Beyond Quick Weight Fixes: They Key to Gut Health

Yesterday, while riding the train with my daughter, I was struck by something that left me unsettled. Every inch of advertisement space was plastered with promotions for a one-time injection promising weight loss. In 2025, with obesity rates at epidemic levels, it’s clear that our society is still searching for quick fixes—solutions that promise results without addressing the underlying causes. But where do we really start if we want lasting change? 

Let’s talk honestly about what’s missing from this picture: the role of gut health in weight gain, overweight, and obesity. Too often, our modern world ignores this connection. Instead, we’re surrounded by messages in ads for ultra-processed foods, foods scientifically linked to chronic disease and weight gain, while education about whole foods and the power of the gut is almost nonexistent in these messages. 

How Gut Health Shapes Our Weight 

Our gut isn’t just a passive tube for digesting food. It’s a vibrant ecosystem, home to trillions of microbes that influence how we absorb nutrients, regulate hunger, store fat, and even how we feel about food. When this ecosystem is out of balance—a state called dysbiosis—it can trigger inflammation, disrupt hormones that control appetite, and make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. The reality is, the more we feed our gut with processed foods, added sugars, and low-fiber meals, the more we tip the scales toward weight gain and chronic disease. 

Why Quick Fixes Miss the Mark 

It’s tempting to believe that a single injection or pill can solve a problem as complex as obesity. But these solutions rarely address the root causes. They don’t teach us how to nourish our bodies, support our microbes, or build habits that last. Instead, they keep us on a treadmill of temporary results and recurring frustration—while the real solution sits quietly in our kitchens and on our plates. 

I meet many people, especially women over 50, who have spent years cycling through diets, exercise routines, and supplements, always searching for the magic bullet that will help them loose weight, get to what they perceive as "the perfect weight" packaged with a restored energy and vitality (I recommend you read my blog about the impact of cortisol). But what if the answer isn’t something new or trendy, but something ancient and foundational: our gut? 

As we age, our bodies change in ways that aren’t always visible. One of the most profound shifts happens in our gut microbiome—the trillions of microbes living in our digestive tract. These tiny organisms do so much more than help us digest food. They influence our immune system, our mood, our weight, and even our risk for chronic diseases. Yet, most of us grew up thinking of weight and health as something managed from the outside—medications, procedures, or the next big health trend, but there are many answers inside of our gut, our inner garden full of treasures contained in our microbiome.  

Think of your gut microbiome as a bustling city inside your digestive tract, home to trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other tiny organisms. Each resident has a job—some help break down food, others produce vitamins, and many work behind the scenes to keep your immune system strong and your mood balanced. In fact, about 70% of your immune cells actually live in your gut, so the state of your microbiome can shape how your body responds to everything from colds to chronic inflammation and yes, chronic disease. As we get older, the makeup of this inner ecosystem naturally changes. Some helpful microbes may dwindle, while others become more dominant, often influenced by things like diet, stress, medications, and even sleep. These shifts can impact how efficiently we digest food, absorb nutrients, and even how our bodies manage weight. That’s why, for many people, weight gain or stubborn pounds can sneak up with age—even if habits haven’t changed much.

A few years ago, I took a master class with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, or Dr. B as he is often referrred to, a renowned plant-based gastroenterologist, who shared that the gut is at the heart of our well-being. He explained that even going through medical school, the answer didn’t exactly come from the textbooks, but from his own struggles with burnout and poor health, despite doing “everything right” on paper. His turnaround came when he stopped looking for quick fixes and started nourishing his gut with real, whole foods. Dr. B suggests to think of your gut as a garden. If you feed it well—lots of fiber-rich, plant-based foods, and fermented goodies like sauerkraut or yogurt—you help the good microbes flourish. But if your diet is heavy on processed foods and low in fiber (which, let’s be honest, is all too common in modern diets), weeds start to take over. This imbalance, called dysbiosis, can lead to digestive issues, inflammation, and even impact our mental health. One of the sobering lessons in this class was to realize that 95% of Americans aren’t getting enough fiber, which is essential for feeding those good gut bacteria. And as Dr. Will B points out, this isn’t just about digestion—fiber helps produce short-chain fatty acids that protect against diseases like colon cancer, which is on the rise in younger generations. 

What really struck me was how many chronic conditions—autoimmune diseases, mental health issues, even certain cancers—are now being linked back to the gut. As a health coach with most clients over 50, this is especially important, as our risk for these conditions increases with age, and for some people, they began to present much earlier, they just did not make the connection.

