What if Your Gut Isn’t Actually the Whole Problem?
You’ve probably heard that stress affects the gut.
But it’s not just about feeling stressed. It’s about physiological stress, mineral imbalances, inflammation, gut dysbiosis, low-grade chronic infections, past traumas, blood sugar swings, and more.
And if your nervous system is dysregulated, your gut can’t do its job, no matter how many targeted supplements or carefully curated foods you’re taking in. (But wait – don’t toss the organic lemon juice-massaged kale salads just yet!)
This is something I see often in clients coming into my practice: they are already eating well, taking all the right supplements (often LOTS of them), yet still not feeling better.
More often than not, it’s not because we’re missing a single nutrient or overlooking an overgrown gut microbe.
It’s because their body doesn’t feel safe enough to shift into healing mode.
Nervous System First, Digestion Second
This is because your nervous system and digestive system are deeply intertwined.
When you’re in fight-or-flight (sympathetic dominance), blood flow gets redirected away from digestion. Stomach acid, enzyme, and bile release slow down. Gut motility changes. Inflammation can rise. Your immune system even shifts its posture, turning on alarms where none are needed.
In this state, you’re not absorbing nutrients well or detoxifying properly. The liver struggles to clear toxins, increasing body burden. Histamine may also go up, triggering another layer of symptoms.
Healing at the cellular and gut levels can only happen when your system receives enough safety signals to rest, digest, repair, heal, and recalibrate.
Nervous System Dysregulation Hides in Plain Sight
Here’s what it can look like:
- Bloating that flares with any stressor, even if you’re eating the same foods
- Histamine symptoms like itching, flushing, or heart racing after meals
- An intolerance to supplements that “should” help (especially B vitamins or methyl donors)
- Feeling tired but wired, or utterly exhausted even after a full night’s sleep
- Having information, but freezing or reacting when trying to implement it
In these cases, the root issue often lies not in the protocol, but in the body’s stuck stress loops.
The Cell Danger Response (CDR), and Why Healing Can Unexpectedly Stall
The CDR is a brilliant built-in defense mechanism. When your body senses danger, like from infection, trauma, toxicity, malnutrition, chronic inflammation, etc., it shifts into metabolic and immune protection mode. It’s designed to keep you alive.
But here’s the issue: the body can get stuck there, long after the threat is gone.
The CDR impacts:
- Mitochondrial function (your energy factories)
- Gut barrier integrity
- Detoxification
- Neurotransmitters
- Immune signaling (think food sensitivities, MCAS, and autoimmune flares)
If your body still thinks it’s in a war zone, it won’t allow deep healing. It’s surviving, not rebuilding.
When the CDR is active, the nervous system is dysregulated. And when that happens, digestion and immunity suffer, often taking the rest of your health down with them.
Committing to Even Deeper Work (for You)
Because I’m seeing this pattern more and more in my clients, I’ve made a commitment to go even deeper in my clinical work, especially around trauma integration, mast cell dysregulation, chronic toxicity, and the hidden barriers that derail gut healing.
That’s why I’ve just joined an intensive mentorship with some of the most forward-thinking leaders in this space: Dr. Christine Schaffner (an expert in chronic illness and bioregulatory medicine), Sinclair Kinnally (an expert in nervous system regulation and mast cell involvement), and Michael Spandel (advanced nervous system repatterning).
This mentorship weaves together somatic therapy, functional medicine, and quantum biology. I’ve already begun integrating small pieces of this into client work, and the shifts are powerful.
So If you’ve done “everything right” and your gut still feels like a mess…
If your nervous system is constantly jammed in high alert…
If supplements either don’t help, or even make you feel worse…
Please stop blaming yourself.
Your body isn’t broken.
It’s wise.
And it’s asking for a different kind of support.
Ready to Go Deeper?
The Gut Lab is my hybrid small-group program designed to rebuild gut health, restore nutrient balance, and gently shift your system into healing, without over-restricting. Just a personalized path forward.
I currently have one spot remaining before I move to a waiting list.
Book a free “What’s Up With My Gut?” call to explore how The Gut Lab can support you.
Because healing isn’t just about what you’re taking.
It’s about helping your whole system feel safe enough to receive it.