The Gut Health and Mental Health Connection: How to Boost Your Overall Well-Being Without Micromanaging Your Gut Microbiome

Thrive • November 24, 2021

By Thrive Sacramento’s Registered Dietitian Supervisor Kailey Cunningham, MS, RDN, CD

WHAT IS GUT HEALTH?

While the term “gut” can refer to many parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) system, “gut health” refers specifically to the balance of bacteria in the large intestine. To be considered healthy, the large intestine should include a balance of both “good” and “bad” bacteria — also known as gut flora. The “good” bacteria feed on fiber while the “bad” bacteria feed on simple sugars, producing vital compounds like vitamin K and biotin. These compounds are absorbed into the bloodstream directly from the large intestine. Without a healthy balance of bacteria in the large intestine, the production of these vital compounds can be compromised and the entire body can consequently suffer. Achieving a healthy balance of gut flora begins with nourishing your body adequately and consistently with a wide array of foods.

EATING DISORDERS AND GUT HEALTH

Typically, individuals dealing with eating disorders don’t fuel their bodies adequately or consistently. They also tend to limit the variety of foods in their diet. As a result, they don’t have the necessary balance of gut flora. Without both “good” and “bad” bacteria, their bodies can’t function properly.

People experiencing eating disorders often have GI issues such as:

Gastric reflux (heartburn)
Bloating
Nausea
Constipation
Diarrhea
Cramping
Early satiety (feeling full fast)
Abdominal pain or discomfort
Slow gastric motility (slow movement of food through the digestive system)

Eating Disorders and Slowed Enzyme Production

One effect of an imbalance in gut flora is slowed enzyme production. Specific enzymes are involved in breaking down foods. If an individual isn’t eating the foods that require those enzymes for digestion, the body slows down the production of that enzyme.

For example, people who typically avoid eating dairy products may experience an upset stomach when they do eat dairy products – not because they are lactose intolerant, but because they lack the necessary enzyme to break down the sugar in dairy products.

Slowed enzyme production is especially prevalent in individuals struggling with eating disorders. When a person is struggling with an eating disorder, they are typically undernourished. Without the fuel necessary for proper functioning, their body preserves as much energy as possible. One way the body conserves energy is by slowing its enzyme production, which can contribute to the GI issues listed above.

Dangerous Clinical Misconceptions Around Eating Disorders and Gut Health

Often, clinicians who lack experience treating clients with eating disorders refer these clients to gastroenterologists, who specialize in treating digestive conditions, or naturopaths, who rely on natural remedies to support the body’s healing. Many times, these specialists place individuals with eating disorders on elimination diets, intending to discover the food that is causing their digestive problems. Unfortunately, elimination diets risk worsening the person’s eating disorder behavior, imbalance of gut flora, and digestive issues.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GUT HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH

In recent years, researchers have discovered more connections between gut health and mental health. As Harvard Health Publishing put it, “The gut-brain connection is no joke; it can link anxiety to stomach problems and vice versa.”

We as humans seem to be intuitively aware that our mental-emotional state can impact our GI system. For example, we describe feelings of excitement and anxiety as butterflies in our tummy, anger and fear as knots in our stomach, and intense situations as gut-wrenching experiences.

On a more technical level, our gut and brain are constantly communicating through a variety of bodily processes. The enteric nervous system (ENS) of our gut is interconnected with our central nervous system (CNS), so the gut and brain are able to use intricate neural pathways to send messages to each other. Additionally, the gut and brain use hormones and the immune system to communicate with each other.

Because of this intertwining relationship between the gut and brain, if your digestive system isn’t functioning properly, your mental health can also suffer, causing conditions like depression and hopelessness to manifest or worsen. Alternatively, if someone is anxious about eating, an upset stomach can result from the anxiety, not the food.

HOW TO PRACTICE GOOD GUT HEALTH

While societal messaging has made practicing gut health seem complex, time-consuming, and even invasive, you can promote a healthy gut by embracing three simple principles.

The three basic principles of practicing good gut health are:

Eat enough food.
Eat consistently.
Include a wide variety of foods from different food groups in your diet.

