May 20, 2025 • 26 mins
In this episode of Mindful Objective, we’re breaking down the gut symptoms too many people ignore—like bloating, cravings, fatigue, mood swings, and brain fog—and revealing how they often point to deeper imbalances such as dysbiosis, leaky gut, and hidden food sensitivities.
If you’ve ever been told “your labs are normal” but still feel off, this one’s for you. We explore the early warning signs your gut is trying to send, the dangers of self-diagnosing with trendy protocols, and how the gut-brain connection influences your mood, energy, and focus more than you might think.
You’ll also learn about functional testing options, the three-phase model we use to heal the gut, and why guessing with random supplements and restrictive diets often backfires.
Your symptoms are messages. When you learn how to listen, everything changes.
🎧 Tune in now—and if you’re ready to get real answers, visit MindfulObjective.com to explore functional gut testing and personalized healing protocols.
📝 Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. Always consult a healthcare professional before making dietary changes. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to this disclaimer.
📍If today’s conversation helped reframe your symptoms or sparked a question of your own, share the episode with someone who could benefit. For more insights, resources, and ways to connect, visit mindfulobjective.com or follow along on social media @mindfulobjective.
📍Submit a show question at https://mindfulobjective.com/podcasts
Healing doesn’t happen all at once, but each question, each step, and each small win adds up. This episode is a reminder that the answers you’re seeking often begin by asking the right questions.
Stay Well!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Mindful Objective, the podcast where we explore the
root causes of health concerns to help restore balance.
I'm your host, doctor Daniel Sproule, integrative health
practitioner professor, and today we're diving into
something most people overlook until it becomes a real problem.
And that's the signals your gut is sending you.
This could be bloatings, cravings, fatigue, brain fog,
(00:21):
irritability. These aren't just random
symptoms. These are usually messages,
clues that something deeper is going on inside your body.
Maybe it's gut dysbiosis, food sensitivities, or compromised
intestinal barrier, what we callleaky gut.
So in this episode, we'll unpackthe symptoms people brush off.
But shouldn't the connection between gut health and mental
(00:42):
health? Why guessing or Googling
symptoms leads people astray? That'll lead you all down a bad
rabbit hole. A functional test that reveal
what's really going on and natural ways to support and heal
your gut. Let's stop ignoring what your
body is trying to tell you, right?
Start listening. As always, this shows for
educational purposes only. We do not diagnose, treat or
(01:05):
cure any illness or disease. So let's get into it.
Let's face it, most people ignore their symptoms until it's
bad enough that they interfere with their daily life.
You feel bloated after meals, you brush it off.
You're tired in the afternoon and you blame it on poor sleep.
You feel irritable or Moody and assume it's just stress.
But when things become patterns,they aren't just random
(01:26):
annoyances. These are signals, and your
body's trying to get your attention.
So are you listening? The problem is, we live in a
culture that tells us to push through right?
We train to ignore early signs of imbalances and wait till we
get a formal diagnosis before weact right.
When your health important to you, we got to be proactive.
(01:48):
But if we flip that idea on its head, what if we started paying
attention sooner? So let's break it down.
What symptoms you might be ignoring and why they matter.
This is a very common 1. Bloating and gas, right?
Most people experience bloating occasionally, but if it happens
all the time after meals, it could be a sign of deeper
digestive issues. You might be struggling with low
(02:09):
stomach acid, right? Not high, but it might be low
stomach acid. Pancreatic enzyme deficiencies
could be SIBO, which is small intensinal bacteria overgrowth
or imbalance microbiome. Left undressed.
This can create a ripple effect,weakening your gut lining and
leaning on what commonly known as leaky gut.
(02:30):
Do you have leaky gut? You may have that, but we won't
know till we test another one. Be cravings and blood sugar
swings. This is another very common 1.
So if you find yourself craving sugar, carbs or salty snacks,
especially at the same time eachday, it's just not a willpower
issue, right? There's more to it.
Cravings often reflect blood sugar imbalances, dysbiosis or
(02:53):
even underlying yeast overgrowthlike candida.
And we're seeing this more and more in people.
Candida, I think a lot of peopledo not know they have it.
But yeah, if you're experiencingany of these things, that's
something we need to look at deeper.
So when your body's out of balance, it starts sending you
signals to seek foods that offerquick fuel, even if they
ultimately worsen the problem. Like a big one for me used to
(03:15):
be, get a migraine. What would I want?
McDonald's, Coca-Cola, right? But then I learned that it was
actually making things worse. So another one would be fatigue
and brain fog. So ever feel like you're moving
through the molasses, right? Like you're walking in gel or
glue, especially in the mid morning or mid afternoon.
Chronic fatigue and brain fog are among the most common signs
(03:36):
of systematic inflammation, poorgut absorption, and adrenal
burnout. And here's the kicker.
You can feel exhausted even if you look at your blood work and
see your iron, B12, and thyroid and they all look fine.
There's more to it. That's why gut function matters,
right? Nutrient absorption and
inflammation markers often reveal much more than you find
(03:57):
in basic lapse. Another one would be mood swings
and irritability. Your gut produces over 90% of
your serotonin and a significantamount of dopamine, and when
it's inflamed in balance, it directly affects your mood.
If you notice you're more anxious, snappy, or easily
overwhelmed, that could be your gut brain axis signaling that
(04:17):
something's off. This is often overlooked in
conventional care where mood is separated from digestion.
Right? But they are closely connected.
Again, you go to your physician,you say I'm having these issues.
They don't always relate it to the gut.
They relate it to maybe it's a chemical issue in the brain when
it's really a issue in that gut.Another one be skin issues,
(04:41):
right? Acne, eczema, rosacea, even
unexplained rashes, right? It all relate to gut health.
So that's why we have to look and make that connection between
the two. When your gut lining is
compromised and toxins from undigested food particles into
your bloodstream, the immune system reacts and skin often
becomes the outlet. So again, you don't need fancy
(05:02):
creams. You need to look inside.
