' The Gut Feeling That Changed Everything' by Scott

“All disease begins in the gut.” — Hippocrates (aka the OG health coach)

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me how to boost their immune system, get lean, sleep better, fix brain fog, or stop their stomach from feeling bloated—I’d be on the Forbes list.
But here’s the thing: no matter where your symptoms show up—your head, your skin, your sinuses, or your squat rack—it almost always starts in the gut.

Let Me Tell You a Story...

A few years ago, I had a client named Denise. She came to me with chronic fatigue, migraines, sugar cravings that would shame a Halloween toddler, and lived on an emotional rollercoaster.
She tried every fad diet, took every medication her doctors recommended , and practically lived in the supplement aisle of her local grocery store.
But the breakthrough didn’t happen until we stopped focusing on what she wanted to lose and started focusing on what she needed to restore: her gut health.
Within a few months of dialing in her gut, getting regular exercise, and learning to find her calm Denise started sleeping better, laughing more, losing belly bloat, and finally feeling like herself again.
Sound familiar? That’s because most modern health issues have one thing in common: an overfed and undernourished microbiome.

The Gut: Your Second Brain and First Line of Defense

Your gut isn’t just a food processor. It’s a bustling metropolis of over 100 trillion microbes, more than the stars in our galaxy, all living inside you and affecting… well, everything.
 
That’s why when your gut’s a mess, your mood follows. Your cravings spike. Your immune system tanks. And your mental health suffers.

Hippocrates and the "Hypochondriac"

Hippocrates, the father of medicine, had it figured out 2,500 years ago. He coined the term “hypochondriac”, not because his patients were drama queens, but because he believed that emotional and physical illness came from the area under the ribs (hypo = under, chondros = cartilage), a.k.a. the gut.
Translation? He thought most ailments came from a sour stomach. The man was onto something. He also believed that food should be our medicine… something modern medicine forgot somewhere along the way as they prescribed pills for everything.

Mouthwash, Alcohol & the Microbial Massacre

We’ve all seen those mouthwash commercials: “Kills 99.9% of bacteria!”
Great… except you need some of those bacteria.
It’s like saying you cleared your garden of all weeds by killing the entire lawn, including your heirloom tomatoes and organic basil.
Same with alcohol. You’re not just “loosening up” on Saturday night, your gut lining is taking a beating, your microbial allies are waving white flags, and your immune system is tanking.

The Rise of Akkermansia muciniphila: Gut Royalty

Now let’s talk about the new buzzword in microbial bacteria: Akkermansia muciniphila.
This amazing bacteria lives in your mucus layer and it strengthens your gut barrier, reduces inflammation, and helps with insulin sensitivity. Emerging research even shows it might protect your brain from degenerative disease.
That’s right, this gut bacteria could be the cure for Alzheimer’s disease if the latest research is accurate.
And guess what feeds Akkermansia?
Not donuts. Not soda. Not Starbucks Frappuccino’s.
It thrives on prebiotics.

Feed the Good Guys: Prebiotics & Probiotics

Prebiotics are the plant fibers your body can’t digest; it is the food for your microbes. They’re found in:

• Leeks
• Onions
• Garlic
• Asparagus
• Bananas (slightly green)
• Apples
• Artichokes

Choose organic, pesticide-free produce whenever possible. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) isn’t exactly gut friendly.
Now let’s give a high-five to probiotics, the live bacteria that replenish your gut:

• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Yogurt (whole fat, no added sugar)
• Kefir
• Cheese (raw, aged varieties)
• Kombucha (watch the sugar content)
• Miso and tempeh

These fermented foods are your microbiome’s best friends.

Fast.Eat.Live. was born with the belly in mind.

I built Fast.Eat.Live. to simplify how to eat for Americans, making it easier as it’s a lifestyle nutrition brand.  Coaching clients how to prioritize nutrient dense whole foods over empty calorie gut busting junk. We are what we eat!

Mood, Memory, and Microbes

New research is blowing the lid off what gut health can do for your brain. We now know:

• Gut microbes produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
• Dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) is linked to anxiety and depression.
• Gut inflammation is a suspected contributor to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and cognitive decline.

When your gut’s inflamed, your brain gets foggy. When your gut heals, your brain lights up like firework show.
I’ve watched this in real time with my clients. Clarity. Focus. Emotional resilience. Less irritability. More joy.

Practical Tips

Here’s your action plan:
✅ Ditch daily mouthwash. Use salt water, hydrogen peroxide rinse, or coconut oil instead.
✅ Cut processed foods. The longer the shelf life, the shorter your life.
✅ Eat fermented food daily.
✅ Add prebiotic-rich veggies to every meal.
✅ Go organic and pesticide-free as often as possible.
✅ Cut back on alcohol—or save it for Live Days, not every day.
✅ Hydrate like you mean it (with electrolytes).
✅ Get sweaty. Exercise helps gut bacteria thrive.
✅ Sleep. Your microbiome regenerates while you sleep.
✅ Laugh. Seriously. Laughter stimulates the Vagus Nerve and strengthens the gut-brain axis. So go watch some old Seinfeld episodes. Closing Thought: The Garden Within

I like to think of the gut as a garden. If you feed it junk, it grows weeds. If you starve it, it wilts. But if you nourish it with filtered water, fiber, colorful foods, fermented vegetables, and real nutrients—it blooms.
Your gut is your friend. It wants to protect you, energize you, and connect your brain to your body the way God perfectly designed it.
But it can’t do that if we’re blasting it with cocktails, artificial sweeteners, antibiotics, and mouthwash. Remember your body is a temple, take care of it!

Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer. Always consult a physician before starting an exercise or diet regime.