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The topic of gut healing scabs vs scars might not make sense, but stick with me a minute. It’s going to make perfect sense.

If you read the latest favorites edition, you saw I’ve been listening to a lot of Amy Porterfield podcasts lately.

Anyways, in her latest episode, she talks about 5 lessons she learned with providing value online for her audience.

Lesson number 3 was scars vs scabs. 

The entire time she was talking, I was literally over here all…..yes, yes, and more yes!

The concept around scabs vs scars, while it is gross, has everything to do with A Gutsy Girl…..and you.

Scabs

A scab is a sore which bleeds, then “crusts” over as part of the healing phase. If the wound was bad enough, the scab will eventually heal.

But when it heals, it will become a scar. 

IF, however, you keep picking at the scab, it will continue to bleed, then scab.

The cycle repeats until you allow the wound to fully heal without interruption. 

Scars

A scar is a permanent mark on the body. It results from a deeper wound.

You can’t pick a scar to make it bleed. Sometimes, if you pick scabs for far too long, they ultimately end up being scars. 

Regardless, a scar is what you’re left with.

It’s the permanent marking from damage that was done; not currently being done.

Gut Healing Scabs vs Scars

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With only a couple weeks left in the year, I can proudly and confidently tell you that I went a full calendar year (2019) with my gut functioning at 100%.

During this past year I didn’t see my integrative practitioner once nor did I ever have the need to be in a GI’s office.

More on this whole process and major milestone will be shared before the end of the year on A Gutsy Girl. That’s not what this post is about, but it plays into it.

I have sat back to watch the gut health and gut healing community during 2019 from a very different lens than ever before.

Prior to 2019, I was sharing (mostly) a journey.

Yes, I brought you along with on my gut-healing journey. Wait, it was a gut healing, regression, healing…..journey.

Two steps forward; one step backwards.

Gut Healing Scabs

And as I continued sharing that, the cycle was merely bringing you into the gut healing scabs.

Gross. Yes, I know. 

But we stayed there for a very long time. 

1. Here’s how to heal…..
2. Shoot, relapse.
3. I’m healed.
4. Ugh, not feeling well again.
5. Now, this is what I’m going to do.

The cycle looked like that. 

And there is, without-a-doubt, value in that for you.

In that scenario you saw me as a “real” person who deals with the same exact things you do.

But there is also a huge problem with that, that I could only see during this past year.

Gut Healing Scars

For most of my 10-year journey I kept picking those scabs.

And there was the reason for that cycle mentioned above. 

You might not have seen them as scabs, but they were. 

I have watched all the Instagram “gut healing experts” tell you how you’ll heal by following them. And by doing things like:

• No greens. Ever.
• Don’t consumer fiber. Ever.
• Keto cures.
• Celery juice is the only way.
• Carbs are evil.
• Eating meat makes you sick.
• Etc.

Literally, the list could go on for days.

But here’s the TRUTH that no one else will tell you —-

MANY of them are still sharing their scabs; not scars. They are not healed. Every third day they are bloated, running to the bathroom 10+ times a day and/or hospitalized.

Eyes Open

And for them, guess what I think and feel?! 100% EMPATHY. Seriously. No one should have to live sharing scabs forever. 

But in this scabs vs scars scenario, those of you who are desperate to heal and following their every detailed advice are probably getting nowhere.

Again, I could only see this once I finally moved to the scars phase.

Everything I now research, teach, and preach comes from a journey I was on. It comes from living through and understanding the differences between gut health and gut healing.

I refuse to make you afraid of every last thing.

Because it DOES NOT WORK.

Let me repeat. 

Being afraid of everything on your gut-healing journey does not work.

Can it work for a week or two? Yes, absolutely. Maybe even necessary.

But for the long term? No way.

I want this article to inspire you to keep working on you, for you, and in alignment with you.

Please stop confusing the advice from those with scabs vs those with scars. 

I’m looking forward to helping you actually heal.

You will heal. I will help.

p.s. If someone is constantly advocating for no greens, believe me when I say – that’s a true sign they are NOT healed.

Updated in 2025 to add: I’m STILL functioning at 100%. And so I wrote a book + produced courses these past few years to help you do the same!

Check them out HERE.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

1. Best Books for Healing: Elephant (Analogy) in the Room
2. Gut Health is the New Diet Fad {Episode 41, AGG Bites #2}
3. Gut Healing: ELEVATED

Xox,
SKH