Balance Your Diet With Prebiotics and Probiotics

When diversifying your diet, try to incorporate foods that contain natural sources of prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics and probiotics are compounds in foods that promote a balance of “good” and “bad” gut bacteria.

Prebiotics induce the growth of bacteria. These compounds are found in fiber-rich foods such as:

Fruits
Vegetables
Whole grains
Legumes

Probiotics are bacteria found in fermented foods, including:

Yogurt
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Sourdough bread
Some kinds of cheeses (including swiss, provolone, Gouda, cheddar, Gruyère, and cottage cheese)

Don’t Be Enticed by Gut Health Fads

As collective interest in gut health has heightened in recent years, misleading claims about ways to care for your GI system have also risen in prevalence. Be wary of gut health fads, such as:

Overpriced prebiotic and probiotic supplements.
Home testing kits to evaluate your gut flora.
Detox kits claiming to “reset” or “cleanse” your microbiome.
“Gut health hacks” that encourage you to avoid many foods.
Harmful practices such as fasting with the intention of “allowing your gut time to rest.”

Opt For Intuitive Eating To Promote a Healthy Gut

Instead of being tempted to engage in trends claiming to boost your gut health (most of which are propagated by the diet industry), stay true to the three principles above. As you practice eating a variety of foods that fuel your body adequately and consistently, be mindful of the food combinations that make your body feel best and adjust your diet accordingly.

“Honor your health [with] gentle nutrition” is the tenth principle of intuitive eating as set forth by IntuitiveEating.org . In other words, you do not need to micromanage your microbiome. As you become more adept at interpreting your body’s internal cues, you will likely notice that you’re drawn to foods that support flourishing and balanced gut health.

NUTRITIONAL GUIDANCE AND EATING DISORDER TREATMENT AT THRIVE

Thrive’s team of nutritionists, therapists, psychiatrists, and primary care specialists are well-versed in nourishing the body and mind. In addition to outpatient therapy , Thrive offers nutritional guidance and eating disorder treatment . Reach out to us to learn more.

About the Author

Thrive Sacramento’s Registered Dietitian Supervisor Kailey Cunningham, MS, RDN, CD

Kailey Cunningham, MS, RDN, CD, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who obtained a Master’s of Dietetics degree from the University of Kentucky after completing both her undergraduate studies in dietetics and accredited dietetic internship at the same university.

She has been a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist since February of 2013 and has been working in the eating disorder field since 2015. Kailey has experience treating clients at many levels of care, from partial hospitalization programming to outpatient, with a variety of diagnoses including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID and OSFED.

She began working at The Emily Program in Lacey, Washington for three years where she acted as the full-time programming dietitian. While in this position, she worked directly with a lead therapist to develop an adolescent treatment track implementing elements of Family-Based Treatment and gaining invaluable experience working with adolescents and their parents. She then worked at Center for Discovery in Tacoma, Washington while building her nutrition counseling private practice. She began her successful practice in April of 2018 and moved it with her from Olympia, Washington to Rocklin, California in October 2020. Kailey is excited to now be a part of the Sacramento Thrive Wellness team providing support for adult and adolescent clients in intensive outpatient and outpatient levels of care.

Kailey’s primary motivator and true passion is supporting others on their journey to a more peaceful and balanced relationship with food and their bodies. Through individualized nutrition counseling and education, she helps those struggling with eating disorder behaviors, body image issues, food aversion and health anxieties find what is right for them while leaving diet culture behind.

The post The Gut Health and Mental Health Connection: How to Boost Your Overall Well-Being Without Micromanaging Your Gut Microbiome first appeared on Thrive Wellness.

