Get your gut healthy and finally feel good again
ca. 22 Minuten
Constantly tired, bloated, skin acting up - and nothing seems to help? If you’re struggling with one symptom after another and still can’t find a clear cause, your gut may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But to finally get back into balance and get your gut healthy, this is exactly where we need to start. Often, it’s the root of a whole chain of complaints that don’t seem connected at first glance.
Why your gut is the center of your health
Think of your gut less as a mere digestive organ and more as the pulsing control center of your body. Trillions of microorganisms live here - your personal microbiome. These tiny helpers work around the clock for you: They break down nutrients, produce vital vitamins, and train most of your immune system.
When everything is running smoothly in this complex ecosystem, you feel energized, your digestion works seamlessly, and your skin glows. But when the system gets out of balance - what experts call dysbiosis - problems begin.
An unbalanced diet, chronic stress, or taking medication can allow unwanted bacteria to spread and displace your beneficial gut microbes. This imbalance can have far-reaching consequences:
- Digestive problems: Constant bloating, a feeling of fullness, or irregular bowel movements are the most obvious warning signs.
- Persistent fatigue: A disrupted gut can interfere with the absorption of nutrients such as iron or vitamin B12. The result: You feel constantly exhausted and low on energy.
- Skin blemishes: The connection between the gut and skin - the so-called gut-skin axis - is well established scientifically. An imbalance in the microbiome can show up directly as acne, eczema, or redness.
- Mood swings: Your gut is a true hormone factory and produces much of the happy hormone serotonin. When your gut flora gets out of balance, it can directly affect your mental well-being.
You’re not alone in dealing with these problems. Many people struggle with such nonspecific symptoms and don’t suspect that the cause lies in their gut. Instead of treating each symptom individually, it’s much more effective to strengthen the foundation: your gut.
Your body sends you signals - you just have to listen
Learn to pay attention to your body’s subtle messages. A bloated belly after every meal isn’t simply “normal.” Being constantly prone to infections could indicate that your immune system, which is located around 80% in the gut, is overwhelmed. It’s about no longer ignoring these signals, but understanding them as valuable clues.
You may be wondering why these complaints are so widespread today. Current data show a worrying trend: The number of people with irritable bowel syndrome in Germany is rising dramatically. According to an analysis by KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse, the number of cases among 20- to 24-year-olds rose by 15 percent over the past ten years, with young women particularly affected. Modern lifestyle factors such as stress and a diet full of processed foods are putting ever-increasing strain on our digestive systems. You can read more about this development in KKH’s press release.
This trend makes one thing very clear: It’s time to take action yourself. Instead of continuing to guess what your gut might be missing, you can get specific answers. A mybody-x microbiome test analyzes the exact composition of your gut flora and shows you in black and white where an imbalance exists. A test like this gives you a scientific basis for finally taking the right steps and improving your gut health for the long term.
Find the real causes of your gut problems
Before you enthusiastically set out to make your gut “healthy,” let’s take a brief step back. Simply taking probiotics on a whim or cutting out certain foods is like fumbling in the dark. To really make a difference, we need to find the real troublemakers making life difficult for your microbiome. That’s the only way to get to the root of the problem instead of just treating the surface.
The good news is that recurring patterns and a few familiar suspects are usually responsible for the chaos in your gut. It’s time to move from guesswork to facts and systematically investigate.
The following graphic nicely illustrates how a cause - such as stress or a poor diet - leads to dysbiosis and eventually noticeable symptoms.
What makes this illustration so clear is that your symptoms, whether bloating, fatigue, or skin problems, don’t come out of nowhere. They’re the end result of a chain of events that often began much earlier, without you noticing.
The Usual Suspects on Your List
Your gut is a highly sensitive ecosystem that responds to a wide range of influences. You may already suspect that some of the most common factors that disrupt its balance (a dysbiosis) are affecting you:
- Chronic stress: The gut-brain axis is a two-way street. Prolonged stress can demonstrably alter the composition of your gut flora, make the intestinal barrier more permeable, and promote low-grade inflammation.
- Lack of sleep: Not getting enough sleep, or sleeping poorly, isn’t good for your gut either. Your sleep rhythm directly affects the diversity and activity of your microbiome.
