What if support wasn’t something you turned to only when things went wrong?

What if it was simply:

• guidance in complexity

• companionship in uncertainty

• help translating signals

• a place to land

From this perspective, working with a nutritionist or therapist isn’t about fixing something broken.

It’s about being human in a complicated world.

Where my work sits in all of this

My work exists at the intersection of:

• nutrition

• gut health

• nervous system support

• emotional awareness

• compassion

Not because people are failing — but because the systems around us are not designed for embodied health.

Support isn’t about outsourcing responsibility.
It’s about sharing the load.

If you’re here, you’re not behind

If you’ve felt:

• overwhelmed by food

• confused by health advice

• disconnected from your body

• unsure what your symptoms mean

• tired of doing this alone

There is nothing wrong with you.

You’re responding to a world that has become fragmented, fast and demanding.

Seeking support isn’t giving up.
It’s choosing to orient yourself differently.

A gentle invitation

If any of this resonates, you don’t need to rush or decide anything.

You’re welcome to explore the rest of this site, read at your own pace, and see what feels supportive.

And if you’d like to talk — simply to make sense of where you are — you’re welcome to book a free gut health call.

Not because you need fixing.
But because no one is meant to do this alone.

How I Came to Understand Healing This Way

The ideas that changed how we think about the body, symptoms, and repair

For a long time, healing was framed as a problem-solving exercise.

If something wasn’t working, we looked for:

• the faulty part

• the missing input

• the correct intervention

This approach brought important advances, especially in acute care.
But when it came to chronic symptoms, persistent illness, and bodies that didn’t respond predictably, something was missing.

Over the past few decades, a quieter shift has been taking place.

Not toward more control, but toward understanding.

The first turning point: the body remembers

One of the most significant shifts came with the recognition that the body holds experience.

The work most often associated with this understanding is The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk.

This work helped articulate a simple but profound idea:

Experiences that overwhelm the nervous system don’t just disappear, they are held in physiology.

This reframed symptoms.
They were no longer just malfunctions to eliminate, but expressions of what the body had learned in order to survive.

For healing, this meant that information alone was not enough.
The body needed different conditions, not just different instructions.

The next reframe: symptoms are protectors

Around the same time, a complementary idea gained ground through Internal Family Systems (IFS), developed by Richard Schwartz.

IFS offered a radical shift in perspective:

Symptoms are not enemies.
They are protective responses doing the best they can.

This applied not only to emotional patterns, but to physical ones as well.

Pain, tension, digestive symptoms, fatigue these could be understood as adaptive strategies, not failures.

This reframing removed blame.
Instead of asking “What’s wrong?”, the question became:

“What is this system trying to protect?”

Healing became less about suppression, and more about relationship.

Zooming out: illness as adaptation to culture

Another crucial contribution came from Gabor Maté, who helped situate illness within a broader cultural context.

His work highlighted something often overlooked:

Many modern illnesses make sense when viewed as adaptations to chronic stress, disconnection, and emotional suppression.

From this perspective, illness is not just personal, it’s contextual.

Bodies respond to:

• environments

• expectations

• social norms

• emotional climates

This understanding challenged the idea that health could be restored purely through individual effort, willpower, or optimisation.

Healing began to be seen as something that required support, safety, and relational context.

The physiological key: safety enables repair

Perhaps the most unifying insight came from nervous system research.

Through the work of Stephen Porges and Peter Levine, a critical principle became clear:

The body cannot repair itself while it is in a state of protection.

Digestion, immune function, hormonal balance, and tissue repair all depend on the nervous system sensing safety.

This explained why:

• symptoms worsen under pressure

• aggressive protocols often backfire

• rest and pacing are not indulgent, but biological necessities

Healing was no longer about pushing the body harder — but about creating the conditions it needs to settle.

How healing actually happens: being held

Alongside physiological insight came a quieter but equally important contribution from relational psychology.

Thinkers like Donald Winnicott and Carl Rogers showed that healing often happens in relationship.

Not through correction.
Not through instruction.
But through being met without judgement.

This principle applies far beyond therapy rooms.

Bodies change when they are:

• listened to

• responded to

• not rushed

• not shamed

Healing, in this sense, is not something done to the body — it’s something that unfolds when the body feels supported.

Bringing it home: the gut as a nervous system organ

Finally, gut–brain research brought all of this into the realm of digestion.