Moving Beyond Pills: Taking Control Through Lifestyle

The best part is, it’s never too late to start making changes for your gut health. We actually have more control than we realize—our daily choices matter a lot. While medications can be helpful when needed, they don’t have to be our first or only solution. The diversity of your gut microbiome is shaped by so many lifestyle factors, especially what you eat and how you live. Filling your plate with fiber-rich plant foods and enjoying fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi can help nourish those good gut bacteria. Even how and when you eat makes a difference—practices like mindful eating, intermittent fasting, or syncing your meals with your natural circadian rhythm can all support a healthier gut. And let’s not forget about regular exercise, good sleep, managing stress, and staying connected with others—these all play a role, too. Even your environment and how often you use medications can tip the balance. What’s really encouraging is how quickly your gut can respond. The food choices you make today can start to shift your microbiome by tomorrow. Research shows that within just 24 hours of changing your diet—like adding more fiber or cutting back on processed foods—the balance of bacteria in your gut begins to adjust. So, every bite truly counts, and even small, positive changes can have a rapid impact on your gut health and overall well-being.

Have you tried fermented foods?

A spoonful of sauerkraut, a serving of miso, or a cup of kombucha can introduce beneficial microbes. . Here are some common fermented foods, I use and recommend:

Kimchi - A spicy Korean dish made from fermented vegetables (often napa cabbage and radishes) with garlic, ginger, and chili. It’s packed with probiotics, vitamins, and antioxidants. After my daughter introduced me to this staple, I loved it so much, I learned to make it myself, then sent it to my sister and now I can’t make enough for all of us.

My Kimchee & Cucumber Salad

Tempeh - A childhood favorite, this is a dense, cake-like product made from fermented soybeans. It’s a complete protein, high in B vitamins, iron, and fiber, and contains beneficial probiotics. Tempeh is versatile and can be grilled, baked, or sautéed.  I did not know that I was raised on a fermented food until I changed to a whole food plant-based lifestyle. I tell you, some of the plant-based dishes we ate back in the days, were so much healthier and full of benefits. Tempeh was one of those foods my family used a lot while growing up in Suriname, to create the most delicious dishes decorated with freshly steamed or sautéed veggies from the garden, and seasoned tempeh, with peanut sauce to add. Just delicious!

Miso - A traditional Japanese paste made from fermented soybeans, barley, or rice. Used in soups and sauces, miso is rich in probiotics, vitamins, and minerals. While in college in California, my Dad introduced me to miso soup when he first took me out to his favorite Japanese restaurant in Japan town, and I have loved it ever since. I love making miso soup, adding some kimchi to it for extra spiciness and seasoning.

Pickled Vegetables (Lacto-Fermented) - Vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, radishes, and cauliflower can be fermented in saltwater brine, creating probiotic-rich pickles (distinct from vinegar-pickled, which are not fermented). Now one thing I absolutely loved as a child, were fermented fruits and veggies. They were the ultimate snack, so to date, I often ferment some not so ripe papaya, or some pomcythere (also known as juneplum), when I can find them at the Caribbean Market. My parents often used fermented lemons or limes in many dishes they prepared.

Honoring Family Tradition with Fermented Lemons

Here is some of my fermented favs and for fun I added hibiscus to color the pomcythere, keeping it naturally, colorfully delicious. Many cultures around the world actually incorporate fermented veggies in their cuisine. When my husband and I lived in Abu Dhabi, most Middle Eastern dishes were preceded by a light appetizer of deliciously fermented pickled vegetables such as olives, carrots, cauliflower, and radish.

My Childhood Favorites, Pickled Pomcythere (Juneplum) and Papaya

Sauerkraut - Fermented cabbage, rich in probiotics, vitamin C, and fiber. Traditionally made with just cabbage and salt, it’s a staple in many European cuisines and supports digestive health. I am not so crazy about this one, I admit but I remember it on my plate as a child, living in the Netherlands, where it is very common.

Kombucha - A fermented tea beverage made with tea, sugar, and a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Kombucha is fizzy, tangy, and contains beneficial probiotics. I have had this drink and while I like it I don’t make it myself and have only tried store-bought versions. I do caution you about commercialized brands which often have more added sugars than you may need to consume and not defeat the purpose.

Sourdough Bread - Made from fermented flour and water, sourdough uses wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, making it easier to digest than conventional bread. If I eat bread, I only eat sourdough bread, because I have had some stomach issues in the past and don’t want them back. I love a good avocado or hummus toast on sourdough bread.

How about you, have you tried any of these? Join this conversation, and let’s make gut health a priority, our journey to better health truly does begin in our gut. 

Don't hesitate to contact me to discuss how you can live a more vibrant lifestyle and the many options we offer to assist you on your journey.