We say this all the time, right?That's the whole point in
functional labs. Let's take a deeper look inside
your body, right? Again, you're told your labs are
normal. You assume you're fine.
Or how many of us go through that?
Oh, yeah, My labs look good. We didn't run the right labs.
Right? Let's run functional labs.
(05:22):
Actually see what your guts doing.
But symptoms are often early warning signs.
They show up long before diseases take place.
Well, mindful objective, we encourage our clients to think
of these signs not as problems or something to suppress.
But these are messages, right? You got to decode those messages
to understand what your body saying to you.
(05:43):
Your body does speak again. It's not trying to ruin your
day. It's trying to protect you.
So longer we ignore these whispers, the louder they get.
That's when symptoms turn into diagnosis.
That's where you do not want to get to.
But if you listen early, you cancourse correct before real
damage occurs, right? You don't want to get to the
point where you run routine labswith your physician and they
(06:04):
come back. This is what you have now.
You have this disease now you have this.
You want to identify, hey, I've been feeling this way for years
and now it's finally showing up on that blood work again.
That's not where you want to getto.
You haven't any types of symptoms.
That's what we got to address now.
So the next thing we ought to talk about is dysbiosis, right?
(06:25):
Leaky gut, food sensitivities, and what's really going on.
So if you are constantly bloated, dealing with random
fatigue, experiencing different kind of mood swings, are
reacting oddly to certain foods,you're not just sensitive, you
may be dealing with three commonbut often undiagnosed root
causes, dysbiosis, leaky gut, and food sensitivities.
(06:47):
So let's walk through each of these to understand how they're
deeply connected and why ignoring them makes things worse
overtime. So dysbiosis, right?
This is a microbial imbalance inthe gut.
Your gut is home to trillions ofbacteria, virus and fungi right
together. This ecosystem is known as a
microbiome. When in balance, it plays a
(07:09):
major role in digestion, immune function, vitamin production,
inflammation control. When the ecosystem is disrupted
through poor diet, chronic stress, antibiotics and
environmental toxins, bad actorscan take over.
Common culprits are yeast overgrowth of Candida except
strains of E coli, deficiencies of beneficial bacteria like
(07:32):
Lactobacillus, Bifobacterium. Parasites are pathogens so you
don't need AGI diagnosis to havedysbiosis.
People with these kind of symptoms like skin issues, food
cravings, bad breath, different bowel habits often have
underlying microbial imbalances that are missed from
conventional stool test. Even another one would be leaky
(07:55):
gut. This is when your intestinal
barrier breaks down. Your intestinal lining is
supposed to be semi permeable along nutrients while keeping
toxins, microbes and undigested food out of your bloodstream.
When the gut lining becomes inflamed, those tight junctions
loosen. This condition known as
increased intestinal permeability or called leaky
(08:18):
gut. This allows particles to slip
through and get into your circulation, right?
And they shouldn't be there. Your immune system at that point
kicks into gear tagging these particles as threats.
That leads to inflammation, right?
This leads to inflammation, which can trigger autoimmune
flares, disrupt hormone balance,create widespread fatigue and
(08:39):
brain fog, and it could also contribute to joint pain,
migraines and more. A damage gut barrier also
increases risk of developing newfood sensitivities and more
undigested protein and irritantsand make their way into your
bloodstream, something we do notwant.
Another one we talked about a lot is food sensitivities.
These are delayed inflammatory reactions.
(09:01):
Unlike food allergies which cause immediate reactions, food
sensitivities are delayed immuneresponse.
So again, you might eat something today and not feel the
effects of it for 1235 days later.
The reactions are often IgG mediated, meaning they involve a
different branch of immune systems that typically than
typical allergies. Some of these symptoms can
(09:22):
include fatigue, joint stiffness, skin breakouts,
anxiety or depression, fluid retention, or weight gain.
So what are common reactive foods?
We see this in a lot of different clients.
Gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn and nuts top of the list, but it
varies for everyone. Even foods that are technically
(09:44):
healthy can trigger problems when the gut is inflamed.
So how do you know if you're dealing with one of these
issues? You might be dealing with all
three. What's the one way to understand
if you are dealing with all three?
If that is you testing, Testing is key, right?
You can easily run that food sensitivity test to identify
that. So functional lab testing can
(10:05):
reveal really what's going on. So that mindful objective, we
run comprehensive gut test that go far beyond what its standard
doctor office would look at. These might include stool
testing to measure bacterial overgrowth, parasites,
inflammation, digestive enzyme levels.
These results help us understandthe full picture, not just
what's bothering you, but what your body's been trying to
(10:28):
manage for months and even years, right?
What is your body trying to say?And you're not having these
symptoms for no reason. So the root cause of dysbiosis
can lead to leaky gut. Leaky gut can lead to food
sensitivities. Food sensitivities can increase
inflammation, which further damages the gut lining.
It becomes a vicious cycle. You have to intervene with the
right tools and that's what we're trying to do today is
(10:49):
educate you to understand what those tools are.
So now you know a big one out there that a lot of people do
this is going to be relatable toa lot of people is the problem
with self diagnosing. It's easier than ever to Google
your symptoms. Find a TikTok video on gut
health or buy a cleanse kit promising to fix everything.
(11:12):
But here's the truth. Self diagnosing gut issues can
lead people down the wrong path,or worse, creates more health
problems. Right.
Gut symptoms are complex. Bloating, for example, could be
due to low stomach acid. Again, low stomach acid porn
enzyme output, SIBO, food sensitivities, and even stress.
But online advice tends to oversimplify.
(11:35):
The same goes for fatigue, mood swings, skin issues, and sugar
cravings. Everyone wants a magic protocol,
right? One pill, that's all.
And it's not always the case. Another thing people need to
remember is what works for one person might harm another.
