Healing from the Inside Out:

Why Your Gut Microbiome Shapes Your Health

Brain fog. Low energy. Bloating. Constipation. Skin issues. Hormone imbalances.
What do all these have in common? More often than not, the answer starts in the gut.

On this episode of The Synergee Podcast, Kelly Engelmann and Lori Esarey sat down with Alicia Galvin, RD—clinical science liaison with Microbiome Labs and co-founder of SIBO Academy—to unpack the science of the gut microbiome and why healing your gut may be the single most important step you can take toward whole-body health.

What Exactly Is the Gut Microbiome?

Your gut microbiome is a vast ecosystem of trillions of microbes—bacteria, fungi, and viruses—living mostly in your colon. Far from being “bad germs,” these microbes:

• Help digest fiber and produce short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate)
• Train and regulate your immune system
• Support hormone balance
• Influence mood, memory, and the gut-brain axis
• Protect the integrity of the gut lining

When balanced, your microbiome is like a thriving rainforest. But when disrupted (a state called dysbiosis), it fuels inflammation, hormone imbalances, autoimmunity, and chronic disease.

Layers of Gut Protection: More Than Just “Leaky Gut”

Alicia explained that the gut lining isn’t just one layer—it’s a sophisticated barrier system:

1. The Lumen – where food and microbes interact.
2. The Mucus Layer – a sterile “no-fly zone” that separates bacteria from our immune system.
3. The Epithelial Cell Layer – only one cell thick, held together by “tight junctions.”
4. The Gut Immune System – nearly 80% of the body’s immune cells sit right under that lining.

If this barrier breaks down, bacterial fragments like lipopolysaccharides (LPS) slip into circulation. That sparks a cascade of inflammation linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, infertility, and more.

Why Functional Stool Testing Matters

A standard stool test from your doctor usually checks for infections or parasites. But a functional stool test dives much deeper:

• Who’s there? Identifies bacterial families and keystone species (like Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Bifidobacterium longum).
• How diverse? Greater microbial diversity = better resilience and healthier aging.
• What are they doing? Measures microbial activity like histamine production, vitamin synthesis, glutathione support, or ammonia overload.

Knowledge is power. Testing doesn’t just explain current symptoms—it can flag risks long before disease develops.

Building Your Microbiome from Birth

Fascinatingly, the microbiome starts forming in utero. Mom’s gut health, mode of birth (vaginal vs. C-section), breastfeeding, and early food exposure all shape a child’s microbial blueprint.

But even if your early years weren’t ideal, it’s never too late to improve. Diet, lifestyle, and targeted supplementation can help restore balance at any stage of life.

Symptoms of an Unhealthy Gut (Even Without GI Issues)

You don’t have to have digestive problems to have microbiome dysfunction. Signs can include:

• Brain fog, fatigue, or low mood
• Skin conditions like eczema
• Hormonal disorders (PCOS, endometriosis, low testosterone)
• Autoimmunity or chronic inflammation
• Cardiovascular and metabolic disease

“Health really starts in the gut. If you’re inflamed anywhere in the body, you need to investigate the microbiome.” – Alicia Galvin, RD

Probiotics: Not All Are Created Equal

Probiotics are everywhere—but buyer beware. Alicia emphasized two golden rules:

1. Strain Specificity Matters
   Just like you wouldn’t ask a Chihuahua to herd sheep, different bacterial strains have different jobs. Always check for the strain (with a number code) on the label.
2. Finished Product Research
   The most effective probiotics are those tested as complete formulations—not just assumed to work because individual strains did in a lab.

Spore-Based Probiotics: The Game Changer

Unlike traditional lactobacillus and bifidobacterium blends that may not survive stomach acid, spore-based probiotics act like “gardeners” for your gut:

• Survive digestion and germinate in the intestine
• Re-train the ecosystem by resuscitating beneficial microbes
• Support keystone species and suppress harmful overgrowth
• Create more lasting change in microbial balance

What Damages the Gut Microbiome?

• Processed foods & low fiber diets
• Excess alcohol (even moderate intake can disrupt the mucus barrier)
• Antibiotics & overuse of medications
• Food additives and emulsifiers (like carrageenan and gums)
• Chronic stress—one of the biggest disruptors of all

Spotlight on SIBO: When Bacteria Are in the Wrong Place

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when bacteria that should live in the colon overgrow in the small intestine, causing bloating, gas, and IBS-like symptoms.

Root causes include:

• Low stomach acid (often from long-term acid blockers)
• Poor bile flow (common after gallbladder removal)
• Impaired pancreatic enzyme output
• Disrupted motility (migrating motor complex)
• History of food poisoning
• Stress or immune dysfunction

Spore-based probiotics, targeted motility support (like ginger and artichoke), and careful dietary strategies can make a big difference in treatment and prevention.

Practical Steps to Nourish Your Gut

1. Eat a diversity of plants – Aim for 30+ different plant foods per week.
2. Choose probiotics wisely – Look for strain-specific, clinically tested formulas.
3. Limit alcohol and emulsifiers – Read labels carefully.
4. Manage stress daily – Meditation, deep breathing, or restorative movement.
5. Test, don’t guess – Functional stool testing provides a roadmap for healing.

Final Takeaway

Your gut isn’t just about digestion—it’s the control center for your immune system, hormones, brain, and long-term health.

The good news? With the right diet, lifestyle, and targeted supplements, you can restore balance and transform your health from the inside out.

Listen & Learn More

This blog barely scratches the surface of the rich discussion on gut health and probiotics. To hear the full interview with Alicia Galvin, RD: