Keeping your levels of healthy gut bacteria in check is one of the best investments you can make in your long-term health. Not only do they play a vital role in keeping digestion on track, but they also have a say in your mood, immunity, skin, and even how you recover from illness.

But before you rush out to grab a supplement, here’s the golden rule: if you have ongoing digestive symptoms – such as bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, or abdominal discomfort – get tested first. Certain conditions, like SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), can actually get worse if you introduce probiotics without knowing what’s really going on in your gut.

Let’s look at six key times when you might consider topping up your healthy gut bacteria.

1. Digestive health

Your gut microbiome is a busy, complex ecosystem, and a balanced one is crucial for smooth digestion. If you’re struggling with symptoms like bloating, irregularity, or discomfort, healthy gut bacteria may be part of the solution – though rarely the only one. Just remember: testing first can save you from making things worse if the balance is already tipped in the wrong direction.

2. Emotional wellbeing

Ever had “butterflies” before a big event? That’s your gut and brain chatting. Scientists call it the gut-brain axis, and research now shows that what happens in your digestive system can directly influence your mood. Strains from the bifidobacterium family, for example, have been linked to better emotional balance. So if you’re feeling anxious, low, or a bit “off”, your healthy gut bacteria might deserve some attention.

If you’re worried about your gut health, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system, whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods.

3. Immune support

Around 70–80% of your immune system lives in your gut. An unhealthy microbiome can leave you more vulnerable to infections and inflammation. Certain strains – such as Lactobacillus paracasei – have been shown to give immune defences a boost. Supporting healthy gut bacteria can also help calm inflammatory conditions.

4. Skin health

Your gut doesn’t just influence how you feel on the inside – it can show up on your skin too. Research has found that healthy gut bacteria can support conditions like eczema, acne, and dermatitis. Lactobacillus rhamnosus, for example, has been linked to improvements in skin clarity and resilience.

6. When travelling

If you’re heading somewhere where “traveller’s tummy” is common, it’s worth starting a probiotic routine a couple of weeks before your trip and continuing after you return. Saccharomyces boulardii, a beneficial yeast, is particularly good for warding off travel-related digestive upsets.

💡 Bottom line: Your healthy gut bacteria influence far more than just your digestion. Look after them, and they’ll look after you – whether you’re at home, under the weather, or halfway across the world.

If your digestion’s been feeling a bit ‘off’, your hormones are playing up, or your immune system isn’t quite firing on all cylinders, your liver might be crying out for some TLC. This unsung hero works quietly behind the scenes every single day — but if it gets sluggish or congested, the effects ripple throughout your body.  Let’s explore liver health and digestion a bit more, what the liver really does for you, the signs it might need support, and simple ways to keep it working at its best.

Liver Health – Why Your Liver Is Key to Gut Health

You might not instantly link gut problems to your liver, but they’re closely connected. Everything you eat, drink, and even breathe in passes through your liver. It acts like your body’s in-house filter and chemical processing plant, ensuring harmful substances are broken down and removed efficiently.

Your liver’s main jobs include:

• Filtering your blood – removing toxins and waste products.

• Making bile – essential for breaking down fats from your food.

• Storing glucose – giving you an energy boost when you need it most.

• Balancing hormones – helping break down and remove excess oestrogen once it’s no longer needed.

If you’re worried about your gut health, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system, whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods.

The Liver–Hormone Connection

Your liver doesn’t just deal with toxins — it’s also a major player in hormone balance. If it’s working well, it breaks down excess oestrogen and sends it out of the body. But if it’s sluggish, that oestrogen can end up back in circulation, leading to symptoms like PMS, heavy periods, perimenopause flare-ups, and mood swings.

Foods and Habits That Slow Your Liver Down

Some things make your liver work overtime — often at the expense of its other important jobs:

• Excess alcohol

• Processed or refined foods

• Non-organic, heavily sprayed fruits and vegetables

• Processed meats

• Hydrogenated or refined vegetable oils

• Sugary snacks and drinks

And it’s not just food. Chronic stress can inflame the body and worsen liver damage over time.

💬 Worried you might have a sluggish liver or ongoing gut issues?

