Have you always struggled with gut health? What was your turning point?
I know I’ve had gut issues since I was 15. White spots started appearing on my back and while I didn’t know it then, it was my gut trying to communicate through my skin. At the time, I wasn’t aware of the intricate connection between our gut and skin microbiomes. The real turning point came about five years ago when my health completely crashed. After months of searching, I discovered I was dealing with mercury poisoning. My body had essentially shut down. That’s when I began to rebuild from the gut up and everything changed.

How has prioritizing gut health changed your overall well-being?
Everything. Gut health is truly the foundation. As a functional dietitian, I’ve seen it time and time again: we cannot heal anything—hormones, mood, skin, metabolism—without starting from the gut. Our microbiome regulates immunity, detox pathways, even neurotransmitters. And honestly, we are bacteria—because we have more bacterial cells than human cells. So we better take care of our internal ecosystem.

What do you wish more people understood about gut health?

That it’s not just about taking a probiotic. The gut is a dynamic, intelligent organ—home to trillions of microbes that are in constant conversation with the rest of your body. It communicates with your brain, your hormones, your immune system, your vaginal and skin microbiomes. Research is now even pointing to a placental microbiome during pregnancy. Gut health is not just a piece of the puzzle—it is the puzzle.

What’s your current gut health routine?

I’m constantly tuning in, but there are staples I return to. I take digestive enzymes at night, when digestion naturally slows and I incorporate bitter plants daily to stimulate my body’s own enzyme production. I oil pull 2–3 times a week to support both oral and gut microbiomes—what happens in the mouth sets the tone for everything downstream. But gut care isn’t just physical. The deeper nervous system and spiritual work—breathwork, acupuncture and other spiritual practices- has been just as transformative. Healing my gut required creating safety in my body. Then my routine evolves around my symptoms, because food and herbs are medicine and should be used as such. Bumps on my forehead? I reach for oregano oil or pau d’arco. Slow bowel transit? I’ll add magnesium citrate, castor oil packs and acupuncture (always). Imperfect stools? L-glutamine. Stomach burning or reflux? Marshmallow root decoction, DGL powder and honestly—acupressure magnets are shockingly effective.

It’s never one-size-fits-all. I listen, I adjust. That’s functional medicine.

What advice would you give someone just starting their gut health journey?

Start slow—and don’t do it alone. Gut healing is complex and deeply personal. There are different types of dysbiosis or microbial imbalances and each one requires a unique (and always temporary) diet and supplement protocol. Without the right guidance, you can easily feel overwhelmed—or even make things worse. That’s why working with a functional practitioner is key. Also, healing can’t happen if the body doesn’t feel safe. That’s the piece most people miss. I see it all the time with the women I work with—the body can’t repair when it’s stuck in fight-or-flight.