Through the work of Michael Gershon and Emeran Mayer, it became clear that:

The gut is not separate from the nervous system.
It is one of its most sensitive expressions.

This reframed digestive symptoms entirely.

Bloating, pain, altered bowel habits, food sensitivity — these are not just digestive events.
They are neurological, immunological, and emotional responses happening in one of the body’s most responsive systems.

Food still matters.
But it lives within a much larger web of influence.

Where this leaves our understanding of healing

Taken together, these ideas lead us to a very different place than where we started.

Healing is no longer understood as:

• fixing a broken part

• finding the perfect protocol

• forcing the body into compliance

Instead, it is understood as:

• restoring safety

• reducing load

• listening to adaptation

• supporting regulation

• working with the body rather than against it

This isn’t a trend.
It’s a maturation.

A recognition that the human body is intelligent, responsive, and deeply shaped by context.

Why this matters

Many people still arrive at health believing they simply haven’t tried hard enough.

This body of work suggests something else entirely:

Often, the body is not failing — it is responding exactly as it should to the conditions it has been given.

Healing, then, becomes less about doing more
and more about creating the right conditions for repair.

That is the understanding we now stand on.



The unifying thread

Many of these ideas developed in parallel.

Trauma lived in the body.
Symptoms acted as protection.
Safety enabled repair.
Healing happened in relationship.
The gut functioned as part of the nervous system.

For a long time, these insights existed in different disciplines — psychology, neuroscience, physiology, medicine — often spoken in different languages.

What Gabor Maté did, more than anyone else, was bring these strands together into a single, coherent understanding of human illness and healing.

His work didn’t add another technique.
It offered a frame.

Illness as adaptation, not defect

At the heart of Maté’s contribution is a simple but radical idea:

Illness is often not a malfunction, but a meaningful adaptation to stress, trauma, and environment.

This perspective makes room for:

• the body’s memory

• protective symptom patterns

• the impact of culture and context

• the necessity of safety

• the role of relationship in healing

It bridges biology and biography without reducing either.

And crucially, it removes blame — from both patients and practitioners.

Gabor Maté: A Compassionate, Integrative Understanding of Healing

What Gabor Maté contributed was not a new technique, but a unifying way of seeing: he brought together trauma research, nervous system science, attachment theory, and cultural context into a compassionate understanding of illness as adaptation rather than defect. By insisting that biology and biography cannot be separated, his work reframed symptoms as intelligent responses shaped by stress, emotional suppression, and the conditions of modern life — removing blame while avoiding reductionism. This perspective, which underpins Compassionate Inquiry, centres curiosity, safety, and context, helping us understand why lasting healing emerges not through control or force, but through restoring capacity, connection, and a sense of safety in the body

Where this leaves nutrition and the gut

One of the places this unified understanding had not yet fully landed was nutrition and digestive health.

Gut symptoms were still often treated as:

• mechanical problems

• dietary failures

• microbial imbalances in isolation

But when viewed through Maté’s lens, digestion becomes something else entirely:

The gut is not just processing food.
It is processing life — stress, emotion, rhythm, safety, threat.

Microbial balance, digestion, inflammation, and food tolerance are all shaped by the nervous system and the emotional environment the body has adapted to.

This is where nutritional therapy and microbiome work begin to change.

Where my work sits

My work exists at the intersection of this unified understanding and practical gut health support.

It brings together:

• Nutritional Therapy

• microbiome and digestive health

• nervous system awareness

• trauma-informed, compassionate inquiry

Not as separate tools, but as parts of the same system.

Nutrition is no longer used to override symptoms, but to support a body that has adapted intelligently to its circumstances.

Microbiome work is no longer about control, but about restoring resilience.

Food becomes a form of communication with the nervous system — not just fuel.

Why this matters in practice

This integrated approach changes how healing unfolds.

It means:

• fewer quick fixes

• less blame

• more patience

• more context

• more respect for the body’s timing

It recognises that people don’t need to be fixed — they need to be met.

And that gut health improves most sustainably when the body feels safe enough to respond.

Standing here now

We are no longer at the beginning of this conversation.

The science has caught up with what many bodies have been telling us for years.

Healing is not about fighting symptoms.
It is about understanding them.

And from that understanding, choosing support that honours the whole system — biological, emotional, and human.

That is the ground this work stands on.