Your Gut Is a Barrier, Not Just a Tube

The gut lining is a single layer of cells thick.
Its job is to:

• Absorb nutrients
• Keep harmful particles out
• Regulate inflammation
• Communicate with the brain
• Support hormone metabolism

Damage to this lining—through antibiotics, stress, poor diet, infections, or surgery—can cause “leaky gut,” which increases inflammation throughout the body.

The Gut Microbiome: Your Internal Ecosystem

You have trillions of bacteria living in your gut.
They regulate:

• Blood sugar
• Serotonin and dopamine
• Thyroid conversion
• Estrogen metabolism
• Immune system tone
• Histamine levels
• LDL particle oxidation
• Bile acid recycling
• Vitamin absorption

When this ecosystem becomes disrupted, symptoms begin to appear—slowly at first, then rapidly.

Signs Your Gut Is Disrupted

Patients often describe:

• Fatigue
• Bloating
• Brain fog
• Weight gain
• Constipation
• Loose stools
• Food sensitivities
• Joint pain
• Morning stiffness
• Skin rashes
• Anxiety
• Poor sleep
• Night sweats
• Hormone irregularities

These are the patterns we evaluate during a functional medicine visit.

Gut Health and Hormones Are Closely Intertwined

The gut helps regulate:

Estrogen

Impaired gut function → estrogen dominance → heavy periods, PMS, weight gain.

Testosterone

Gut dysbiosis affects metabolic pathways needed for testosterone synthesis.

Thyroid

20% of T4 to T3 conversion happens in the gut.

Cortisol

Stress weakens the gut lining, fueling inflammation.

See: Hormone Therapy.

Gut Health and Metabolic Health Are the Same Conversation

A disrupted gut leads to:

• Higher insulin levels
• Higher inflammation
• More sugar cravings
• Lower mitochondrial output
• Stubborn weight gain
• Increased LDL oxidation
• Higher risk of metabolic syndrome

See: Insulin Resistance.

The Gut–Brain Axis

Your gut communicates with your brain through neurotransmitters and the vagus nerve.

Poor gut health →
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Mood swings
• Brain fog
• Cognitive slowdown

This ties directly into our internal blog on Brain Fog.

Circulation & Gut Health

Patients are surprised to learn that gut inflammation worsens:

• Venous insufficiency
• Leg swelling
• Skin discoloration in the legs
• Restless legs
• Slow wound healing

Learn more:

• Varicose Veins

Gut inflammation increases pressure in the venous system, impairing lymphatic drainage and increasing swelling.

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