Your Gut Isn’t Broken, It’s Underfed

How simple, steady nourishment supports digestion, energy, hormones and mood

Most of us have the same instinct when something feels off in our body. We go straight into fix-it mode. A bit of bloating after dinner? Grab something in the chemist. Sluggish after lunch? More coffee. Low mood, no energy, sugar cravings every afternoon? Blame the day, the stress, the hormones or all three. We’ll spend the money, try the supplements, cut out the foods we enjoy, anything to get back to feeling normal again.

But the solution is often much simpler than all that messing.

Sometimes what feels like a problem is simply your body asking for more support. And one of the first places you notice that is in your digestion. The bloat, the heaviness, the dips in energy and the slow days where motivation feels out of reach don’t automatically mean intolerance, allergy or something serious. They’re signals — early nudges that your system isn’t getting everything it needs.

A quick fix won’t change that. Steady nourishment will.

The gut thrives on biodiversity: hundreds of different microbes working together. When that community isn’t getting the variety it needs, you start to feel it in ways that are easy to misread. Your sluggish days stand out because they knock you off course, while the comfortable days slip by unnoticed because nothing demands your attention.

Think of the gut microbiome like a garden. A thriving garden doesn’t appear overnight. It grows from feeding the soil, planting different things, trimming back what isn’t serving the space and adjusting with the seasons. Your gut works the same way. It doesn’t want extremes. It wants consistency and nourishment.

And this is why, as a nutritional therapist, the gut is often the first place I explore with clients. When the microbiome is underfed — low in fibre, low in colour, low in variety — the rest of the body feels it. Energy dips. Cravings creep in. Digestion slows. Hormones feel louder. Mood shifts.

You can’t fix an underfed gut with a single supplement. You support the whole garden to feel good every day.

What are the signs your gut might be underfed?

Many of the symptoms people worry about have simple explanations:

• feeling bloated after meals

• low or inconsistent energy

• cravings that don’t make sense

• sluggish digestion

• foggier days or low motivation

• feeling “puffy” or heavy

• noticing digestive changes during perimenopause

These symptoms don’t automatically mean something serious. Often, they point to a gut that isn’t getting enough fibre, colour or variety to keep its microbial community thriving.

Feeling bloated? Sometimes it’s just your gut asking for support. Image source: Canva

Feeding an undernourished gut: what does fibre actually do?

If there’s one food group your gut relies on more than anything else, it’s fibre. And I’m not talking about prunes and bran flakes, but the mix of fibres that come from wholegrains, beans, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.

These fibres reach the large intestine, where they’re broken down into compounds that support the gut lining, the immune system, blood sugar and even hormone and mood regulation.

Most people don’t get enough of it. Not because they’re doing anything wrong, but because busy lives push us toward the quickest meals and the same handful of foods. That’s how the microbiome ends up depleted.

Your body needs both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre becomes fuel for your gut microbes. Insoluble fibre adds structure to your stool and helps keep things moving. You don’t need to memorise which is which. What matters is a mix across the day.

Quick meals are handy—but relying on them can leave your gut underfed. Image source: Canva

What does 25–30g of fibre look like?

• oats, chia and stewed apple in the morning

• vegetable and lentil soup with a slice of good bread at lunch

• nuts as a snack

• a dinner with two or three vegetables plus something like sweet potato

Nothing extreme. Just steady food that feeds the gut well.

Before you start loading fibre onto every meal, there are a few things worth knowing.

How to increase fibre without bloating

Your digestive system needs time to adjust to higher fibre and more varied plant foods.

I’ve had many clients tell me in the past that they “felt worse” when they added more fibre. It wasn’t that the fibre was wrong — it was simply too much, too soon.

More fibre needs more water—your gut works best when both show up. Image source: Canva

Three things make the biggest difference:

1. Go steady

Add fibre gradually.Seeds here, extra veg there, beans once or twice a week. Let your gut adjust.

2. Drink more water

Fibre needs water to move comfortably through the gut.If you increase one without the other, you’ll feel slower, not lighter.

3. Spread it across the day

A giant salad or a high-fibre dinner won’t make up for a low-fibre day.Your gut prefers small, regular feedings.

