By Rosie Millen, Registered Nutritionist (RNutr)
Founder of Miss Nutritionist
If gut health feels confusing, that’s not because you’re doing something wrong.
It’s because digestion has become one of the most overcomplicated, over-marketed areas of wellness. Most people I work with have tried something for their gut - cutting foods, adding supplements, following rules - and still don’t feel quite right.
The gut–brain connection is real, but it’s often explained in ways that create more anxiety than clarity. So instead of adding more noise, I want to clear a few things up.
Let’s talk about what actually helps - and what you can probably stop worrying about.
Myth 1: “My gut is broken and needs fixing”
This is one of the most common beliefs I hear, and it’s rarely true.
Your gut is incredibly adaptive. Symptoms like bloating, discomfort, or irregular digestion are usually signals that something is out of balance - not signs that your digestive system has failed.
Stress, rushed eating, poor sleep, under-fuelling, and long periods of restriction all affect digestion. When those pressures ease, the gut often responds surprisingly well.
The goal isn’t to “fix” your gut. It’s to support it.
Myth 2: “Probiotics are the answer to everything”
Probiotics can be helpful in certain situations, but they’re not a universal solution.
Gut health isn’t just about adding bacteria. It’s about creating an environment where beneficial bacteria can thrive. That depends far more on what you eat regularly, how you eat, and how stressed your system is.
For many people, focusing on fibre diversity, meal regularity, and hydration does more for digestion than any single supplement.
Probiotics are a tool - not a shortcut.
Myth 3: “The more foods I cut out, the better my gut will feel”
This one causes a lot of unintended harm.
Elimination diets can sometimes reduce symptoms short term, but long-term restriction often leads to increased sensitivity, anxiety around food, and poorer gut diversity.
I often see people eating very “clean” diets and still struggling with bloating, low mood, or cravings. In many cases, the gut is reacting not to the food itself, but to stress, lack of variety, or inconsistent eating.
More restriction doesn’t automatically mean better digestion.
Myth 4: “Gut health is just about digestion”
The gut and brain are in constant communication. That’s why digestive issues often show up alongside anxiety, low mood, brain fog, or intense cravings.
If your nervous system is under pressure, digestion is usually affected. If digestion is strained, the brain often feels it too.
This is why gut health support that ignores stress, sleep, and daily rhythms often falls short.
So what actually helps?
Once we strip away the extremes, gut–brain support becomes much simpler - and much kinder.
These are the foundations I come back to again and again:
Regular meals
Eating consistently helps regulate digestion, appetite hormones, and mood. Skipping meals often makes symptoms worse, not better.
Fibre variety
Not huge amounts - just diversity. Different plants feed different gut bacteria, and variety matters more than perfection.
Eating in a calm state
Digestion works best when the nervous system feels safe. Slowing down, chewing properly, and not eating on the move can genuinely change how food feels.
Hydration
Under-hydration is an underestimated contributor to bloating and sluggish digestion.
Reducing overall stress load
This doesn’t mean eliminating stress. It means recognising that digestion is sensitive to how hard the system is being pushed.
How gut–brain imbalance shows up in real life
Gut–brain issues don’t always look dramatic. They often show up as:
- Feeling bloated despite eating “well”
- Low mood or anxiety without a clear cause
- Strong sugar cravings or appetite swings
- Brain fog or poor concentration
- Feeling tense around food choices
These aren’t signs that you need to try harder. They’re signs that your system may need more support and less pressure.
A gentle reset (add, don’t remove)
If gut health feels overwhelming, start here:
- Eat three regular meals for a week
- Add one extra plant food per day
- Drink water consistently
- Slow meals down slightly
- Prioritise sleep where possible
No detoxes. No extreme protocols. Just a calmer baseline.
A final thought
Your gut doesn’t need micromanaging. It needs consistency, nourishment, and a nervous system that isn’t constantly on edge.
When you shift from control to support, digestion, mood, and focus often start to improve together - because the gut and brain were never separate to begin with.
About the author
Rosie Millen is a registered nutritionist and founder of Miss Nutritionist. She works with individuals and brands to simplify nutrition, support sustainable health habits, and cut through wellness noise with practical, evidence-led advice.