- Medications: Antibiotics are among the main culprits, of course, because they don’t distinguish between good and bad bacteria. But painkillers such as ibuprofen and acid blockers can also seriously disrupt your gut flora.
- Hidden food intolerances: Often, the culprits aren’t the obvious ones. They may be foods you eat every day that quietly trigger a subtle immune response without you noticing.
Your first step toward feeling better is to become a detective in your own case. Instead of continuing to speculate, start uncovering connections between your daily life and your symptoms.
A simple symptom diary is an incredibly powerful tool for this. Keep detailed notes for a week or two:
- What you eat and drink: Every meal, every snack, every drink. Be honest!
- How you feel: Your energy level, your mood, and, of course, your digestion (bloating, stomach rumbling, bowel movements).
- Notable events: Did you have a stressful day, sleep poorly, or exercise?
Before long, you’ll probably start to notice some patterns. Perhaps you’ll find that your stomach always acts up after your morning cereal, or that you have more digestive problems on stressful days. These are your first important clues.
From suspicions to facts with targeted tests
A symptom diary gives you valuable initial clues. But what if the patterns aren’t clear, or you simply want to dig deeper? That’s where modern at-home tests come in. They’re a useful shortcut for replacing vague suspicions with data-driven facts.
Instead of fumbling in the dark for weeks, they give you a clear picture of what’s really going on in your body. They help you make the right changes from the start and base your actions on solid evidence.
For targeted investigation into the causes, two types of tests have proven particularly useful:
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The mybody-x food intolerance test: If you suspect certain foods are behind your symptoms, this test finally gives you clarity. It analyzes your immune system’s response to a wide range of foods and shows you precisely which ones may trigger reactions and put a strain on your gut. This way, you can adjust your meal plan without unnecessarily giving up all kinds of foods.
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The mybody-x microbiome test: This test is like a detailed assessment of your gut. It analyzes the exact composition of your gut flora—which bacterial strains are present, whether there’s an imbalance, and how diverse your microbiome is. The results then give you specific recommendations on how to get your gut flora back on track with the right foods and probiotics.
With these tools at your disposal, you can finally stop guessing. You’ll get a personalized roadmap to your gut health that shows you where you are now and which steps are right and most effective for you.
How to put together a meal plan for a healthy gut
Your diet is the most powerful tool you have to bring your gut back into balance. Forget complicated diet rules or radical restrictions. It’s about giving your body—and especially your beneficial gut bacteria—exactly what they need to thrive. Think of your food as the most effective medicine for your microbiome.
The key is to focus on the three pillars of a gut-friendly diet: fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics. These three elements work hand in hand to build up and strengthen your gut flora and keep it stable over the long term.
Fiber as the foundation for everything
Fiber is the foundation of every gut-healthy diet. These indigestible plant fibers are the main food source for your beneficial gut bacteria. Without them, your microbiome essentially starves.
A fiber-rich diet not only promotes a diverse gut flora, but also supports regular digestion and helps eliminate toxins from the body. Aim for at least 30 grams of fiber per day.
Here’s how to get started:
- Whole grains instead of white flour: Consistently swap white bread, white pasta, and white rice for their whole-grain alternatives.
- Vegetables at every meal: Include vegetables not just as a side dish, but as a staple on every plate. Broccoli, carrots, and leafy greens are excellent choices.
- Add legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, and beans are true fiber powerhouses. Start with small amounts so your gut can gradually get used to them.
Prebiotics: Food for your best friends
While all dietary fiber is good, some kinds are especially valuable. Prebiotics are special types of dietary fiber that specifically promote the growth and activity of the most beneficial bacterial strains, such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. They’re essentially your little helpers’ favorite food.
You don’t need to buy exotic superfoods for this. Prebiotics are found in many everyday foods:
- Alliums: Onions, garlic, and leeks are potent sources of prebiotics and are easy to add to almost any savory dish.
- Root vegetables: Chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, and parsnips contain plenty of inulin, a particularly effective prebiotic.
- Cooled potatoes: When cooked potatoes, pasta, or rice cool down, what’s known as resistant starch forms. This also serves as excellent food for your gut bacteria. So a potato salad the next day is not only tasty, but also really gut-friendly.