So let's take a deeper look at why self diagnosing doesn't work
and what to do instead #1 would be elimination diets without
(11:56):
clarity. So one of the most common
reactions to gut discomfort is going on a strict elimination
diet. People remove gluten, dairy,
sugar, eggs, soy, and nightshades all at once.
While this might reduce symptomsshort term, it's not
sustainable, right? How a lot of people remove all
these things at once and then goright back to it, then find out
that's these are the issues. One of the most common reactions
(12:20):
to gut discomfort is going on a strict elimination diet.
People remove gluten, dairy, sugar, egg, soy, and nightshades
all at once. While this might reduce symptoms
short term, that's not sustainable without knowing what
you're reacting to. You may reintroduce something
that continues to inflamed you or necessarily avoid something
that wasn't even a problem. You don't want to have that bad
(12:40):
relationship with food. You start to believe that more
and more foods are unsafe, whichcan spiral into nutrient
deficiencies, weight loss resistance, or disordered
relationship with eating. So what's more ineffective?
Test for actual food sensitivities and understand the
underlying issue, like whether your gut lining needs your peer
or your microbiome needs rebalancing.
(13:02):
You can't just eliminate your way to health without rebuilding
what's missing? Another common trap is loading
up on gut health supplements, probiotics, enzymes, glutamine,
ACV or herbal remedies based solely on symptoms.
Some people think probiotics arealways safe, but certain strains
can worsen SIBO or histamine intolerance.
(13:23):
Enzymes might help for one person but cause discomfort for
someone else with gastritis or Hpylori.
There's also an issue with dosage, timing, interaction with
other supplements and medications.
So without a structure plan, these supplements become
expensive and you're just guessing.
And when they don't work, peopleassume they're broken.
In reality, they just need a tailor approach.
(13:45):
The other thing too is people lose hope in using supplements
because they're taking all the wrong supplements and it's
causing more problems. So that's why I get on the right
path. Do you need those supplements?
Maybe that's what we need to test for.
So functional stool testing reveals which bacteria are
overgrown or deficient, whether inflammation is present, and
whether digestion's actually working.
(14:05):
Then you know where exactly where to target and what to
order. At that point, you're not
mindlessly ordering supplements,you're ordering the correct
supplements that are going to help work in your body.
The other thing is getting lost in health trends.
From celery juice to detox teas to parasite cleanses.
The big one now is carnivore diet.
The Internet's full of bold claims, right?
(14:27):
But again, your gut isn't one-size-fits-all.
Some people genuinely feel better on a lower FODMAP diet
for SIBO. Others need high fiber diversity
to support their microbiome. What works wonders for one
person might derail another one's healing, right and make
make things very much worse for you.
There's also the issue of starting protocols in the wrong
(14:48):
order, right? Many people try to kill
pathogens before repairing the gut lining or supporting detox
pathways. This can all backfire.
This would cause different reactions, more inflammation and
worsening symptoms. Another one that people don't
always pay attention to, but their emotional and nervous
system health. Chronic stress alters digestion,
(15:08):
reduces stomach accident and dysregulates the gut brain axis.
Yet self diagnosis really considers the mental emotional
root causes. Breath work, somatic work,
therapy and slowing down are just as important as dietary
changes. So what's more effective?
A holistic model that respects your body's pace and includes
emotional regulation strategies,not just good strategies and
(15:32):
protocols. So good healing is possible, but
not through DIY shortcuts. Guessing, eliminating, and over
supplementing really leads to lasting relief.
It's like playing darts blindfolded.
You might hit something, but youprobably won't hit the target.
And I think that's just so common in a lot of people out
(15:54):
there. 1 is you try because you're trying to save money,
right? Instead of testing, you may go
and say, I'm just going to buy these supplements.
We're trying to hit that target,but we do not always hit that
target because we're on the wrong path.
And that could be because we're blindly buying these supplements
because of some trend or you're trying to save money because you
don't want to pay for testing and you're buying these
(16:14):
supplements instead, which are causing more harm and lead you
down the wrong path. That's not where you want to
get. That's why we always say work
with a health coach, somebody that's knowledgeable in this
area, whether it's myself, Mindful Objective or some other
practitioner out there. You got to get on the right
path, right? Don't blindly take supplements
that you may not need or may be damaging.
Same with pharmaceuticals. Anything else out there.
(16:37):
So just keeping in mind, how could we help?
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out
mindfulobjective.com. You could always just hit
contact us or if you have a podcast question,
mindfulobjective.com/podcast andyou can fill that out and I'll
gladly answer any kind of question.
So next one we should talk aboutis the gut brain connection,
(16:58):
right? This is your mood, energy and
more. So what if your anxiety isn't
just in your head, right? What if your brain fog,
irritability, and sleepless nights are actually starting in
your gut? It might sound surprising, but
science is clear. The gut and the brain are deeply
connected and understanding thisgut brain connection could be
the missing piece in your healthjourney.
(17:20):
So let's unpack how the systems work and why so many people
struggle with mental and emotional symptoms that are
actually rooted in the gut. The common term lately is the
gut is the second brain, which is factual.
Your gastrointestinal tract is its own nervous system, right?
This system contains over 100 million nerve cells and
communicates directly with the brain via the vagus nerve.
(17:43):
A lot of people hear about the vagus nerve, especially with
anxiety, a bio directional superhighway that sends signals
both ways. This means stress can affect
digestion and gut health. That which can affect mood,
focus and sleep. This connection is why people
with irritable bowel syndrome often report higher levels of
anxiety and depression. But even if you don't have
formal diagnosis, gut dysfunction can send ripple
(18:06):
effects into your brain and nervous system.
Then on the chemical side, serotonin, dopamine and mood.
So over 90% of your body's serotonin, which is a
neurotransmitter responsible forregulating mood, appetite and
sleep. This is producing your gut.
You might think you need an antidepressant, but if your gut
is off, no amount of mood boosting affirmations or therapy
(18:28):
sessions will make a lasting impact unless you address the
physical root issue right in thegut.
