Start Here: The First 10 Gut-Healing Foods I Recommend to New Clients

GUT-HEALING FOODS

6 min read/ 1060 words

Want to improve your digestion, reduce bloating, and balance your hormones naturally? Start with these 10 gut-healing foods I recommend to every client—and learn how to add them into your routine without overhauling your life.

When someone tells me they want to fix their gut, boost their energy, or stop feeling like a bloated mess… these are the foods we start with.

But I didn’t always do it this way.

Back when I first started coaching, I thought I had to change everything for my clients to see results. I’d hand them a totally new meal plan, a list of foods to avoid, and a whole bunch of “healthy” rules. And guess what? It didn’t work.

Not because they didn’t care. Not because they weren’t trying. But because they were overwhelmed, frustrated, and honestly… kinda miserable.

That’s when it hit me: the solution wasn’t cutting everything out—it was adding the right foods in.

Once we started building their meals around gut-friendly, hormone-supporting, anti-inflammatory foods they actually liked… that’s when things clicked. More energy. Better digestion. Less bloating. And zero food-related meltdowns.

So if you’re ready to feel better but don’t want to completely overhaul your life, start here.

These are the first 10 foods I recommend to every client. If you’re new here, check us out on TikTok! Give us a follow so you don’t miss a thing 🙂

Why These Foods?

These aren’t magic seeds or trendy superfoods, although some of them are pretty amazing. These are real, everyday gut-healing foods that help your body work with you—not against you.

Let’s break it down:

Anti-inflammatory means these foods help reduce the internal stress your body deals with daily. Inflammation can be triggered by processed foods, stress, poor sleep, or even just living in go-go-go mode. When that inflammation builds up, it can cause all kinds of issues—bloating, brain fog, low energy, achy joints, and even hormone problems.

Anti-inflammatory foods help put out the fire instead of adding fuel to it.

Gut-friendly means they’re foods your digestive system can actually handle. These foods support your gut lining (aka the barrier between your body and the outside world), promote regular bowel movements, and feed the good bacteria in your microbiome—the little ecosystem living inside your belly that affects everything from your mood to your immune system.

A happy gut = a happy you.

Hormone-balancing might sound fancy, but here’s what it really means: your hormones need certain nutrients and fats to do their job properly. When your gut is inflamed or your diet is missing the right building blocks, your hormones can spiral—hello mood swings, fatigue, and unpredictable cycles.

These foods help give your body what it needs to support hormone production and regulation naturally.

Oh, and none of these require a trip to a specialty store or a second mortgage. They’re easy to find, easy to prep, and easy to enjoy. We’re talking grocery-store-real-life food—not weird powders or expensive nonsense.

Most of these foods are also part of my full 115 Gut, Hormone & Inflammation-Fighting Foods List, which you can grab here for free if you want the whole list.

The First 10 Gut-Healing Foods I Recommend (And Why)

Before you start overhauling your entire pantry, let’s keep it simple.

These are the top 10 gut-healing foods I give to every client who’s ready to start feeling better without making things complicated. These foods are nourishing, easy to work into everyday meals, and—best of all—they actually help your body start to heal.

1. Blueberries — Packed with antioxidants and polyphenols; support gut bacteria and reduce inflammation.
2. Chia Seeds — Fiber-rich, great for digestion and blood sugar regulation.
3. Avocados — Healthy fats that support hormone production and keep you full.
4. Bone Broth — Supports gut lining and provides collagen + minerals.
5. Wild-Caught Salmon — Omega-3s galore, great for calming inflammation.
6. Sweet Potatoes — Gentle on digestion, rich in fiber, and loaded with vitamins.
7. Zucchini — Non-bloating veggie that’s easy on the gut.
8. Coconut Yogurt (unsweetened) — A dairy-free, probiotic-rich option. If you’re not sensitive to dairy, substitute unsweetened Greek yogurt.
9. Pumpkin Seeds — Full of magnesium and zinc, support gut + hormone balance.
10. Fermented Veggies (like sauerkraut) — Natural probiotics to support healthy digestion.

How to Start Adding These Into Your Week

Let’s keep this real.

You don’t need to eat all 10 of these foods every single day to see results. Gut health isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency, simplicity, and giving your body what it actually needs.

Here’s how I coach my clients to get started:

• Pick 2–3 of these foods you already like. Don’t force yourself to eat salmon if the smell makes you gag. Start with what feels doable.
• Add one into breakfast. Blueberries in oatmeal. Chia seeds in a smoothie. Coconut yogurt with some granola. Boom.
• Sneak one into lunch or dinner. Toss roasted sweet potato into a salad. Add zucchini to a stir fry. Sip on bone broth while you cook.
• Use snacks to your advantage. A handful of pumpkin seeds or a spoonful of coconut yogurt can go a long way.

The trick is to think addition, not restriction. You’re not giving everything up—you’re just slowly adding in the good stuff that makes your gut (and energy, and mood) say THANK YOU.

Don’t stress if you forget or miss a day. This isn’t a Whole30 situation—it’s your life. Start small, build on it, and watch what happens.

Conclusion

You don’t have to flip your entire routine upside down or become a totally different person to support your gut and hormones. Sometimes, it’s the small, consistent changes—like adding in just a few of these gut-healing foods each week—that make the biggest difference.

The best part?

Once you feel that first shift—maybe it’s less bloating, more energy, clearer thinking—you’ll know you’re on the right track. And it only gets better from there.

So start small. Pick one or two of these foods and add them in this week.

Keep it simple. Keep it doable.

And if you want more support?