Think of it this way: With prebiotics, you’re essentially fertilizing the garden in your belly so that the beneficial plants—your good bacteria—can grow and thrive.
Probiotics: New helpers for your team
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed in sufficient quantities. They take up residence in your gut and support your existing flora in its work. They are especially valuable after antibiotic treatment or when your gut is out of balance.
Fermented foods are the best natural source here:
- Plain yogurt and kefir: Choose products with live cultures and no added sugar.
- Sauerkraut (unpasteurized): Fresh sauerkraut from the refrigerated section is full of lactic acid bacteria. Important: Heated sauerkraut from a can or jar no longer contains live cultures.
- Kimchi and miso: These Asian specialties add variety to your plate and provide a wide range of beneficial bacteria.
This table shows you which food groups are especially important for your gut health and provides specific examples for your shopping trip.
Gut superfoods for your shopping list
| Nutrient type | Effect in the gut | Examples of foods |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary fiber (general) | Basic nourishment for the gut flora; supports digestion. | Whole-grain bread, oatmeal, broccoli, berries, nuts, seeds |
| Prebiotics (special dietary fibers) | Specifically promote the growth of beneficial bacteria (bifido & lacto). | Onions, garlic, leeks, artichokes, bananas (rather unripe), chicory |
| Resistant starch (special form) | Also serves as food and forms when cooked starch cools. | Cooled potatoes, cold rice, cold pasta, green bananas |
| Probiotics (live bacteria) | Colonize the gut and support the existing flora. | Plain yogurt, kefir, unpasteurized sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kombucha |
A well-stocked pantry with these foods is the first, crucial step toward feeling better in your gut.
Individuality is key: The link to your test
As valuable as these general recommendations may be, you are the most important factor. Every gut is unique. What’s a superfood for one person may cause bloating and discomfort for another. And that brings us full circle to mybody-x.com’s self-tests.
Your personal path to your goal starts with data, not guesswork. A mybody-x food intolerance test, for example, can show you whether seemingly healthy foods like almonds or tomatoes are secretly triggering inflammatory reactions in your body and sabotaging your progress.
The results of a microbiome analysis provide even more specific insights. They show you in black and white which bacterial strains your gut is lacking. This lets you choose probiotic foods that contain exactly those strains, or recognize that you should focus more on prebiotic foods to strengthen the beneficial bacteria you already have. Test results can also help you better understand your nutritional needs. If you’d like to learn more about how to tailor your diet, you’ll find more valuable information in our article on Building Gut Flora with the Right Diet.
Your test result becomes your personal nutrition compass. It guides you safely through the jungle of recommendations and helps you create a plan that truly suits you and your body.
A gut-friendly diet is a huge step forward, but it’s only half the battle. To truly bring your gut into lasting balance, we need to look at the bigger picture. Think of it this way: You nurture the most beautiful plants in your garden (your diet), but the soil is completely depleted by constant rain (stress) and nighttime frost (lack of sleep). Your microbiome reacts to your lifestyle in much the same way.
Your gut and brain are inseparably connected through what is known as the gut-brain axis. It’s not a one-way street. Every thought, every feeling, and every restless night sends signals directly to your gut - and can seriously disrupt the delicate balance of your gut flora. Let’s take a closer look at the three most important lifestyle factors that are often underestimated: stress, sleep, and exercise.
Stress management as gut protection
Chronic stress is one of the biggest enemies of a healthy gut. When you’re constantly tense, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol. These can make the gut barrier more permeable (the so-called “leaky gut”), promote inflammation in the body, and reduce the crucial diversity of your microbiome. You often feel the effects right away: bloating, cramps, and a generally increased susceptibility to infections.
The good news is that you don’t have to completely turn your life upside down overnight. Small but regular breaks make the biggest difference. They signal to your nervous system that it can relax.
Even tiny, intentional breaks can lower your stress levels. Here are a few simple techniques you can try right away:
- The 4-7-8 breathing exercise: Sit upright and close your eyes. Breathe in deeply through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, then slowly breathe out through your mouth for eight seconds. Repeat this for just five minutes. This simple exercise activates the parasympathetic nervous system, your “relaxation nerve.”