Another one would be leaky gut neuro inflammation.
So when your intestinal lining is compromised again, AKA leaky
gut, undigested food proteins and bacterial fragments can leak
into the bloodstream. These LP's modules are highly
(18:51):
inflammatory and when they crossthe blood brain barrier they can
cause neuro inflammation. This kind of immune response to
the brain can contribute to brain fog, poor memory, low
motivation, panic attacks, even headaches and migraines.
It's why someone might feel off after eating certain foods but
not experience typical GI symptoms like gas or diarrhea.
(19:13):
The response is happening neurologically, not just in your
digestive system. Another one would be histamine
intolerance in the brain. People with gut imbalances or
mast cell activation MCAS may struggle with excess histamine
in the body. This can also impact mood and
cognition, triggering racing thoughts, anxiety, irritability,
(19:35):
and sleep disturbances. And it's often overlooked.
Many people are put on psychiatric medications without
any investigation into their gutdiet or histamine load.
In these cases, restoring microbial balance and supporting
gut lining can calm the nervous system, and this can help reduce
histamine reactivity. This will lead to better mental
clarity and emotional regulation.
(19:57):
So again, it may not be in a pill, right?
It's in your gut, right? That's a different approach.
That's somewhere to to take a look, right?
You may be on medications now and you come across this podcast
and you may realize, you know what, maybe I need to address my
gut and see what I need to do from there.
Another one, cortisol and adrenals and gut motility.
(20:18):
So chronic stress doesn't make you feel overwhelmed.
It slows down digestion. Elevated cortisol levels
suppress stomach acid. It reduces enzyme output and
even contributes to gut permeability.
That's why high stress people often struggle with indigestion,
Constipation, or even loose stools.
If you're wired but tired, can'tfall asleep, and wake up between
(20:39):
2:00 and 4:00 AM most nights, this could be a sign that your
gut and adrenals are out of sync, right?
It's not just theoretical, it's a mindful objective.
We see clients with long standing anxiety finally feeling
calm, not because of anti anxiety meds, but because they
healed their gut. Again, a reminder, things take
time, right? We've seen people reclaim their
(21:02):
focus on energy once inflammation was reduced and
microbiome was rebalanced. Again, things take time.
So you have to identify the actual issue and then address
it. All right?
What is that root cause? You weren't born with it.
It's most likely a root cause. So, listic approach to gut brain
healing. To truly support gut brain
(21:22):
access, we recommend reducing inflammatory foods and histamine
triggers, adding in gut healing nutrients like L glutamine or
magnesium glycinate, supporting vagus nerve tone through breath
work, cold exposure, singing, oreven gargling.
You want to prioritize your sleep hygiene and blood sugar
stability, Track symptoms and correlate them with what food
(21:45):
you had and what stress patternsyou had.
So your mental health is not separate from your physical
health. When you treat your whole body
as a whole, when you listen to both your brain and your gut,
you give yourself a best chance to truly heal.
There's a lot more to than just taking a pill out there.
Hey, you hear it all the time where people have high blood
(22:07):
pressure, they have, again, anxiety, all this and they just
given a pill. But what is that root cause of
that issue? A lot of people don't look at it
right. But rather than take another
pill, what is that root cause ofthat bloating?
You take a look at those numbersto identify the actual issue and
address that issue versus just taking a pill on top of a pill.
What can you do today to start supporting your gut?
(22:30):
Here's a simplified but powerfulthree phase road map we often
use with clients. Phase one, remove the triggers.
Identify and eliminate common gut irritants, right Processed
foods, sugar, alcohol, or anything you're personally
sensitive to. Use testing to find out what
food you're reacting to. Not more guessing.
Look at toxins too. Plastics, mold, even personal
(22:53):
care products can affect the gut.
Phase two would be repair and rebuild.
Adding gut healing nutrients like L glutamine, zinc and aloe
for example. Bone broth and collagen support
to help with the lining repair. I use foundational support like
digestive enzymes if it's neededRight.
Again, it's a phased approach. It depends on your actual issues
(23:18):
and symptoms and how we we look to restore balance And phase 3
is that restore balance right? Introduce targeted probiotics
based on stool results, not justgeneric blends.
So you want to based on your testing say, oh, these are the
ones I actually need, not just ageneric 1A support micro
(23:38):
biodiversity with a wide range of fiber rich plants.
You want to aim for 30 plus types a week, right?
Do you know those or do you needa coach to walk you through
those? Our thing you want to do is
consider mindful eating, stress reduction and sleep hygiene
because the gut health isn't just what you eat, it's how you
live. Every gut is different.
(23:59):
That's why healing has to be personalized.
And if you're dealing with thesesymptoms, and if you're dealing
with these symptoms for a long time, don't lose hope.
Your body wants to heal. Sometimes it just needs the
right support and information toget there, right?
That's why working with one of us here at Mindful Objective,
that's we want to coach you downthe right road, right down the
right path, take the right supplements if needed.
(24:21):
And then do you need to be on the long term?
Maybe you need to be on the foundational supplements longer
term, and maybe these ones you just need for a couple months
just to heal that gut. So remember, your gut is
important in your body. And I think anybody that has gut
issues understands this podcast because it's not fun dealing
with the bloating, gas, fatigue,any of those things too.
(24:44):
And a lot of people do not relate that to that.
Anxiety, depression stuff too, can all be related to the gut.
The same with low stomach acid. I think most people hear from
their physician, they go in withgastritis, anything these
different issues they're having right away, they're told, hey,
take this because your stomach acid's too high, but there's no
testing done to rule that out. So that's where I say too, a lot
(25:07):
of times it's not high stomach acid.
Often times it's low stomach acid, which is reversed from
what you're used to hearing. That wraps up today's episode,
Gut instincts. What your body is trying to tell
you. If bloating, cravings, fatigue
or brain fog have is your norm, it's time to listen to those
signals and get it fixed. Your body speaks in symptoms.