I can help you find the root cause and support your digestion, hormones, and energy levels.
Click the link, below, to book yourself into my diary to chat about your symptoms and the next steps to feeling your best.

Someone recently asked me a brilliant question:  “Is gut health really linked to hormone health?  And the answer is a big, resounding YES.  If your digestion goes a bit haywire just before your period, or things have really flared up since hitting perimenopause — you’re not imagining it. There’s a powerful connection between hormones and gut health. 

Let’s break it down…

💥 How Your Hormones Affect Your Gut (and vice versa)

Your sex hormones — oestrogen and progesterone — have a direct effect on gut motility and sensitivity. That means they influence how your gut moves and reacts to food, stress, and other triggers.

So when these hormone levels fluctuate (hello PMS, perimenopause, or menopause), it’s no surprise that gut symptoms often spike. Bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, cravings, and general digestive discomfort are all common.

But the relationship goes both ways.

When your gut is inflamed — due to things like stress, medications, food intolerances, alcohol, or even over-exercising — it can disrupt how your hormones are processed, especially oestrogen.

You might not even know your gut is inflamed… but if you’re dealing with PMS, heavy periods, mood swings, or hot flushes — it’s very likely involved.

🦠 Why Gut Bacteria Are the Real Hormone Heroes (or Villains)

Here’s where it gets really interesting.

Your gut bacteria play a vital role in how oestrogen is handled by your body.

In an ideal world:

• Oestrogen is produced by the ovaries

• It travels around doing its job

• It gets deactivated by the liver once it’s no longer needed

• And then it leaves the body via the digestive system

But when your gut microbiome is out of balance — specifically, if you have too many of the “bad” bacteria and not enough of the beneficial ones — things go a bit rogue.

These unhelpful bacteria produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase, which reactivates the oestrogen that your body was trying to get rid of.

So instead of leaving your body, that oestrogen gets recirculated — and this is where the trouble begins.

If you’re worried about your gut health, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system, whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods.

But when your gut microbiome is out of balance — specifically, if you have too many of the “bad” bacteria and not enough of the beneficial ones — things go a bit rogue.

These unhelpful bacteria produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase, which reactivates the oestrogen that your body was trying to get rid of.

So instead of leaving your body, that oestrogen gets recirculated — and this is where the trouble begins.

✅ 3 Things You Can Do Today to Support Gut & Hormone Health

If you’re noticing gut symptoms worsening during your cycle or as you transition through perimenopause, or if you think your hormones are out of balance because of ongoing gut issues — here’s what to do:

1. Eat More Fibre – Especially Cruciferous Veg
Think broccoli, kale, cauliflower, rocket, and Brussels sprouts. These help your liver process and eliminate excess oestrogen.

2. Drink Plenty of Filtered Water
Hydration supports your liver and digestive system in clearing out toxins — including excess hormones.

3. Add in Fermented Foods
A small daily dose of probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, or live yoghurt can help support your good gut bacteria, reduce inflammation, and restore balance.

If you’re struggling with hormonal issues or ongoing gut symptoms, I’d love to support you. My 1:1 support programmes are designed to help women just like you restore balance, feel more like themselves again, and stop guessing at what their body needs.

Click the link, below, to book into my diary for a quick chat.

You’ve probably heard phrases like “I’ve got a gut feeling” or “butterflies in my stomach” when you’re nervous or unsure. But these aren’t just throwaway lines — they’re reflections of the powerful two-way communication between your gut and your brain. This connection is known as the gut brain axis, and it plays a vital role in both your digestive health and emotional wellbeing.

What Is the Gut Brain Axis?

The gut brain axis is the complex, bidirectional communication network that links your gut and your brain. It involves the nervous system, hormones, immune signals, and — crucially — the trillions of bacteria that live in your digestive tract, known as your gut microbiome.

The Enteric Nervous System: Your “Second Brain”

Running the length of your digestive system is a dense network of nerves called the enteric nervous system (ENS). It contains more neurons than your spinal cord and operates independently from your central nervous system — which is why it’s often called the “second brain.”

The ENS is responsible for regulating digestion, blood flow, and gut secretions. But most importantly, it communicates constantly with your brain through the vagus nerve, one of the key components of the gut brain axis. This messaging system goes both ways, meaning your gut health can affect your mood, and your emotional state can impact how your gut functions.

