What Happens When You Heal the Gut (Patient Case Inside)

Gut Health, Hormones & Skin: What I Tell Every Patient

Hello Reader,

Here’s something I tell nearly every patient who walks into my office:

“Your gut is talking to the rest of your body—even if it’s not screaming.”

Translation? Even low-grade issues like mild bloating, constipation, or inconsistent poops might be a sign that your hormones, mood, or skin are being affected under the surface.

TL;DR: Your gut isn’t just where you digest—it’s where you regulate. Hormones, skin, energy, even your mood… they all check in with your gut. And if your gut isn’t happy, the rest of you probably won’t be either.

📖 Mini Case Study: “Rachel” and the Gut Domino Effect

Rachel (name changed for privacy) came in feeling blah.

⚬ She was constantly bloated
⚬ She had hormonal breakouts around her jawline
⚬ And she’d wake up tired—even after 8 hours of sleep

She thought it was just stress and a bad reaction to the pill. But when we dug a little deeper with a few labs and symptom tracking, here’s what we found:

Low diversity in gut bacteria → This often correlates with inflammation and poor nutrient absorption.
Signs of intestinal permeability (aka leaky gut) → Which can trigger immune overreactions and skin flare-ups
Impaired estrogen metabolism → Likely due to poor gut-liver clearance, leading to estrogen dominance symptoms

What We Did About It

Here’s the basic gut reset I often use as a foundation:

Temporarily removed common gut irritants (gluten, dairy, alcohol)
- Tip: I often recommend diet specific pantry staples to make this transition easier.
Repopulated with prebiotics + probiotics (think: resistant starch, probiotic-rich foods, and a supplement targeted to her needs)
- Check out my favorite probiotics here.
Used gentle herbs to rebalance the gut microbiome
- I love this blend of gentle bitters and antimicrobial herbs — effective but not harsh on your system.
Supported the liver with cruciferous veggies, castor oil packs, and hydration
- Curious about castor oil packs? This is the non-messy one I use, and I pair it with a nightly detox tea for extra support.

The Results (in just 9 weeks):

✅ Her bloating was down by 90%
✅ Her acne visibly calmed
✅ She had consistent energy and fewer PMS symptoms

🛍 Shop this newsletter:

Shop your pantry staples here, especially if you're following a certain diet
Get quality probiotics here to ensure a diverse and healthy gut microbiome
Gentle bitters and herbs to help with digestion
Support your liver detox with this castor oil pack set and detox tea

👩‍⚕️ Want support?

If you are in California, I invite you to schedule a personalized 1-on-1 appointment with me. Click on the button below for more information on my services and to book your appointment. In-person and tele-health appointments are available.

In wellness,

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Unsure where to begin with your gut health?

My book Why You're Still Bloated Even on a "Clean" Diet is a great first step in understanding what is going on with your digestion before diving into 1-on-1 care with me.

With this book, you'll be equipped with actionable steps you can take now for better digestion and a list of tests you can discuss with your doctor to get to the root causes of your symptoms.

Why You're Still Bloated Even on a "Clean" Diet

Learn more!

Accepting new patients

I am so excited to announce that I have joined the Oasis Health and Medicine team in Encinitas starting Thursday, July 3.

For my current patients, nothing has changed!

I will still be keeping my schedules and seeing patients at The Adapt Lab in Solana Beach, CA (Tues and Fri) and Olympus Movement in Vista, CA (Mon and Wed). I am just adding another location to fill up my Thursday schedule. I am blessed having to expand my schedule to accommodate the demand of new patients who wish to see me.

I joined Dr. Pedi Mirdamadi, ND, Dr. Dan Sullivan, ND, and Dr. Chelsea Azarcon, ND at Oasis, and I have brought my knowledge and love of women's wellness and hormones, and skin and digestive health to the Oasis team.

I am eager and excited to expand my reach to the Oasis community and I welcome you to make an appointment with me so we can get to the root causes of your symptoms and have you feeling your best again.

Click here to learn more about Oasis Health and Medicine and to make an appointment.