I can’t remember what came first: the gut issues or the way I started restricting food to manage them.


But I do know this: I had constipation for as long as I can remember. Even back in high school, I dreaded going out with friends because I never knew when the bloating would hit. Eventually, I discovered that if I delayed eating, I could sometimes delay the symptoms- and that became my first coping mechanism.


What started as symptom management slowly turned into chronic restriction. Not because I wanted to be thin- but because I wanted to feel comfortable in my body. I wanted predictability. Control. Relief.



But restriction spiralled into disconnection.


Food became the enemy.


My symptoms got worse, not better. And through most of my 20s, I battled an eating disorder- often invisible, but always present.


The cruel irony? I was constantly trying to "heal" my gut. I followed advice from influencers, wellness blogs, and yes- even later the teachings from Naturopathic Medical school.


Everywhere I turned I was told:

  • Gluten is bad.
  • Dairy is bad.
  • Sugar is bad.
  • Intermittent fasting is the key.
  • Detoxes are necessary.
  • You need to cleanse.
  • Try keto, paleo, carnivore- anything but what you're currently eating.


Each message fed my fears and deepened the spiral. And while these tactics were wrapped in the language of "healing", they only ever offered short-term relief- if any at all.


Meanwhile, the deeper issue remained: my system didn’t feel safe.

And the more I tried to control my gut with restriction, the more stuck it became.


Eventually, I hit a breaking point. Not just as a patient- but as a doctor (2 years into my practise as an ND).
I realized that if I was still unwell, despite doing everything “right,” something had to change.

And if so many of my patients were stuck too, maybe we needed a new framework altogether.


So I questioned everything I had learned.


I returned to the evidence. I let go of food fear. I rebuilt trust with my body. And I started learning about the system (gut-brain-microbiota)- not just its parts.


That’s when everything changed.


It didn’t happen all at once. But the more I learned- about the gut-brain connection, about the physiology of motility, about how restriction sabotages rhythm- the more things started making sense. My symptoms weren’t just random. They were responding to a system that was dysregulated, restricted, and constantly on high alert.


And the same was true for my patients. No amount of food elimination, gut protocols, or micromanagement was working long-term- because we were trying to treat the symptoms, not support the system.


That’s when I started doing things differently. For myself, and in practice (learn more about the approach I use now in practise with my patients: The Gut Rhythm Method)


When Wellness Becomes a Disguise for Disorder


We live in a culture where restriction is praised and discipline is glorified- especially when it comes to food. For those of us with chronic gut issues, this can blur the lines between what's genuinely healing and what's quietly harming. What starts as a sincere attempt to “eat clean” or “reduce inflammation” can easily slip into patterns that disrupt the very system we’re trying to fix.




That’s why understanding this pattern- and recognizing when wellness turns into a mask for disordered eating- is so important.



And here's the truth you probably need to hear: 


🌱 So much of what’s sold as “gut healing” is actually disordered eating- normalized, polished, and wrapped in "wellness" buzzwords.

It promises healing- but ends up deepening fear, disconnection, and dysfunction.


🌱 Disordered eating (and sometimes even eating disorders) is rampant among people with chronic gut symptoms- not always because of a desire to be thin, but because of a desire to feel safe.

Sometimes it starts with body image. Sometimes it starts with symptoms. But it almost always becomes about control, predictability, and chasing ease in a body that feels anything but.


🌱 The more you restrict, the more foods you fear, the more you micromanage your day to avoid symptoms- the more disconnected and dysregulated your gut becomes.

You end up chasing your tail (more restriction leads to more gut symptoms, and more gut symptoms lead to more restriction), backed into a corner- exhausted, anxious, and still not better.


🌀 Because the body you’re trying to “fix” doesn’t need more rules- it needs rhythm, nourishment, and a regulated system.
Healing doesn’t come from more control. It comes from consistency, safety, and supporting the gut-brain-microbiota network with routines that actually work.



Signs Your "Gut Healing" Habits Might Be Holding You Back


This quick checklist is designed to help you spot the subtle ways that restriction, food fear, and over-control might actually be keeping your gut symptoms stuck. It’s not about shame- it’s about awareness. Because when you can name the patterns, you can start shifting them.


❑ You delay or skip meals to avoid symptoms


❑ You feel anxious eating in front of others or before plans

❑ You’ve cut out multiple foods or food groups just to manage symptoms

❑ You feel guilty or panicked after eating certain foods

❑ You’re afraid to eat unless you're near a bathroom or home

❑ You believe that finding the "perfect" diet will solve your problem; you've done almost every elimination diet out there (paleo, keto, etc) 

❑ You feel like you’re doing “everything right” but still not getting better


Why Your 'Healing Habits' Might Be Keeping You Stuck



You might’ve checked off several boxes above- and you’re not alone. Most of the women I work with have done everything "right"- followed all the gut healing advice, cut out all the foods, tried all the protocols- and still feel bloated, constipated, and stuck.