- Mindful moments in everyday life: Build in tiny pauses to step out of the thought carousel. As you drink your coffee, consciously feel the warmth of the cup in your hands. Listen only to the birds for a moment. Focus on the feeling of your feet on the ground. It will ground you right away.
Our gut is extremely susceptible to stress and unhealthy habits. In Germany, gastrointestinal infections reached a record high in 2023. AOK Rheinland/Hamburg reported a staggering 50 percent increase in sick notes compared with the previous year. Young people were particularly affected, highlighting the importance of a robust lifestyle for prevention. You can find more details in AOK’s latest report.
The underestimated power of sleep
Sleep is your body’s most important time to recover - and your gut is no exception. While you sleep, your intestinal lining repairs itself, and your microbiome has time to regulate and reorganize. Lack of sleep disrupts not only your daily rhythm, but also the rhythm of your gut bacteria. This negatively affects their diversity and activity.
A consistent sleep routine is much more than just a way to combat fatigue. It actively supports gut health. Try to go to bed and get up at about the same time every day, including weekends. Create a relaxing evening routine that signals to your body that it’s time to wind down: read a book, listen to calm music, or take a warm bath.
Exercise that's good for your gut
When it comes to exercise, many people immediately think of strenuous workouts at the gym. But for your gut health, moderate and, above all, regular activity is much more important. It's not about running a marathon, but about staying active.
Even gentle, regular exercise has several positive effects:
- It stimulates bowel activity: Exercise promotes peristalsis, the natural muscle contractions of your gut. This is one of the best ways to prevent constipation.
- It promotes diversity: Studies show that moderate exercise increases the diversity of bacterial species in your gut. A diverse microbiome is a resilient microbiome.
- It reduces stress: Exercise is an excellent way to reduce stress hormones and boost the production of feel-good hormones (endorphins). This directly benefits your gut-brain axis.
Simply try to incorporate 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise into your daily routine. This could be a brisk walk during your lunch break, a bike ride in the evening, or a yoga session in the morning. The important thing is to find something you really enjoy, because that's the only way you'll stick with it over the long term. If you're looking for more practical ideas, you'll find them in our 7 tips for microbial health in everyday life.
Track your successes and stick with it for the long term
You've taken the first steps - great! You've changed your diet, are working on your stress, and are focusing on getting better sleep. But how do you make sure these positive changes don't just become a short-lived phase, but turn into lasting habits that support you over the long term? The key is to make your successes visible and see setbacks not as failures, but for what they are: part of the journey.
Getting your gut back in balance isn't a 100-meter sprint. It's more like a marathon, where endurance and patience are key. It's about sticking with it, even when your motivation wanes. And that's exactly where it helps enormously to measure your progress and see in black and white that your efforts are paying off.
Listen to your body's signals
The first and most direct way to track your progress is to listen closely to yourself. How your body feels is the best initial indicator that you're on the right track. Often, it's the small, subtle changes that get things started.
Look out for these positive signs:
- Better digestion: Your stomach no longer feels as bloated after eating, the feeling of fullness eases, and your bowel movements become more regular. These are the first clear signs that your gut is settling down.
- More energy in everyday life: You get out of bed more easily in the morning, and the afternoon slump becomes a rare exception. When your gut can absorb nutrients better again, your energy levels noticeably increase.
- Clearer skin: The close connection between the gut and skin is no secret. When redness, blemishes, or eczema gradually improve, it’s often a direct reflection of the improved situation in your gut.
- Greater resilience: You’re no longer the first to catch every cold going around. A healthy gut is the foundation of a strong immune system.
These physical signs are extremely motivating. They show you directly how your efforts are affecting your quality of life.
Make your progress objectively measurable
Feeling better is fantastic, but sometimes we doubt our own perception, especially on bad days. That’s why it’s even more valuable to see your progress in black and white and measure it objectively. And that’s exactly where the at-home tests from mybody-x.com come in again.
A follow-up test is much more than just a monitoring tool - it’s a powerful motivational tool. It gives you confidence that your strategy is working and helps you make the right adjustments.
Your gut health is one of the best investments in your long-term prevention. Data-based monitoring helps you stay on track and make the right choices for your future.