You just need the right tools tounderstand what it's saying.
(25:28):
It's a mindful objective. We offer functional lab testing
for gut health, dysbiosis, leakygut and food sensitivities,
Personalized healing protocols tailored to your body, the
guidance and support you need tostop guessing and start healing.
Remember, you don't have to do this way forever.
Let's uncover what's really going on in your gut and what
your guts trying to say. So if you found this episode
(25:48):
helpful, share with someone you care about and visit
mindfulobjective.com to learn more.
As always, this shows for educational purposes only.
We do not diagnose, treat or cure any illness or disease.
Stay curious, stay grounded, stay well.
Welcome to Mindful Objective, the podcast where we explore the
root causes of health concerns to help restore balance.
I'm your host, doctor Daniel Sproule, integrative health
practitioner professor, and today we're diving into
something most people overlook until it becomes a real problem.
And that's the signals your gut is sending you.
This could be bloatings, cravings, fatigue, brain fog,
(00:21):
irritability. These aren't just random
symptoms. These are usually messages,
clues that something deeper is going on inside your body.
Maybe it's gut dysbiosis, food sensitivities, or compromised
intestinal barrier, what we callleaky gut.
So in this episode, we'll unpackthe symptoms people brush off.
But shouldn't the connection between gut health and mental
(00:42):
health? Why guessing or Googling
symptoms leads people astray? That'll lead you all down a bad
rabbit hole. A functional test that reveal
what's really going on and natural ways to support and heal
your gut. Let's stop ignoring what your
body is trying to tell you, right?
Start listening. As always, this shows for
educational purposes only. We do not diagnose, treat or
(01:05):
cure any illness or disease. So let's get into it.
Let's face it, most people ignore their symptoms until it's
bad enough that they interfere with their daily life.
You feel bloated after meals, you brush it off.
You're tired in the afternoon and you blame it on poor sleep.
You feel irritable or Moody and assume it's just stress.
But when things become patterns,they aren't just random
(01:26):
annoyances. These are signals, and your
body's trying to get your attention.
So are you listening? The problem is, we live in a
culture that tells us to push through right?
We train to ignore early signs of imbalances and wait till we
get a formal diagnosis before weact right.
When your health important to you, we got to be proactive.
(01:48):
But if we flip that idea on its head, what if we started paying
attention sooner? So let's break it down.
What symptoms you might be ignoring and why they matter.
This is a very common 1. Bloating and gas, right?
Most people experience bloating occasionally, but if it happens
all the time after meals, it could be a sign of deeper
digestive issues. You might be struggling with low
(02:09):
stomach acid, right? Not high, but it might be low
stomach acid. Pancreatic enzyme deficiencies
could be SIBO, which is small intensinal bacteria overgrowth
or imbalance microbiome. Left undressed.
This can create a ripple effect,weakening your gut lining and
leaning on what commonly known as leaky gut.
(02:30):
Do you have leaky gut? You may have that, but we won't
know till we test another one. Be cravings and blood sugar
swings. This is another very common 1.
So if you find yourself craving sugar, carbs or salty snacks,
especially at the same time eachday, it's just not a willpower
issue, right? There's more to it.
Cravings often reflect blood sugar imbalances, dysbiosis or
(02:53):
even underlying yeast overgrowthlike candida.
And we're seeing this more and more in people.
Candida, I think a lot of peopledo not know they have it.
But yeah, if you're experiencingany of these things, that's
something we need to look at deeper.
So when your body's out of balance, it starts sending you
signals to seek foods that offerquick fuel, even if they
ultimately worsen the problem. Like a big one for me used to
(03:15):
be, get a migraine. What would I want?
McDonald's, Coca-Cola, right? But then I learned that it was
actually making things worse. So another one would be fatigue
and brain fog. So ever feel like you're moving
through the molasses, right? Like you're walking in gel or
glue, especially in the mid morning or mid afternoon.
Chronic fatigue and brain fog are among the most common signs
(03:36):
of systematic inflammation, poorgut absorption, and adrenal
burnout. And here's the kicker.
You can feel exhausted even if you look at your blood work and
see your iron, B12, and thyroid and they all look fine.
There's more to it. That's why gut function matters,
right? Nutrient absorption and
inflammation markers often reveal much more than you find
(03:57):
in basic lapse. Another one would be mood swings
and irritability. Your gut produces over 90% of
your serotonin and a significantamount of dopamine, and when
it's inflamed in balance, it directly affects your mood.
If you notice you're more anxious, snappy, or easily
overwhelmed, that could be your gut brain axis signaling that
(04:17):
something's off. This is often overlooked in
conventional care where mood is separated from digestion.
Right? But they are closely connected.
Again, you go to your physician,you say I'm having these issues.
They don't always relate it to the gut.
They relate it to maybe it's a chemical issue in the brain when
it's really a issue in that gut.Another one be skin issues,
(04:41):
right? Acne, eczema, rosacea, even
unexplained rashes, right? It all relate to gut health.
So that's why we have to look and make that connection between
the two. When your gut lining is
compromised and toxins from undigested food particles into
your bloodstream, the immune system reacts and skin often
becomes the outlet. So again, you don't need fancy
(05:02):
creams. You need to look inside.
We say this all the time, right?That's the whole point in
functional labs. Let's take a deeper look inside
your body, right? Again, you're told your labs are
normal. You assume you're fine.
Or how many of us go through that?
Oh, yeah, My labs look good. We didn't run the right labs.
Right? Let's run functional labs.
(05:22):
Actually see what your guts doing.
But symptoms are often early warning signs.
They show up long before diseases take place.
Well, mindful objective, we encourage our clients to think
of these signs not as problems or something to suppress.
But these are messages, right? You got to decode those messages
to understand what your body saying to you.
(05:43):
Your body does speak again. It's not trying to ruin your
day. It's trying to protect you.
