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I started this feature last year when I posted the top 11 ways I continued healing in 2017. Today I’m honing in on the gut with my top 9 ways I continued healing my gut in 2018.

The first thing I must say before sharing this list is that there is not one thing that has advanced my healing, and, in fact, I’m not sure I believe we ever fully heal.

I know that’s debatable, but whenever you have any severe and chronic illness, healing 100%, forever and ever is not very likely. 

If you listen to any huge functional doctor speak, most of them will tell their stories; they entered the medical world after getting extremely sick and having Western medicine fail them.

And if you continue following them, you’ll see they “relapse” or have something happen from time-to-time. 

When I say, “continued healing my gut,” what I mean is that for 95% of the time I feel great.

I can attribute that to these 9 things below.

Top 9 Ways I Continued Healing My Gut in 2018

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1] Dysbiocide

There are certain supplements I take on a daily (very religious) basis like HCl, digestive enzymes, Vitamin A, and Tummy Soothe (especially now during cold and flu season).

But of all the supplements I took this past year, Dysbiocide might be the favorite newcomer to the party.

Only, I don’t take it daily.

I’ve taken it two times now; both times it worked like a charm.

Learn more about Dysbiocide.

2] Less Workouts

I have worked out way less this past year than many years in the past, and September (up until now) I really stepped back to just rest.

But the thing is that I never planned it to be this way. It sort of just happened.

I got tired of my stomach hurting after super hard workouts, so I stopped doing them.

If a workout aggravated me too much, I’d take a couple days off and then return with light workouts.

Sure, I’ve lost muscle – I weigh less, with more body fat – but here’s the thing…..even when I want to care, I really don’t care.

Why? Because at this point in my life literally nothing matters as much as feeling well – especially not some intense workout…..for what?!

3] Colonoscopy and Endoscopy

Doing this again was something that needed to be done for quite some time.

I had the procedures done in July.

In the end, it was found that I am about as healthy as they come (small and large intestine-wise, with the scope lens).

But more important than that is the fact that I got to say, “Goodbye, Colitis.”

And when I got to say goodbye to Colitis, something else happened….

4] Positive Declarations

I began saying positive declarations like,

I am healed. There is no Colitis. The SIBO no longer exists. It’s all gone.

Along with it, I let go of underlying commitments.

You think this one is just some woo-woo, but I promise it’s not.

It was important enough to make this list.

5] Dealt with the hard things

The mind and gut are very real.

I am living proof of it; you just don’t see it because I haven’t disclosed it all yet.

2018 was the first year I ever truly began to dig and dive for all those hard things.

How could I retrain my mind in order to help heal my gut?

The fire was lit in May, but the work didn’t begin until about September.

This journey has been probably the best, most healing thing I could have taken on in 2018.

But truth be told, if you would have told and asked me, “Listen, this is going to happen in May….it’s going to get worse and then it will get better. So do you want to do it in the name of healing?” I would have probably said, “I’m not sure sure.”

It hasn’t been fun – dieting without FODMAPs was so much easier.

But that’s the point. You can’t diet harder; another major lesson learned in 2018.

6] Stayed on the LDN path

I thought I’d wean off of LDN (low dose naltrexone) this year, but it never happened.

I began LDN for autoimmune Colitis. Then I found out “I didn’t have”no more Colitis.’

But even still, as LDN acts as a prokinetic, I believe it’s still doing wonders for my motility to keep the SIBO at bay.

I do still want to be off it for good; I’m just not ready yet.

7] Intermittent fasting + general meal spacing

I practiced a lot of sane intermittent fasting and general meal spacing, but I believe it works for me because of the sane emphasis.

When I state that I don’t believe IF is for everyone, I always get the nasty messages that I’m spreading false information. But I’m not.

For one, there is no one thing for everyone, and two, top doctors do caution against long periods of IF and meal spacing for those with any type of low-thyroid, adrenal fatigue, and/or hormonal issues.

And **hi** that’s me; that’s also many of you.

Yet still, I have found a ton of benefits by practicing it in a way that works for me.

8] Support

We moved back to Minnesota to kickoff 2018.

I immediately had a sense of family and community again.

I was breathing easier and happier all around.

That, coupled with the huge growth of the Gutsy Instagram community, and I feel very supported and sound on a daily basis.

There are people everywhere now…..online and offline who get me 24/7.

This is critical for healing. 

9] ‘Creations’ vs ‘Recipes’

I finally figured out how to feed myself based off of what my body thrives from.

In this way, I started adopting ‘Creations’ vs all-out recipes because then I could add or subtract ingredients as needed and/or desired.

Updated in 2025 to add: I now share these Creations (100+ of them) via A Gutsy Girl’s Bible: a 21-day approach to healing the gut.

Other – Heading into 2019

There are so many other small things I do on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis that have added up and contributed to my overall gut health and general health in 2018. 

Today I stand by, whole-heartedly:

• supplements
• appropriate medications
• skincare and makeup
• bone broth
• mental health
• Intestinal Movement when needed
• personal care products
• LIVING LIFE

I am so excited to see how I learn, grow, and heal even more in 2019.

More important than that is how I’ll be able to share the journey with you and as much information possible to help you stand firmly and give your own list of the top ways you healed your gut!

Xox,
SKH