Feel Better from the Inside Out: The Gut-First Guide to Everyday Wellbeing

Registered Dietitian Jo Travers shares a simple 7-day reset to help support gut health, mood, immunity, energy, skin and hormonal comfort this Love Your Gut Week (14^th-20^th September 2026)

Many of us have days when our gut just isn’t feeling right and that in turn can impact on our wellbeing. But the good news is that supporting gut health doesn’t have to mean a complete lifestyle overhaul, or that you must do everything at once – a mistake many people often make! As Jo Travers, Registered Dietitian for Love Your Gut, explains:

“Good health often begins with the gut, with small, repeatable choices that support the microbiome and help your body feel more balanced day to day. Because the gut communicates with different parts of the body through what are often described as ‘gut axes’ – including the gut-brain, gut-immune, gut-skin, gut-metabolic and gut-hormone – it can play a role in areas such as energy, immunity, mood, skin and hormonal balance.”

This simple 7-day gut-first guide from Jo, for Love Your Gut Week, provides one practical step to try each day. From easy fibre swaps and enjoying colourful plant foods, to hydration, movement, sleep and stress support, this plan is designed to help people support their gut from the inside out.

Day 1: Make one simple fibre swap

Fibre (both soluble and insoluble[1]) is one of the most important nutrients for gut health, yet many adults don’t get enough. It helps support regular digestion and provides fuel for beneficial bacteria in the gut. The key is to build your fibre content in the diet gradually, rather than trying to change everything at once. Not only can it be unsustainable long-term but it can cause unwelcome side effects if overwhelming the gut with too much fibre suddenly.

Gut-axis focus: This supports the gut-metabolic axis by helping meals feel more satisfying and supporting steadier energy through the day.
Jo’s tip: Swap out fish or meat for lentils when cooking a curry, to add fibre to meals you already enjoy. Or instead of white rice, swap it for brown rice, quinoa or another similar wholegrain. As well as swaps, additions can be a great way to boost your fibre intake also. Try adding chickpeas to a salad or topping yoghurt with nuts and berries. Gut-friendly eating should fit into real life.

Day 2: Add colour to your plate

Different gut bacteria thrive on different types of colourful plant foods, which is why variety matters, including making sure you ‘eat the rainbow’ – which isn’t just a catchy saying, but holds a lot of nutritional truth too![2]

Vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, pulses, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices all count towards plant diversity and adding more colour is one of the simplest ways to make meals more gut-friendly. Aiming to include three colours per meal (spinach, peppers, carrots etc) not only packs your diet with diversity, but also makes food more appealing, which is important because healthy habits need to be enjoyable if they are going to last.

Gut-axis focus: This supports the gut-skin axis by providing a varied, nutrient-rich diet that contributes to overall wellbeing from the inside out.
Jo’s tip: Add a selection of berries or sliced banana to breakfast, use herbs and spices when cooking or even try adding different coloured vegetable varieties (such as peppers) to dishes, because they have different nutritional benefits. Also, remember you can use frozen and tinned options, as well as fresh. Frozen berries, tinned beans, sweetcorn, chopped tomatoes and mixed vegetables can all make it easier to add variety and colour, without the extra effort.

Day 3: Hydrate before you caffeinate

Hydration is often overlooked when people think about gut health, but fluids play an important role in digestion and help fibre do its job properly. If “you increase fibre but do not drink enough, your gut may not feel as comfortable as you hoped. Hydration is a simple habit that supports digestion and everyday wellbeing.”

Gut-axis focus: This supports the gut-metabolic and gut-skin axes by helping digestion feel more comfortable and supporting healthy-looking skin.
Jo’s tip: Start the day with a glass of water (infused with cucumber or mint if preferred) before your morning tea or coffee. Try keeping a bottle of water on your desk as a visual reminder or pair every higher-fibre meal or snack with a drink.

Day 4: Move your body for your gut

Exercise, even a gentle short walk after a meal can support the transit of food through the digestive system and help keep the bowels working well. It also supports mood, energy and stress management, making it a helpful habit across several gut-axis links.