That’s not a failure.


It’s a reflection of how much we’ve been misled by polished wellness narratives, social media advice, and well-meaning but misguided Googling- all of which overlook the complexity of the gut-brain-microbiota network and the toll that restriction truly takes.


So what gives? How can something that feels so 'healthy'- so praised- actually be making things worse?


Let’s Break It Down- Clinically


When your body is stuck in a state of survival- skipping meals, undernourished, constantly on alert- your gut feels it first.


Here’s what happens physiologically when disordered eating habits take over:


🔹 Delayed or skipped meals blunt your gastrocolic reflex. This reflex- which helps trigger a bowel movement after eating- needs consistent stimulation to stay strong. When you delay meals (especially breakfast since your strongest reflex happens in the morning) or fast often, you suppress the very signals that help keep you regular.


🔹 Your nervous system stays in fight-or-flight. Restriction, food fear, and hypervigilance keep your body on high alert. In this state, digestion is deprioritized- motility slows down, bloating worsens, and your gut-brain communication becomes dysregulated.


🔹 Undereating is a common- and underrecognized- contributor to constipation. If you're not eating enough calories, chances are you're also not getting enough fibre. But it goes deeper than that. When your body is under-fueled, everything slows down- including your gut. Motility is energy-dependent, and chronic undernourishment signals your body to conserve resources, reducing the natural reflexes and muscle contractions needed for regular bowel movements.


🔹 Your microbiota diversity declines. Dietary variety is essential for a resilient gut microbiome. Long-term restriction, including removing whole food groups, often starves certain populations of beneficial bacteria and can also increase sensitivity to normal foods, reinforcing the cycle of food fear and symptoms.


🔹 Pelvic floor dysfunction worsens. Chronic straining, withholding, and poor coordination with the breath and abdominal muscles- all of which can worsen with anxious toileting habits- can disrupt normal elimination and contribute to feelings of incomplete evacuation.


So while it might feel like restriction is giving you control — physiologically, it’s creating more dysfunction.


And emotionally? It’s exhausting.


The rigidity. The anxiety. The constant second-guessing. It slowly erodes your quality of life. Food becomes fear. Your body becomes the enemy. And healing feels further away than ever.


But it doesn’t have to stay that way.


If any of this feels familiar, I want you to know:You are not alone. You are not failing. And you can find relief- without restriction.


I see this all the time in practice. And I’ve been there too.


You can rebuild trust with your body.You can learn how to support your gut in a way that actually works.You can feel light, regular, confident, and grounded again- not because you micromanaged your way there, but because you created a system of support that works with your body, not against it.


An Important Note on Eating Disorders


Disordered eating exists on a spectrum. And for some, it crosses the line into a full-blown eating disorder- even when it's masked as “healthy habits.”


If you're struggling with obsessive food thoughts, severe restriction, compensatory behaviours, or feel out of control around eating- please know this:


👉 Eating disorders are serious medical conditions. And they must be treated ideally before, or at least alongside, any treatment for chronic gut symptoms. Because the eating disorder itself will continue to worsen gut function and delay recovery if left unaddressed.


You deserve proper care, support, and treatment.

To learn more or find help, visit: nedic.ca- a trusted Canadian resource for eating disorder information and support.


Ready for a Personalized Approach That Actually Works?


If you're done with one-size-fits-all protocols, food fear, and short-term fixes- my 1:1 work may be the next step for you.


Inside my Gut Rhythm Method™, we look at the whole picture. Together, we:

  • Clarify your constipation subtype- so you finally understand why your gut behaves the way it does
  • Reset with strategic tools- including short-term laxative use if needed to clear the backup and create space
  • Rebuild gut rhythms- using strategic routines, meal timing, nervous system cues, and reflex training
  • Reinforce daily routines- that create consistency and calm in your gut-brain communication
  • Reintroduce the right kind of fibre and food freedom- so your gut gets what it needs without restriction


This is a personalized, science-backed method for lasting relief- rooted in strategy, not guesswork.


And it’s designed to support the system, not just chase symptoms.


✨ If this sounds like what you've been missing, you can book a FREE Gut Clarity Call to learn more about working together.


You don’t have to keep doing this alone.


Let’s rebuild a gut that works with you- not against you.


💛Dr. Rachael Lovink, ND