If you’re worried about your gut health, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system, whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods.

Microbiome & Mood: The Missing Link

The bacteria in your gut do far more than help you digest food. They actually produce chemicals that influence brain function and mood, including:

• Serotonin – Known as the “happy hormone,” around 90% of your serotonin is produced in your gut. It plays a key role in both emotional stability and gut motility, helping to prevent constipation or diarrhoea.

• GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) – A calming neurotransmitter that reduces anxiety and promotes relaxation.

• Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) – Produced when your gut microbes ferment fibre, these compounds support the gut lining, regulate appetite, and reduce inflammation.

Given this, it’s no surprise that disruptions to the microbiome are linked to mood disorders like anxiety and depression. In fact, studies show a strong correlation between Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and low mood — and many patients report feeling better mentally once their gut health improves, often with the help of probiotics.

3. Consider Reducing Gluten

For some people, gluten can contribute to digestive discomfort and anxiety. If cutting it out entirely feels daunting, try sourdough bread — it’s fermented and often better tolerated. Of course, if you’re coeliac or highly sensitive, you’ll need to avoid gluten completely.

[Read more about going gluten-free here.]

4. Incorporate Healthy Fats

Healthy fats are essential for brain function, hormone production, and mood regulation. Include sources like:

• Olive oil – Supports cognitive health

• Oily fish – Rich in omega-3s that reduce inflammation

• Avocado – A mood-boosting, gut-loving powerhouse

Don’t fear fat — it’s vital for your gut brain axis, and won’t automatically lead to weight gain.

Final Thoughts

Your gut and brain are deeply connected — more than we ever realised. Nurturing your gut health isn’t just about avoiding bloating or improving digestion. It’s also one of the most powerful tools you have for supporting emotional balance, reducing stress, and lifting your mood.

So if you’re feeling low, anxious, or “off,” consider starting with your gut. Your brain just might thank you for it.

Let’s be honest – a cheeky glass of wine now and then feels harmless, right? In fact, with all the social joy that comes with it, a drink or two can even feel like self-care. But if your tummy tends to be more temperamental than terrific, you might want to know what that glass is really doing to your gut.  Read on to learn more about the link between alcohol and gut trouble.

Here’s the truth: alcohol can be sneaky. It slides into your weekly routine and before you know it, Friday night drinks become Thursday through to Sunday habits. And if you’re dealing with bloating, IBS, or general digestive drama, that’s when things can really kick off.

So what actually happens when alcohol hits your gut?

1. Sleep gets messed up 😴

Even a small amount can ruin your deep sleep. And less sleep = more stress, more cravings, and a more reactive gut.

2. Hydration goes out the window 💧

You’re probably drinking less water, and alcohol itself dehydrates you further. Hello dry mouth, dull skin, and sluggish digestion.

3. No gym motivation tomorrow 🛋️

That glass of vino zaps your energy and motivation to exercise – and that has a domino effect on blood sugar, mood, and metabolism.

4. Blood sugar rollercoaster 🎢

Alcohol messes with your blood sugar levels – leaving you craving carbs, sugar, and all the things that make your gut feel worse.

5. Mood = meh 😒

Sleep loss + cravings + bloating = one grumpy you.

Over time, the combo of disrupted sleep, poor hydration, cravings, and inactivity can lead to unwanted weight gain – including fat build-up around the liver. And that just amplifies any damage alcohol is already doing to your gut lining.

If you’re worried about your gut health, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system, whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods.

So how exactly does alcohol affect digestion?

🚫 Damages the lining of your digestive tract

This can reduce how well you absorb nutrients.

💨 Causes bloating and gas

Yes, even after just a drink or two.

🩺 Increases risk of stomach ulcers

Especially if you’re drinking heavily or frequently.

Who’s most affected?

People with sensitive guts are the first to feel the effects. If you’ve got:

• Coeliac disease

• IBS

• Crohn’s/IBD
  …then even small amounts of alcohol may cause big trouble.

The takeaway?

Even small amounts of alcohol can play havoc with your digestion – especially if your gut’s already struggling. But knowledge is power, and knowing how it affects you is the first step in taking back control.