Tips from a Gut Health Dietitian
If you’re here, you may have already read my first blog post, which explored some simple steps to support your gut health. In that post, we looked at the importance of eating enough food and eating regularly, as well as the role of routine and balance when it comes to food, fluids and fibre. In this second post, we’ll build on those foundations and delve into some other essential principles of gut health.
Types of fibre matter
Previously fibre was classified into two groups: insoluble and soluble fibres. However, this approach overlooked the complexity of the different types of fibres (soluble, insoluble, fermentable, viscous, non-viscous) and their varying roles in the body. Each type of fibre has a different job to do in keeping your body healthy. That’s why a diverse range of fibres helps to support a healthy gut microbiome, with each type carrying a specific health benefit.
Depending on your digestive issues, we need to consider some of the following factors: modifying fibre ratios, reducing the particle size of fibres, reducing certain fibres that may exacerbate symptoms (like bloating), or increasing/decreasing your total fibre intake.
For this blog post, we’ll take a simplified approach and touch on three different groups of fibres. However, some fibres might fit in multiple categories or have different roles. Such as inulin which is technically a ‘soluble’ fibre, but it doesn’t form a gel and is also a fermentable fibre.
Soluble fibres (gel forming)
Soluble fibres dissolve in water. As I noted in the previous post, they form a thick gel-like consistency that softens the stools and slows down digestion. Common sources of soluble fibres are oats, barley, beans and legumes, psyllium husks, fruit and vegetables. These fibres can benefit the body by helping improve blood glucose and cholesterol levels.
Insoluble fibres (improves gut transit time)
These are often found in the skin of fruit and vegetables, as well as the hard outer surfaces of wholegrains, nuts and seeds. These fibres do not hold water; they bulk up your stools, which helps to stimulate peristalsis (when digestive muscles move automatically in a wave-like motion to push food through your digestive tract). Insoluble fibre can help reduce transit time.
Fermentable fibre (feed your microbes)
This group of fibres are fermented or broken down by the microbes in your large intestine. This process leads to the production of gas and other beneficial metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Some fibres are rapidly fermented (short-chain inulin, chicory root fibre or oligofructose), while others ferment more slowly (partially hydrolysed guar gum, resistant starch).
Otherwise known as Microbiota accessible carbohydrates (MAC’s). These are carbohydrates that are not digested in the small intestine, instead becoming food for the microbes in the large intestine. Adequately nourishing your microbes provides your body with a range of health benefits, including (but not limited to) nourishing your gut lining, improved insulin sensitivity, maintaining your immune system and improved fasting blood glucose levels. Not all fibres are MAC’s. Here are some fibre types that are MAC’s, inulin, resistant starch and pectin that your body might be able to break down if it has the right enzymes.
Resistant starch is one type of MAC. There are several types of resistant starch, including cooked, cooled potatoes, rice and pasta (and yes they can be reheated), green bananas, and legumes. These have a very important role in feeding the microbes in your gut, supporting the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA). In particular, they aid in the production of butyrate (SCFA), which helps keep your gut lining healthy and reduces inflammation.
Movement
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle (no judgement here), you may find that introducing some movement will help with your digestive health. Interestingly, our digestive system mimics our body’s movement. Even something as simple as going for a walk can help get your digestive system moving.
If you’re fairly active already, increasing your activity levels is unlikely to be your next in promoting gut health. Ensuring your body is adequately nourished for your level of activity may be worth pursuing instead. Alternatively, perhaps consider some of the other foundational steps to gut health if you’re concerned.
Supporting the gut-brain axis
Did you know that our gut and brain are in constant communication? Surprising though it may seem, approximately 80% of that communication travels from the gut to the brain. Have you experienced butterflies in your stomach or a sick feeling of dread? Have you ever made decisions based on a “gut feeling”? These are a result of the same gut-brain communication network. Given this strong connection, chatter between the gut and brain can impact many aspects of digestion, including hunger and satiety, gut motility, digestion, immune function, stress levels, pain sensitivity and lots more.
Now, the gut is constantly scanning the external and internal environments for signs of safety and danger without us even being aware. In a state of stress or danger, the gut responds by slowing digestion, prioritising blood flow and energy to the brain. That is why our digestive systems are sensitive to our emotional wellbeing and the state of our nervous systems.