Gut-axis focus: This supports the gut-brain axis by helping with stress and mood, while also supporting digestive rhythm.
Jo’s tip: If you aren’t a gym bunny or used to doing regular sport, start with a 10-minute walk after lunch to support digestion or why not try balancing on one leg the next time you’re waiting for the kettle to boil!

Day 5: Get to know the role your gut plays in the immune system

The gut plays a central role in the immune system, with a large proportion of the body’s immune cells located in the gut.

The gut microbiome also helps “train” the immune system, supporting how it responds to potential threats while staying balanced. Looking after your gut is therefore one way to support how your immune system functions day to day.

Gut-axis focus: This supports the gut-immune axis by helping the body’s natural defence processes through consistent, everyday habits.
Jo’s tip: Focus on consistency rather than quick fixes (or look beyond your plate). Aim to get outside for daylight each day and take a daily vitamin D supplement during autumn/winter in UK and Ireland because the sun’s rays are not strong enough for your body to make it naturally.

Day 6: Give your gut a calmer evening

A calmer evening and a regular wind-down routine can support both the gut and the mind because the gut and brain are closely connected, which is why stress, poor sleep and irregular routines can all affect digestion. Poor sleep can also disrupt the microbiome. Many people notice gut changes during busy or anxious periods, from bloating and discomfort to changes in appetite or bowel habits.

Gut-axis focus: This supports the gut-brain axis and hormone axis by helping with stress, mood and sleep.
Jo’s tip: Add one calming cue, such as making a warm drink or preparing breakfast for the next day, and try to switch off screens well before bedtime, as blue light can make it harder for the body to wind down. A simple breathing exercise or the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method[3] if your mind feels busy can help too.

Day 7: Find your gut-friendly rhythm

A healthy gut is not built in a day. The aim of a 7-day reset is help you identify which habits feel helpful and realistic enough to continue and build on. For some people, that might be adding oats to breakfast. For others, it might be walking after a meal, adding a probiotic to your daily routine, getting to bed earlier, or adding more beans and vegetables to family meals. The best gut habits are the ones you can keep doing, so focus on the small habits that fit your life and make you feel good.

Gut-axis focus: This supports all five gut axes – brain, immune, skin, metabolic and hormone – by creating a consistent foundation for everyday wellbeing.
Jo’s tip: Your gut is personal because your gut microbiome is as unique as a fingerprint. What works for one person may not work for another, so listen to your body.

The gut-first shopping list

To make the 7-day reset easier, Jo recommends keeping a few simple gut-friendly staples on hand:

Oats or wholegrain cereal
Wholegrain bread, pasta or rice
Tinned beans, lentils or chickpeas
Frozen fruit and vegetables
Nuts and seeds
Live yoghurt, probiotics or fermented foods
Herbs and spices
Different coloured fresh fruit and vegetables (with the skin on where possible for added fibre!)
Reusable water bottle or herbal teas for hydration

“Convenience matters,” says Jo. “Gut-friendly eating is much easier when you have simple ingredients ready to go. Tinned, frozen and store-cupboard foods can be just as helpful as fresh ingredients when life is busy.”

The most common gut reset mistake

According to Jo, the biggest mistake people make when trying to support their gut is doing too much too quickly.

“It is understandable to want quick results, but the gut generally prefers consistency,” says Jo. “Going from a low-fibre diet to a very high-fibre diet overnight can cause discomfort. Start gradually, drink enough fluids and give your body time to adapt.”

She adds: “A reset should feel supportive, not punishing. It is not about cutting everything out – it is about building more of the habits that help your gut and wider wellbeing.”

“Good health often begins with the gut – and small, repeatable choices can make a real difference. These choices can support the microbiome and helps

your body feel more balanced day to day. Whether your focus is energy, immunity, mood, skin or hormonal comfort, the gut is a great place to start.”

[1] https://loveyourgut.com/all-entries/whats-the-fuss-about-fibre/

[2] https://loveyourgut.com/all-entries/eat-the-rainbow-paint-your-plate/

[3] https://www.lpft.nhs.uk/young-people/lincolnshire/about-us/whats-new/grounding-activity