So longer we ignore these whispers, the louder they get.
That's when symptoms turn into diagnosis.
That's where you do not want to get to.
But if you listen early, you cancourse correct before real
damage occurs, right? You don't want to get to the
point where you run routine labswith your physician and they
(06:04):
come back. This is what you have now.
You have this disease now you have this.
You want to identify, hey, I've been feeling this way for years
and now it's finally showing up on that blood work again.
That's not where you want to getto.
You haven't any types of symptoms.
That's what we got to address now.
So the next thing we ought to talk about is dysbiosis, right?
(06:25):
Leaky gut, food sensitivities, and what's really going on.
So if you are constantly bloated, dealing with random
fatigue, experiencing different kind of mood swings, are
reacting oddly to certain foods,you're not just sensitive, you
may be dealing with three commonbut often undiagnosed root
causes, dysbiosis, leaky gut, and food sensitivities.
(06:47):
So let's walk through each of these to understand how they're
deeply connected and why ignoring them makes things worse
overtime. So dysbiosis, right?
This is a microbial imbalance inthe gut.
Your gut is home to trillions ofbacteria, virus and fungi right
together. This ecosystem is known as a
microbiome. When in balance, it plays a
(07:09):
major role in digestion, immune function, vitamin production,
inflammation control. When the ecosystem is disrupted
through poor diet, chronic stress, antibiotics and
environmental toxins, bad actorscan take over.
Common culprits are yeast overgrowth of Candida except
strains of E coli, deficiencies of beneficial bacteria like
(07:32):
Lactobacillus, Bifobacterium. Parasites are pathogens so you
don't need AGI diagnosis to havedysbiosis.
People with these kind of symptoms like skin issues, food
cravings, bad breath, different bowel habits often have
underlying microbial imbalances that are missed from
conventional stool test. Even another one would be leaky
(07:55):
gut. This is when your intestinal
barrier breaks down. Your intestinal lining is
supposed to be semi permeable along nutrients while keeping
toxins, microbes and undigested food out of your bloodstream.
When the gut lining becomes inflamed, those tight junctions
loosen. This condition known as
increased intestinal permeability or called leaky
(08:18):
gut. This allows particles to slip
through and get into your circulation, right?
And they shouldn't be there. Your immune system at that point
kicks into gear tagging these particles as threats.
That leads to inflammation, right?
This leads to inflammation, which can trigger autoimmune
flares, disrupt hormone balance,create widespread fatigue and
(08:39):
brain fog, and it could also contribute to joint pain,
migraines and more. A damage gut barrier also
increases risk of developing newfood sensitivities and more
undigested protein and irritantsand make their way into your
bloodstream, something we do notwant.
Another one we talked about a lot is food sensitivities.
These are delayed inflammatory reactions.
(09:01):
Unlike food allergies which cause immediate reactions, food
sensitivities are delayed immuneresponse.
So again, you might eat something today and not feel the
effects of it for 1235 days later.
The reactions are often IgG mediated, meaning they involve a
different branch of immune systems that typically than
typical allergies. Some of these symptoms can
(09:22):
include fatigue, joint stiffness, skin breakouts,
anxiety or depression, fluid retention, or weight gain.
So what are common reactive foods?
We see this in a lot of different clients.
Gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn and nuts top of the list, but it
varies for everyone. Even foods that are technically
(09:44):
healthy can trigger problems when the gut is inflamed.
So how do you know if you're dealing with one of these
issues? You might be dealing with all
three. What's the one way to understand
if you are dealing with all three?
If that is you testing, Testing is key, right?
You can easily run that food sensitivity test to identify
that. So functional lab testing can
(10:05):
reveal really what's going on. So that mindful objective, we
run comprehensive gut test that go far beyond what its standard
doctor office would look at. These might include stool
testing to measure bacterial overgrowth, parasites,
inflammation, digestive enzyme levels.
These results help us understandthe full picture, not just
what's bothering you, but what your body's been trying to
(10:28):
manage for months and even years, right?
What is your body trying to say?And you're not having these
symptoms for no reason. So the root cause of dysbiosis
can lead to leaky gut. Leaky gut can lead to food
sensitivities. Food sensitivities can increase
inflammation, which further damages the gut lining.
It becomes a vicious cycle. You have to intervene with the
right tools and that's what we're trying to do today is
(10:49):
educate you to understand what those tools are.
So now you know a big one out there that a lot of people do
this is going to be relatable toa lot of people is the problem
with self diagnosing. It's easier than ever to Google
your symptoms. Find a TikTok video on gut
health or buy a cleanse kit promising to fix everything.
(11:12):
But here's the truth. Self diagnosing gut issues can
lead people down the wrong path,or worse, creates more health
problems. Right.
Gut symptoms are complex. Bloating, for example, could be
due to low stomach acid. Again, low stomach acid porn
enzyme output, SIBO, food sensitivities, and even stress.
But online advice tends to oversimplify.
(11:35):
The same goes for fatigue, mood swings, skin issues, and sugar
cravings. Everyone wants a magic protocol,
right? One pill, that's all.
And it's not always the case. Another thing people need to
remember is what works for one person might harm another.
So let's take a deeper look at why self diagnosing doesn't work
and what to do instead #1 would be elimination diets without
(11:56):
clarity. So one of the most common
reactions to gut discomfort is going on a strict elimination
diet. People remove gluten, dairy,
sugar, eggs, soy, and nightshades all at once.
While this might reduce symptomsshort term, it's not
sustainable, right? How a lot of people remove all
these things at once and then goright back to it, then find out
that's these are the issues. One of the most common reactions
(12:20):
to gut discomfort is going on a strict elimination diet.