Exploring your worries and stress associated with eating is an important step in improving your digestive wellbeing. Discovering ways to reduce stress associated with food and gut health can help to improve your gut function. This is where slowing down and eating in a more mindful relaxed state can support your digestive system to function optimally. You can complement this by employing helpful strategies designed to support improved digestion. Light stretching, deep breathing or a gentle walk before or after meals are just some of the many ideas that spring to mind.
Gut irritants
Certain foods may become irritants for your digestive system. There are a range of known gut irritants for specific conditions like dyspepsia, constipation, diarrhoea and bloating. It is worth exploring this with a dietitian who can help you identify those irritants and how to manage them. Some common gut irritants are artificial sweeteners (sorbitol, maltitol), inulin and chicory fibres (often found in protein bars and some muesli bars), sugar free chewing gum, complex protein isolates (found in protein balls, shakes etc), spicy food, caffeine.
Given the immense amount of information (whether evidence based or not) on the internet, it can be tempting to self-manage gut symptoms. However removing food from your diet to see whether it reduces symptoms can lead to more issues (like nutrient deficiencies or reduced microbial diversity in your microbiome). That is why I would highly recommend getting support of a health professional to identify and treat gut symptoms. Simply put, our gut thrives of a diversity of foods, and therefore our aim should be to keep as many different foods in your diet.
Seeking help from a dietitian to get an individualised approach
There is so much information available online, which means that taking care of your gut health can be a confusing task. It may be easy to consult Chat GPT and to self-diagnose. And yet, you run the risk of misdiagnosis and poorly aligned treatment. Seeking out a health professional may feel harder and more time-consuming – but you can rest assured that you’ll receive tailored, evidence-based support from a qualified dietitian.
How can Jessica support you with your digestive health and gut issues?
If reading this at all resonates with you, then finding a health professional to support you in achieving improved gut health might be the first place to start.
Should you choose to work with mem, I will help you understand how your digestive system works and explore what factors might be contributing to your digestive discomfort. In this way, I will aim to empower you with knowledge, skills and individualised strategies so that you can effectively take care of your health.
In addition, I will support you to have a healthy relationship with food and your body – not based on fears or food rules or diet culture’s rigid benchmarks. Such support might include:
- Understanding the root causes of your gut health issues
- Practical and psychological support to establish a regular and adequate eating pattern
- Knowledge regarding the different types of fibres and their role in both gut health and general health (blood sugar levels, cholesterol, immune function, etc).
- An individualised plan to introduce and balance your fibre intake to ensure your digestive system is functioning optimally
- Strategies and support to reducing symptoms such as bloating, slow digestion, constipation, diarrhoea, reflux, gastroparesis, diverticular disease, etc.
- Strategies to support your gut-brain axis – discovering ways to support your nervous system, easing stress and allowing your body to relax and digest food
- Help to overcome food fears and ways to make peace with food
Interested to learn more about my approach to gut health? Why not book a free discovery call today?
References
- Carabotti, M., Scirocco, A., Maselli, M. A., & Severi, C. (2015). The gut-brain axis: Interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of Gastroenterology, 28(2), 203–209.
- Enders, G. (2015). Gut: The inside story of our body’s most underrated organ. Greystone Books.
- Livovsky, D. M., Pribic, T., & Azpiroz, F. (2020). Food, eating, and the gastrointestinal tract. Nutrients, 12(4), 986. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu1204098
- McMillan, J. (2026). The Fibre Factor: A Science-backed Guide to a Healthier Gut, Stronger Heart and Sharper Brain. Penguin Books Australia. ISBN 9781761356728
- Opperman, C., Majzoobi, M., Farahnaky, A., Shah, R., Van, T. T. H., Ratanpaul, V., Blanch, E. W., Brennan, C., & Eri, R. (2025). Beyond soluble and insoluble: A comprehensive framework for classifying dietary fibre’s health effects. Food Research International, 206, 115843. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2025.115843.
- Smith, J. E., Arkin, E., Rosen, B., et al. (2025). Comprehensive nutrition therapy for co-occurring gastrointestinal & eating disorders: The EDGI Training Project. Gatekeeper Press.
- Zhang, D., Jian, Y.-P., Zhang, Y.-N., Li, Y., Gu, L.-T., Sun, H.-H., Liu, M.-D., Zhou, H.-L., Wang, Y.-S., & Xu, Z.-X. (2023). Short-chain fatty acids in diseases. Cell Communication and Signaling, 21, 212. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-023-01219-9.
