Why Is Your Gut Health So Important?

Why Is Your Gut Health So Important?

Natural Healing
June 26, 2025•4 min read

You may have noticed everyone talking about intestinal health, microbiome, probiotics, and dietary changes in recent news. The research in this area has just exploded in the last few years. This has caught the attention of health bloggers, Functional Medicine practitioners, and such.

When I first started practicing natural medicine, probiotics and leaky gut were not in the mainstream conversation. Patients couldn’t wrap their head around how their digestion or what they ate had anything to do with various ailments. It’s still a big stretch for most individuals.

So…not to overwhelm you, I want to tell you a little about what researchers are finding in the link between your gut health and your overall physical and mental health. If you need understanding in any of these areas, please contact me. I’m here to help you.

When I became a practitioner, I started working with children with autism and looking into research from Dr. Bernard Rimland, Dr. William Crook, Doris Rapp, and many others. They saw the link between diet and toxins affecting children with ADD, ADHD, and autism much earlier on. Even Dr. Max Gerson, with the Gerson Institute, was seeing the connection of the gut and cancer back in the early 1900s.

For my own healing journey, after Lyme disease and taking numerous strong antibiotics (which wreaks havoc on the gut), I was left with a thyroid that tanked. I had severe gas pains. Anxiety attacks were the norm, along with IBS, and low energy. The Lyme disease may have been tackled, but now I was faced with even more symptoms of discomfort.

So why is the gut so important? Why is it linked to so many disorders?

Research is still scratching the surface of the now called “microbiome,” but what they’re finding is fascinating.

  1. 80% of our immune system is found in the Gastrointestinal tract. That means allergy sufferers, autoimmune conditions, digestive issues, inflammatory conditions, cancers and such can all be helped, if not eliminated, by healing the gut. Without a doubt 80% of your healing process or “healthy living” should be focused on keeping the gut health in tact. For example, it’s estimated drinking 1 can of soda will reduce your immune system by 50% for up to 4 hours. This is a very good example to show you what you eat and drink directly correlates to the immune system.

  2. Microbes such as Candida, parasites, and bacteria create a range of symptoms that can be debilitating and confusing. Your body is sending you early warning signs that something is wrong. These invaders slowly take over the intestinal tract, feeding on sugar, and using your vital nutrients and minerals to support their lifestyle. They disrupt the pH balance in the GI tract, causing a more-friendly environment for themselves to survive. They create disruptions in the microvilli (the intestinal wall) causing Leaky gut. This then creates toxins in the blood leading to food intolerances, asthma, allergies, eczema, psoriasis, joint pain, and overall body inflammation.

  3. Researchers are finding when your body isn’t properly digesting food that is rich with minerals and vitamins, the body and mind can’t function properly. If we’re not focusing our healing on diet and proper digestion, then we’re not getting the minerals we need to promote optimum health.

As you can see this is a huge area of study and concern.

Just to help hit home the dire attention your gut needs. Here is just one list of disease connections for Candida overgrowth (a type of fungus that commonly inhabits the GI tract):

  • Celiac Disease

  • Leaky Gut Syndrome

  • Crohn’s Disease

  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome

  • Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

  • Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Hypothyroidism

  • Chronic Sinusitis

  • Atopic Eczema

  • Seborrheic Dermatitis

  • GERD

  • GI Dysbiosis

  • Adrenal Dysfunction

  • Rosacea

  • Psoriasis

  • Macular Degeneration

  • Barrett’s Esophagus

  • Lactose Intolerance

  • Gluten and Casein Intolerance

  • Meniere’s Disease

  • Lupus

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

These are associated symptoms of Candida:

Skin Disorders

  • Rashes and itching

  • Dry and flaking skin

  • Skin discoloration, blotchiness

  • Dandruff

  • Chronic athlete’s foot

  • Chronic toenail/fingernail fungus

Flu-like Symptoms

  • Joint pain, muscle aches

  • Tightness in shoulders, neck

  • Sore throat

  • Low-grade fever, low body temp

Brain Function

  • Un-refreshed sleep

  • Inability to think clearly, brain fog

  • Memory loss, short-term memory

  • Light-headedness, fainting

  • Dizziness and balance problems

Other Common Symptoms

  • Restlessness and fatigue

  • Chronic sinus problems

  • Headaches, migraines

  • Blisters in the mouth, tongue, throat

  • White or blood blisters

  • Thrush, white coating on tongue

  • Chronic dental problems

  • Dry mouth and eyes

  • Difficulty swallowing

  • Undereye dark circles

  • Blurred vision, light sensitivity, eye pain

  • Recurrent ear infections

  • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

  • Sensitivity to heat/cold

  • An aversion to being touched or jumping

  • Chills and night sweats

  • Shortness of breath

  • Alcohol intolerance

  • Irregular heartbeat

  • Muscle twitching, muscle weakness

  • Restless leg syndrome

  • Jock and rectal itching

  • Penile infection

  • Vaginal infection

  • Menstrual PMS, endometriosis

  • Low sex drive and/or numbness in the genital area

  • Allergies/sensitivities to sound, foods, odors, chemicals

  • Numbness, tingling, burning face or extremities

If any of these symptoms or disease sound like you, don’t worry, Candida can be fixed. I would estimate 80% of my patients come in with symptoms or disorders that are related to Candida.

Leave a comment below or if this truly resonates with you, call to set up your free 15-minute consult.

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