People remove gluten, dairy, sugar, egg, soy, and nightshades
all at once. While this might reduce symptoms
short term, that's not sustainable without knowing what
you're reacting to. You may reintroduce something
that continues to inflamed you or necessarily avoid something
that wasn't even a problem. You don't want to have that bad
(12:40):
relationship with food. You start to believe that more
and more foods are unsafe, whichcan spiral into nutrient
deficiencies, weight loss resistance, or disordered
relationship with eating. So what's more ineffective?
Test for actual food sensitivities and understand the
underlying issue, like whether your gut lining needs your peer
or your microbiome needs rebalancing.
(13:02):
You can't just eliminate your way to health without rebuilding
what's missing? Another common trap is loading
up on gut health supplements, probiotics, enzymes, glutamine,
ACV or herbal remedies based solely on symptoms.
Some people think probiotics arealways safe, but certain strains
can worsen SIBO or histamine intolerance.
(13:23):
Enzymes might help for one person but cause discomfort for
someone else with gastritis or Hpylori.
There's also an issue with dosage, timing, interaction with
other supplements and medications.
So without a structure plan, these supplements become
expensive and you're just guessing.
And when they don't work, peopleassume they're broken.
In reality, they just need a tailor approach.
(13:45):
The other thing too is people lose hope in using supplements
because they're taking all the wrong supplements and it's
causing more problems. So that's why I get on the right
path. Do you need those supplements?
Maybe that's what we need to test for.
So functional stool testing reveals which bacteria are
overgrown or deficient, whether inflammation is present, and
whether digestion's actually working.
(14:05):
Then you know where exactly where to target and what to
order. At that point, you're not
mindlessly ordering supplements,you're ordering the correct
supplements that are going to help work in your body.
The other thing is getting lost in health trends.
From celery juice to detox teas to parasite cleanses.
The big one now is carnivore diet.
The Internet's full of bold claims, right?
(14:27):
But again, your gut isn't one-size-fits-all.
Some people genuinely feel better on a lower FODMAP diet
for SIBO. Others need high fiber diversity
to support their microbiome. What works wonders for one
person might derail another one's healing, right and make
make things very much worse for you.
There's also the issue of starting protocols in the wrong
(14:48):
order, right? Many people try to kill
pathogens before repairing the gut lining or supporting detox
pathways. This can all backfire.
This would cause different reactions, more inflammation and
worsening symptoms. Another one that people don't
always pay attention to, but their emotional and nervous
system health. Chronic stress alters digestion,
(15:08):
reduces stomach accident and dysregulates the gut brain axis.
Yet self diagnosis really considers the mental emotional
root causes. Breath work, somatic work,
therapy and slowing down are just as important as dietary
changes. So what's more effective?
A holistic model that respects your body's pace and includes
emotional regulation strategies,not just good strategies and
(15:32):
protocols. So good healing is possible, but
not through DIY shortcuts. Guessing, eliminating, and over
supplementing really leads to lasting relief.
It's like playing darts blindfolded.
You might hit something, but youprobably won't hit the target.
And I think that's just so common in a lot of people out
(15:54):
there. 1 is you try because you're trying to save money,
right? Instead of testing, you may go
and say, I'm just going to buy these supplements.
We're trying to hit that target,but we do not always hit that
target because we're on the wrong path.
And that could be because we're blindly buying these supplements
because of some trend or you're trying to save money because you
don't want to pay for testing and you're buying these
(16:14):
supplements instead, which are causing more harm and lead you
down the wrong path. That's not where you want to
get. That's why we always say work
with a health coach, somebody that's knowledgeable in this
area, whether it's myself, Mindful Objective or some other
practitioner out there. You got to get on the right
path, right? Don't blindly take supplements
that you may not need or may be damaging.
Same with pharmaceuticals. Anything else out there.
(16:37):
So just keeping in mind, how could we help?
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out
mindfulobjective.com. You could always just hit
contact us or if you have a podcast question,
mindfulobjective.com/podcast andyou can fill that out and I'll
gladly answer any kind of question.
So next one we should talk aboutis the gut brain connection,
(16:58):
right? This is your mood, energy and
more. So what if your anxiety isn't
just in your head, right? What if your brain fog,
irritability, and sleepless nights are actually starting in
your gut? It might sound surprising, but
science is clear. The gut and the brain are deeply
connected and understanding thisgut brain connection could be
the missing piece in your healthjourney.
(17:20):
So let's unpack how the systems work and why so many people
struggle with mental and emotional symptoms that are
actually rooted in the gut. The common term lately is the
gut is the second brain, which is factual.
Your gastrointestinal tract is its own nervous system, right?
This system contains over 100 million nerve cells and
communicates directly with the brain via the vagus nerve.
(17:43):
A lot of people hear about the vagus nerve, especially with
anxiety, a bio directional superhighway that sends signals
both ways. This means stress can affect
digestion and gut health. That which can affect mood,
focus and sleep. This connection is why people
with irritable bowel syndrome often report higher levels of
anxiety and depression. But even if you don't have
formal diagnosis, gut dysfunction can send ripple
(18:06):
effects into your brain and nervous system.
Then on the chemical side, serotonin, dopamine and mood.
So over 90% of your body's serotonin, which is a
neurotransmitter responsible forregulating mood, appetite and
sleep. This is producing your gut.
You might think you need an antidepressant, but if your gut
is off, no amount of mood boosting affirmations or therapy
(18:28):
sessions will make a lasting impact unless you address the
physical root issue right in thegut.
Another one would be leaky gut neuro inflammation.
So when your intestinal lining is compromised again, AKA leaky
gut, undigested food proteins and bacterial fragments can leak
into the bloodstream. These LP's modules are highly
(18:51):
inflammatory and when they crossthe blood brain barrier they can
cause neuro inflammation. This kind of immune response to
the brain can contribute to brain fog, poor memory, low
motivation, panic attacks, even headaches and migraines.
It's why someone might feel off after eating certain foods but
not experience typical GI symptoms like gas or diarrhea.
