Glow From the Inside Out: My Happy Healthy Gut Habits
- Kelly Mulhall
- Apr 23
- 5 min read
This month we celebrate World Digestive Health Day—a perfect reminder to show your gut a little extra love. We put our digestive system through a lot every single day, but it does so much more than just breaking down your food. From helping to regulate hormones, detox toxins, support brain health and moods to your skin health. Yes, that’s right—your gut and your glow are more connected than you might think.
So, let’s look into how a happy gut supports a healthy you, what signs to watch for when things aren’t running smoothly (literally!), and five simple daily habits to give your digestive system the love it deserves.
The Gut-Skin Connection: Why Glowing Skin Starts in Your Gut
Ever heard the phrase “beauty starts from within”? When it comes to gut health, it couldn’t be more accurate. Your digestive system is responsible for absorbing essential nutrients, and the ones that help create glowy skin are mostly absorbed in the large intestine (sometimes called colon or bowels). Zinc, omega-3s, and vitamins A, C, D, and E are all crucial for healthy, clear, and glowing skin, but can only be absorbed when your gut is functioning correctly.
Additionally, when your gut is balanced, it reduces inflammation throughout the entire body, including your skin! When your gut is functioning well it’s able to properly detox, which helps to keep your skin calm and hydrated. But when your microbiome (the trillions of bacteria that live in your gut) is out of balance—normally due to poor diet, stress, or antibiotics—it can show up on your face in the form of breakouts, redness, dullness, or even flare-ups of eczema and rosacea.
So, if your skin is acting up, it’s worth checking in with your gut health first before piling on more skincare products.
Hydration: The Underrated Hero of Gut Health
You’ve probably heard this before, but it’s an adage that’s so true - hydration is everything. Water plays a major role in keeping your digestive system running smoothly. It helps ensure cells can absorb nutrients, and move waste out of your body by keeping stools soft. Not drinking enough can lead to constipation, bloating, and that sluggish “ugh” feeling. It will also leave you with dry, flaky skin, likely headaches and brain fog.
Beyond plain water, you can boost your hydration by adding fruits to flavour your water like cucumber, watermelon, strawberries, and oranges or natural electrolytes like a rock of himalayan sea salt or liquid electrolytes. Herbal teas (like peppermint or ginger) can also soothe the digestive tract while keeping you hydrated. You can also give celery juice a go - it’s super hydrating and great for your skin.
Aim for at least 1.5 litres of water a day, ideally 2 litres —and more if you’re exercising or in a hot climate, and remember that coffee, soft drinks and alcohol don’t count as they’re diuretics.
Is Your Gut Trying to Tell You Something?
Sometimes your body sends little (or not-so-little) signs that your gut might be struggling, but every day I see clients who ignore these signs every day, sometimes for years! Your body is SO amazing at letting you know when something is wrong so please never ignore them! Here are a few common digestive concerns and the symptoms that go along with them:
1. Leaky Gut
When the lining of your intestines becomes more permeable than it should be, toxins and undigested food particles can “leak” into the bloodstream. This can cause:
Bloating and gas
Fatigue
Food sensitivities
Brain fog
Skin issues like rashes or acne
2. IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
A common condition that affects the entire digestive system from the stomach all the way to the large intestine, IBS symptoms often include:
Abdominal pain or cramping
Bloating and excess gas
Diarrhoea, constipation, or a mix of both
Reflux, indigestion and feelings of fullness
3. Histamine Intolerance
Your body naturally produces and processes histamine, but if that process isn’t working properly, you may experience:
Headaches or migraines
Hives or itchy skin
Flushing
Digestive discomfort after eating fermented or aged foods
Anxiety or trouble sleeping
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, it’s worth talking to a healthcare provider or functional nutritionist to get a proper assessment as long term these conditions can become chronic!
5 Simple Habits for a Healthier, Happier Gut
The good news? You don’t have to completely overhaul your life to support better digestion. Try incorporating these five easy habits into your daily routine:
1. Start Your Day with Water: Kickstart your digestion and metabolism first thing by starting with a drink of water when you wake up. It’ll help flush out toxins from overnight and replenish water lost during sleep.
2. Get More Fibre: Fibre feeds your beneficial gut bacteria and keeps waste moving through your intestines. It also helps you to feel full so will help to avoid overeating. Aim to include a variety of plant foods like leafy greens, lentils, oats, flaxseeds, and berries. Soups and stews are a great way to incorporate loads of fibre, like this one. Ideally aiming for 20-30 varieties of plants (and herbs) a week.
3. Chew Slowly and Mindfully: Digestion actually begins visually, with your brain seeing the food and sending a signal to the stomach to produce stomach acid and digestive juices. Once in the mouth, chewing further signals your stomach to switch on and then as food moves through the small intestine it produce enzymes to break down food more effectively.
4. Add in Fermented Foods: Probiotic-rich foods like yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha help restore a healthy gut microbiome. Start small and rotate a few different options throughout the week, however if you experience any discomfort give these foods a break until you can speak to a nutritional therapist.
5. Move Your Body Daily: Gentle movement—even a 10-minute walk—helps stimulate digestion, reduce bloating, and improve regularity. It will also help balance blood sugar after a big meal and stop you feeling so lethargic.
Let Your Gut Be Your Guide
Our digestive health plays such a central role in how we feel day to day. When your gut is supported, you’re more likely to feel energised, think clearly, sleep better, and yes—even have that natural glow! So take a moment to check in with your body and see if a few small, consistent habits can lead to big changes in how your gut (and skin!) improve.
As always, if you have been suffering with IBS or any abnormal digestive issues for more than a few months, I would highly recommend you book a call with one of our gut specialists to help you understand what could be going on. Left untreated long term, gut issues and IBS can lead to food intolerances, fatigue, sickness and even auto immune conditions. It's best to get things sorted asap!
Kelly Mulhall
Registered Nutritional Therapist, Health Coach, Master SIBO Practitioner
Kelly is a Registered Nutritional Therapist who focuses on positive physical and mental wellbeing, achieved through diet, lifestyle, sleep and exercise. Having struggled for years with IBS and hormonal imbalance, and increasingly frustrated with the lack of support and helpful advice from her GP, Kelly began her own journey of healing the body from the inside out. After seeing huge improvements she quit her job to study nutrition and focus on harnessing the healing powers of food to help other people in similar situations.
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