Is Your Gut Screaming for Help? Here’s Why You Should Listen!

Chinese Medicine

Coeliapp is excited to welcome Dr. Fatima Al-Hudaid, Senior Chinese Medicine Practitioner, as a guest contributor on our blog! Gut health plays a crucial role in overall well-being, and in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the digestive system is seen as the foundation of vitality. In this special feature, Dr. Fatima explores how TCM approaches gut health differently from Western medicine, focusing on balance, energy flow, and holistic healing. From the role of the Spleen and Stomach in digestion to practical tips on using herbs, acupuncture, and mindful eating, discover how ancient wisdom can support your modern gut health journey.

🤔 Do you feel like food just sits in your stomach for ages after eating or bloats easily after meals?
☕ Do you have to rush to the toilet right after your morning milky coffee (e.g., latte)?
😵 Do you wake up foggy minded and moody, even after 7–8 hours of sleep?

If you answered YES to any of these, your digestion is screaming for help! And here’s why:

"The gut is not like Las Vegas—what happens in the gut does not stay in the gut."
— Dr. Alessio Fasano, author of Gluten Freedom

Your gut isn’t just dealing with your food, it’s impacting your whole body. When it’s unhappy, it spills trouble everywhere, causing inflammation, skin rashes, aches and pains, sinus issues, anxiety, depression, and more.

What Is Your Gut Telling You?

🚨 "Help! Please STOP hurting me, clean up my environment, heal and nourish me so I can do my job properly turning food and drinks into nutrients, energy, and wellness!"

This isn’t new knowledge! Even Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician and father of modern medicine, said this way back at some point in his lifetime between 460–370 BCE:

"All diseases begin in the gut."

At least, most metabolic diseases originate from the gut. 

Modern Science Is Finally Catching Up!

🔬 It wasn’t until the 1980s & 1990s that science began formalising the concept of the Gut-Brain Axis as their understanding around this topic evolved. 
🔬 From the start of the 21st century (2000s) onwards, research began and continues to explore the importance of the microbiome (beneficial gut bacteria) and its influence on overall health and well-being, both psychologically and physiologically. This confirms what I believe ancient medicine had already discovered through centuries of observation that:

A healthy gut is the foundation of overall health!

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine's (TCM) Perspective on Digestion?

The Spleen & Stomach meridians are ‘Your Body’s Kitchen’

In TCM, digestion revolves around two main meridians (pathways that carry blood, nourishing body fluids & nutrients, and life force energy aka Qi, running longitudinally along the body.): 

🔥 The Stomach meridian = Your Stovetop

It "cooks" (breaks down) food so your body can use it.

📦 The Spleen meridian = Your Sorting & Delivery Service

It extracts nutrients and delivers them where they’re needed through the circulation, much like how digestion absorbs and distributes nutrients from the small intestine with the help of bile and digestive enzymes in modern medicine. 

Chinese medicine just happens to have a unique perspective and uses a figurative language to describe these processes, creating a more holistic picture.

For optimal digestion, these two meridians must work together. If they become weak or unbalanced, issues arise, such as:

❌ Bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation
❌ Nausea, fatigue, sluggishness
❌ Skin rashes, hay fever, allergies
❌ Brain fog, mood swings

How to Support Your Digestion Starting Today!

✅ Chew Well! 🦷
Think of it like prepping ingredients before cooking—if you don’t chop them up, they take forever to cook! Chewing properly makes digestion easier. We have special enzymes in the mouth that make the digestion of food later on a lot easier.  

✅ Take 3 Deep Breaths Before Eating! 😌
This signals your body to switch from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest” mode, helping your Spleen extract nutrients efficiently.

What Weakens Digestion (and How to Avoid It!)

🚫 Irregular Eating – Skipping meals, eating late, or eating on the go confuses digestion. Tip: Eat at regular times and sit while eating.

🍟 Greasy & Fried Foods – Heavy, oily foods burden digestion Tip: Choose lighter, well-cooked meals.

🧀 Too Much Dairy – Milk, cheese, and ice cream can cause bloating and sluggish digestion. Tip: Try organic nut-based milks such as Almond milk/fermented dairy alternatives.

🍞 Gluten Sensitivity – Bread, pasta, and pastries may be hard to digest for some. Tip: Reduce gluten if you feel bloated or sluggish (avoid gluten completely if you’re diagnosed as Coeliac / Celiac or have a known gluten intolerance / sensitivity).

😟 Stress & Overthinking – Constant worry weakens digestion in TCM. Tip: Try meditation, walking, journaling, or deep breathing.

🍬 Excess Sugar – Too much sugar disrupts gut health and causes energy crashes. Tip: Choose natural sweets like berries, dates, or dark chocolate.

🚶 Lack of Movement – A sedentary lifestyle slows digestion. Tip: Walk after meals or practice some kind of exercise/movement practices that you enjoy.

🥗 Too Many Raw Foods – Raw veggies can be hard to digest in TCM. Tip: Opt for lightly cooked or warm foods.

🧊 Cold Drinks & Foods – Ice-cold drinks weaken digestion. Tip: Stick to warm or room-temperature liquids, except on very hot days.

Final Takeaway

Your gut is the key to your overall health. If you’re experiencing digestive discomfort, listen to your body! Small daily changes can make a huge difference in the long run. Want to take it a step further? On top of a healthy eating and in conjunction with other therapies that you may or may not be undergoing, Chinese herbal medicine and Acupuncture can also play an effective role in alleviating your symptoms by promoting your body's natural pathways to detox, calm inflammation down and encourage repair and healing.

How? Stay tuned for part 2. Your gut will thank you for it! 😊

Written by Dr. Fatima Al-Hudaid, Senior Chinese Medicine Practitioner.

If you’d like to connect for an online or in-person consultation, or just want to follow along, feel free to reach out to her through LinkedIn.