(19:13):
The response is happening neurologically, not just in your
digestive system. Another one would be histamine
intolerance in the brain. People with gut imbalances or
mast cell activation MCAS may struggle with excess histamine
in the body. This can also impact mood and
cognition, triggering racing thoughts, anxiety, irritability,
(19:35):
and sleep disturbances. And it's often overlooked.
Many people are put on psychiatric medications without
any investigation into their gutdiet or histamine load.
In these cases, restoring microbial balance and supporting
gut lining can calm the nervous system, and this can help reduce
histamine reactivity. This will lead to better mental
clarity and emotional regulation.
(19:57):
So again, it may not be in a pill, right?
It's in your gut, right? That's a different approach.
That's somewhere to to take a look, right?
You may be on medications now and you come across this podcast
and you may realize, you know what, maybe I need to address my
gut and see what I need to do from there.
Another one, cortisol and adrenals and gut motility.
(20:18):
So chronic stress doesn't make you feel overwhelmed.
It slows down digestion. Elevated cortisol levels
suppress stomach acid. It reduces enzyme output and
even contributes to gut permeability.
That's why high stress people often struggle with indigestion,
Constipation, or even loose stools.
If you're wired but tired, can'tfall asleep, and wake up between
(20:39):
2:00 and 4:00 AM most nights, this could be a sign that your
gut and adrenals are out of sync, right?
It's not just theoretical, it's a mindful objective.
We see clients with long standing anxiety finally feeling
calm, not because of anti anxiety meds, but because they
healed their gut. Again, a reminder, things take
time, right? We've seen people reclaim their
(21:02):
focus on energy once inflammation was reduced and
microbiome was rebalanced. Again, things take time.
So you have to identify the actual issue and then address
it. All right?
What is that root cause? You weren't born with it.
It's most likely a root cause. So, listic approach to gut brain
healing. To truly support gut brain
(21:22):
access, we recommend reducing inflammatory foods and histamine
triggers, adding in gut healing nutrients like L glutamine or
magnesium glycinate, supporting vagus nerve tone through breath
work, cold exposure, singing, oreven gargling.
You want to prioritize your sleep hygiene and blood sugar
stability, Track symptoms and correlate them with what food
(21:45):
you had and what stress patternsyou had.
So your mental health is not separate from your physical
health. When you treat your whole body
as a whole, when you listen to both your brain and your gut,
you give yourself a best chance to truly heal.
There's a lot more to than just taking a pill out there.
Hey, you hear it all the time where people have high blood
(22:07):
pressure, they have, again, anxiety, all this and they just
given a pill. But what is that root cause of
that issue? A lot of people don't look at it
right. But rather than take another
pill, what is that root cause ofthat bloating?
You take a look at those numbersto identify the actual issue and
address that issue versus just taking a pill on top of a pill.
What can you do today to start supporting your gut?
(22:30):
Here's a simplified but powerfulthree phase road map we often
use with clients. Phase one, remove the triggers.
Identify and eliminate common gut irritants, right Processed
foods, sugar, alcohol, or anything you're personally
sensitive to. Use testing to find out what
food you're reacting to. Not more guessing.
Look at toxins too. Plastics, mold, even personal
(22:53):
care products can affect the gut.
Phase two would be repair and rebuild.
Adding gut healing nutrients like L glutamine, zinc and aloe
for example. Bone broth and collagen support
to help with the lining repair. I use foundational support like
digestive enzymes if it's neededRight.
Again, it's a phased approach. It depends on your actual issues
(23:18):
and symptoms and how we we look to restore balance And phase 3
is that restore balance right? Introduce targeted probiotics
based on stool results, not justgeneric blends.
So you want to based on your testing say, oh, these are the
ones I actually need, not just ageneric 1A support micro
(23:38):
biodiversity with a wide range of fiber rich plants.
You want to aim for 30 plus types a week, right?
Do you know those or do you needa coach to walk you through
those? Our thing you want to do is
consider mindful eating, stress reduction and sleep hygiene
because the gut health isn't just what you eat, it's how you
live. Every gut is different.
(23:59):
That's why healing has to be personalized.
And if you're dealing with thesesymptoms, and if you're dealing
with these symptoms for a long time, don't lose hope.
Your body wants to heal. Sometimes it just needs the
right support and information toget there, right?
That's why working with one of us here at Mindful Objective,
that's we want to coach you downthe right road, right down the
right path, take the right supplements if needed.
(24:21):
And then do you need to be on the long term?
Maybe you need to be on the foundational supplements longer
term, and maybe these ones you just need for a couple months
just to heal that gut. So remember, your gut is
important in your body. And I think anybody that has gut
issues understands this podcast because it's not fun dealing
with the bloating, gas, fatigue,any of those things too.
(24:44):
And a lot of people do not relate that to that.
Anxiety, depression stuff too, can all be related to the gut.
The same with low stomach acid. I think most people hear from
their physician, they go in withgastritis, anything these
different issues they're having right away, they're told, hey,
take this because your stomach acid's too high, but there's no
testing done to rule that out. So that's where I say too, a lot
(25:07):
of times it's not high stomach acid.
Often times it's low stomach acid, which is reversed from
what you're used to hearing. That wraps up today's episode,
Gut instincts. What your body is trying to tell
you. If bloating, cravings, fatigue
or brain fog have is your norm, it's time to listen to those
signals and get it fixed. Your body speaks in symptoms.
You just need the right tools tounderstand what it's saying.
(25:28):
It's a mindful objective. We offer functional lab testing
for gut health, dysbiosis, leakygut and food sensitivities,
Personalized healing protocols tailored to your body, the
guidance and support you need tostop guessing and start healing.
Remember, you don't have to do this way forever.
Let's uncover what's really going on in your gut and what
your guts trying to say. So if you found this episode
(25:48):
helpful, share with someone you care about and visit
mindfulobjective.com to learn more.
As always, this shows for educational purposes only.
We do not diagnose, treat or cure any illness or disease.
Stay curious, stay grounded, stay well.
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