The mybody-x microbiome test is ideal for this. A second test after about six to twelve months of consistent changes can show you exactly:
- Has the diversity of your gut flora increased? Greater diversity is a clear sign of a more resilient microbiome.
- Have important bacterial strains increased? You can see directly whether your prebiotic diet has made a difference and whether beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria have increased.
- Is the balance of “good” to “bad” bacteria improving? The test shows whether the balance (eubiosis) is being restored.
These data-based results are a huge motivational boost. They prove that you’re not just easing symptoms, but tackling the problem at its root.
Think long term and plan for setbacks
Keeping your gut healthy is one of the most important preventive measures for your health. This becomes especially clear when you consider that, with over 54,000 new cases each year, colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in Germany. Studies show that a healthy microbiome and a preventive lifestyle can reduce the risk, making early attention to gut health a crucial measure. You can find more facts on this important topic on the Cancer Information Service website.
There will be days when you fall back into old habits. That’s human, and absolutely no reason to give up. What matters is how you handle it: briefly consider why it happened, then simply return to your new, healthy habits. Every step counts, no matter how small it may seem.
Frequently asked questions about gut health: Your most pressing questions, answered clearly and concisely
On the journey to a healthy gut, the same questions come up time and again. That’s completely normal, because much of the advice out there is contradictory and causes more confusion than it resolves.
That’s why I’ve gathered the most common concerns we come across in our practice and summarized them for you here. Think of it as a kind of compass that gives you quick guidance and helps you see your path more clearly.
How quickly can I make my gut healthy?
I hear this question all the time, and I completely understand it. Who wants to live with bloating, fatigue, or that constant feeling of discomfort any longer than necessary? But the honest answer is: there’s no magic timeline. Your gut’s recovery is as individual as you are.
The good news is that you’ll often notice the first positive changes after just a few weeks. If you consistently change your diet and consciously reduce stress, your body usually responds surprisingly quickly. A calmer stomach or less bloating are often the first rewards.
But deep healing, meaning lasting improvements to your microbiome, simply takes more time. We’re talking several months here. Think of it as a marathon, not a sprint. Patience and consistency are your most important allies.
A brilliant way to boost your motivation is to make your progress visible. A mybody-x microbiome test after six to twelve months can show you in black and white how your gut flora has already improved. These data-driven results are worth their weight in gold when it comes to sticking with it!
What’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics?
The two terms sound confusingly similar, but describe two completely different helpers for your gut that complement each other perfectly. It’s best to think of it like gardening:
- Prebiotics are the fertilizer: These are special fibers that serve as food for the good gut bacteria you already have. So you’re strengthening the team that’s already there. They’re found in abundance in foods such as onions, garlic, leeks, artichokes, and oats.
- Probiotics are the new seedlings: These are the live, beneficial bacteria that you add to your gut to strengthen your flora. You’re essentially planting new, hardworking helpers in your gut garden. Natural sources include fermented foods such as plain yogurt, kefir, or unpasteurized sauerkraut.
The smartest strategy is almost always a combination of both. You fertilize the soil and plant new helpers as needed. A microbiome analysis from mybody-x.com can tell you exactly whether your “garden” would benefit from certain new seedlings or whether you should focus more on fertilizing.
Do I have to give up sugar and gluten forever?
The thought of having to give up favorite foods forever is a real motivation killer for many people. Radical bans are often not only hard to stick to, but in many cases aren’t even necessary to improve gut health.
Far more important than a strict “all or nothing” approach is being mindful and getting a better sense of how your body responds to certain things.
- Sugar: Too much refined sugar is a problem because it fuels the growth of undesirable bacteria and yeasts in the gut. Rather than eliminating it completely, focus on significantly reducing sweets, soft drinks, and highly processed products.
- Gluten: The protein found in many grains can trigger inflammatory reactions in some people, even when they don’t have true celiac disease (gluten intolerance). This is known as gluten sensitivity.
But you don’t have to guess whether you’re sensitive to gluten or other foods. A food intolerance test from mybody-x.com can finally give you clarity. It shows you which foods might be quietly upsetting your system. With this knowledge, you can tailor your diet without frustrating blanket bans.
Are you ready to stop guessing and start making data-driven decisions about your health? The tests from mybody-x give you the tools to truly understand your body and take targeted steps toward a healthy gut.