And remember: not all fibres suit everyone.If you have IBS, IBD, SIBO or sensitive digestion, you may need a gentler approach or different fibre choices. This is where guidance from a nutrition professional can be helpful.

For most people, the discomfort isn’t caused by fibre. It’s caused by the sudden jump from “very little” to “a lot”.

This is where variety becomes important.

What foods help your gut bacteria thrive? (It’s all about variety)

Different gut microbes eat different things. The more varied your food, the more species get fed, and the steadier your digestion and energy feel.

Aim for more colour, more plant foods and more combinations. No perfection required. Just variety.

What are polyphenols and why do they help gut health?

Polyphenols are natural compounds found in colourful plant foods. They give plants their flavour, colour and aroma. Berries, red onions, herbs, spices, olive oil, dark chocolate and a range of vegetables are full of them.

Many polyphenols reach the large intestine, where gut microbes break them down. This supports different species and contributes to the diversity that keeps your gut resilient.

You don’t need powders or lists. Just colour on the plate. Reds, greens, oranges, purples. Simple.

Colour matters—polyphenols help feed a healthy, diverse microbiome. Image source: Ciara Ryan Nutrition

How do fermented foods support gut health?

Fermented foods are made when natural bacteria or yeasts break down sugars in food. This process creates beneficial microbes that can support digestion as they pass through.

Good options include yoghurt with live cultures, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha.A spoon here or a glass there is often enough. Consistency matters more than quantity.

How does lifestyle affect digestion?

A well-fed gut responds to the way you live as much as what you eat.

• Movement keeps digestion moving

• Sleep steadies hunger hormones and inflammation

• Time outside increases exposure to natural microbes

• Pets, especially dogs, broaden microbial diversity

• Stress tightens the gut–brain loop and can throw digestion off

These don’t need to be perfect. Think of them as the weather patterns around your internal garden. Helpful when steady, manageable when they’re not.

Most people notice improvements within a few days to a few weeks, depending on their baseline.

Simple ways to feed your gut without overhauling your life

You don’t need a new identity or lifestyle, or a trolley full of expensive ingredients.Small shifts, done often, have the biggest impact.

Pets, especially dogs, naturally help broaden your microbial world. Image source: Canva

Try:

• one extra vegetable at dinner

• oats with fruit or seeds instead of cereal

• nuts or fruit instead of bars and biscuits

• wholegrain bread a few days a week

• beans or lentils in soups or curries

• more colour: berries, peppers, spinach, herbs

• more water

• a fermented food you actually enjoy

These don’t look dramatic, but your gut notices them quickly.

Bringing it all together

Your gut doesn’t need extremes. It doesn’t need restriction, rules or a shelf of supplements.

It needs feeding. It needs variety. It needs rhythm.

When you support the gut day by day, in a way that fits real life, the rest of your body follows. Digestion steadies. Energy returns. Cravings ease. Mood lifts. Hormones feel less chaotic.

You don’t need a dramatic reset or big overhaul.The gentler approach works.Feed the garden you already have and let it get on with its job.

Further Reading: If you want to explore this more

These articles dive deeper into different parts of gut health:

• How Your Gut Talks to Your Brain (and What It Means for Mood)

  Discover how supporting your gut can improve mood, focus and emotional balance. Gut Feeling: How Supporting Your Gut-Brain Connection Can Improve Mood and Cognitive Function
  

• Probiotics vs Prebiotics: What They Do and Why You Need Both

  A simple guide to choosing the right foods that nourish your gut bacteria. The Good, the Bad, and the Bacteria: Understanding the Importance of Probiotics and Prebiotics
  

• Constipation Relief the Natural Way: What Actually Works

  Practical, gentle steps to ease constipation and support healthy digestion. How to manage constipation the natural way
  

• Why You Feel Bloated — And What Helps Reduce It

  Learn the most common causes of bloating and simple ways to feel lighter. 3 main reasons you might be feeling bloated, and how to prevent it
  

• Your Guide to IBS & IBS-D: Understanding Triggers and Finding Relief

  Clear, supportive guidance for managing IBS symptoms and reducing flare-ups. From flare-ups to freedom: a comprehensive guide to navigating and managing IBS-D

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