Your Gut Might Be Why You Can’t Lose Weight Or Fix Your Blood Sugar
Let’s start with this:
You’ve got more bacteria in your gut than human cells in your body.
And around 70% of your immune system lives in your gut.
If you’re doing everything “right” but still feel inflamed, foggy, bloated, or stuck in your health—stop focusing just on carbs and calories and start asking what’s going on in your gut.
I’m talking to the person who’s counting macros, hitting the gym, trying to manage blood sugar… but still not seeing results.
Here’s the truth: you can’t outwork a dysfunctional gut.
Why the Gut Matters for Metabolism
Your gut is way more than a digestion center. It impacts everything—blood sugar, hormones, inflammation, even your mood and energy.
When your gut lining gets irritated or inflamed (from stress, poor food quality, or imbalanced bacteria), it starts letting things through that don’t belong in the bloodstream. This triggers your immune system to fire off a response—chronic inflammation—which makes insulin resistance worse and weight loss harder.
Chronic inflammation is one of the fastest ways to destroy your metabolism.
How It Messes With Your Hormones
If you’ve got gut issues, you’ve likely got hormone issues too. Why?
Because your gut:
Helps detox excess estrogen
Converts inactive thyroid hormone to active
Influences cortisol and adrenal function
So if your digestion is slow, your liver’s overworked, or your gut lining is leaky, you’ll feel it in more ways than just bloating.
Gut Bacteria & Blood Sugar: What Most People Miss
Certain gut bugs actually make you more insulin sensitive, which helps regulate blood sugar and support energy. Others promote inflammation, poor glucose control, and fat storage.
If your gut is out of balance, it literally changes the way your body responds to food—even if your diet is clean.
Are These “Normal” Symptoms Holding You Back?
Let me ask you:
Do you feel bloated every day after eating?
Are you irregular (constipated, loose, or alternating)?
Do you feel worse after healthy foods like salads or high-fiber meals?
None of that is normal. These are signs your gut might be struggling.
Even if your labs look “fine,” your gut might be inflamed, underproducing enzymes, or dealing with bacteria overgrowth or food sensitivities. That’s why symptoms matter just as much as numbers.
Real-World Gut Support That Actually Works
You don’t need extreme detoxes or complicated supplement stacks to heal your gut. The basics—done well—go a long way. Start with these foundational steps:
Follow a low-inflammatory, Paleo-style diet
Focus on whole, unprocessed foods that support gut repair: pasture-raised proteins, wild-caught fish, seasonal vegetables, healthy fats, and low-glycemic fruits. Avoid grains, dairy, seed oils, and sugar as much as possible to reduce inflammation and give your gut lining space to heal.
Prioritize quality sleep
Poor sleep damages the gut barrier and drives insulin resistance. Aim for 7–9 hours of consistent, high-quality sleep. Build a wind-down routine and limit blue light exposure in the evening.
Stay hydrated
Your digestive system runs on water. Dehydration slows motility and impairs detox pathways. Start your day with filtered water and sip throughout the day—aiming for at least half your body weight in ounces.
Manage stress in real, tangible ways
Chronic stress inflames the gut, weakens digestion, and spikes cortisol—which raises blood sugar. Implement stress-reducing practices that actually work for your life—whether that’s breathwork, journaling, cold exposure, lifting weights, walking in nature, or saying no more often.Want the Full Picture? Functional Labs Can Help
When things are off and you want real answers—not guesses—we run gut-focused labs like:
GI MAP – tests your microbiome, pathogens, gut lining, and more
Zonulin – tells us if your gut is leaky
DUTCH test – hormones and how your body clears them
Micronutrient testing – shows if you’re even absorbing what you eat
Final Word:
If you’re stuck and nothing is working, don’t skip the gut.
It might not be the most glamorous part of healing—but if your gut’s inflamed, everything else is harder: blood sugar, energy, hormones, focus, you name it.
Start where the problem really begins.