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When Mealtimes Become Battlegrounds: How ARFID Impacts Families

August 21, 2025

When Emma was 8, her parents noticed her food choices shrinking. At first, they assumed it was just picky eating — “She’ll outgrow it,” friends said. But by 10, Emma would only eat crackers, cheese, and chicken nuggets. Family dinners became nightly struggles, her growth slowed, and she skipped birthday parties to avoid “strange food.” Her parents felt powerless, her brother grew frustrated, and outings dwindled. What began as food avoidance soon reshaped the rhythm of the entire household. When children avoid food, most parents expect it’s a passing stage. But when restriction deepens, shrinks to only a few “safe foods,” and begins affecting growth or health, families suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar territory. This is often where Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) emerges — with effects that extend far beyond the plate. As providers, we need to be attuned to these patterns. It’s tempting to dismiss them as “no big deal,” yet for many families, they are life-altering. Sadly, Emma’s story is not unusual. Mealtimes as Battlegrounds Families living with ARFID often describe mealtimes as emotionally charged, exhausting, and unpredictable. What should be a chance to connect around the table can feel more like a negotiation or even a standoff. Parents wrestle with whether to push their child to try a new food or give in to the same “safe foods” again and again to avoid tears, gagging, or complete meltdowns. This ongoing tension can make mealtimes dreaded rather than cherished. Siblings, too, are affected. Some may feel resentful when family meals are limited to what only one child will tolerate. Others may act out in response to the constant attention the child with ARFID receives. Over time, the dinner table shifts from a place of nourishment and bonding into a stage for conflict, anxiety, and guilt — a pattern that can erode family cohesion and resilience. Social Isolation and Missed Experiences ARFID impacts more than what happens at home; it influences how families engage with the world around them. Everyday events — birthday parties, school lunches, vacations, even extended family dinners — become sources of stress. Parents may pack special foods to avoid confrontation or, in many cases, decline invitations altogether to protect their child from embarrassment or overwhelm. This avoidance can lead to an unintended consequence: isolation. Families miss out on milestones, friendships, and traditions because of the unpredictability surrounding food. The child may feel left out or ashamed, while parents grieve the loss of “normal” family experiences. This social withdrawal can compound the anxiety already present in ARFID and deepen its impact across generations. Emotional Toll on Parents The emotional strain on parents navigating ARFID is significant. Many describe living in a constant state of worry — Will my child get enough nutrients? Will they ever grow out of this? Am I doing something wrong? This worry often spirals into guilt and self-blame, particularly when outside voices dismiss the disorder as mere “picky eating.” In addition, the pressure to “fix” mealtimes can strain marital relationships, creating disagreements over discipline, feeding strategies, or medical decisions. Parents may also feel emotionally depleted, pouring all their energy into managing one child’s needs while inadvertently neglecting themselves or their other children. Without support, this chronic stress can lead to burnout, depression, and disconnection within the family system. The Role of Providers For clinicians, ARFID must be viewed not only as an individual diagnosis but as a family-wide challenge. Effective care requires attention to both the clinical symptoms and the family dynamics that shape recovery. Parent Support: Educating caregivers that ARFID is not their fault, offering psychoeducation, and helping them reframe mealtime struggles as part of the disorder — not a parenting failure. Family-Based Interventions: Coaching families in structured meal support, communication strategies, and gradual exposure work so parents don’t feel powerless. Holistic Care: Involving therapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, and medical providers ensures that the family does not shoulder the weight of treatment alone. When families are validated, supported, and given practical tools, the entire household can begin to heal. Treatment is not only about expanding a child’s food repertoire but also about restoring peace, resilience, and connection at home. Moving Forward ARFID may begin with one individual, but its ripple effects are felt across the entire family system. By addressing both the psychological and relational dimensions, providers can help transform mealtimes from a source of conflict into an opportunity for healing and connection. For those who want to go deeper, we invite you to join our upcoming training on ARFID , where we will explore practical strategies for supporting both clients and their families.

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Is It OCD or an Eating Disorder? What Parents Need to Know

July 17, 2025

As a parent, noticing alarming behaviors around food or routines in your child can raise some important questions. You might be asking yourself, “Is this an eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or something else entirely?” Understanding the signs and differences between these disorders is key to getting your child effective, timely treatment. In this blog, we’ll break down the overlap between OCD and eating disorders, what signs to watch for, and how to get professional help. If you're a parent wondering “Is my child’s eating disorder actually OCD?” or “OCD vs eating disorder in teens,” know that you’re not alone and you’re in the right place to find specialized care for your child. What Is OCD? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where unwanted thoughts (obsessions) cause anxiety, leading to repetitive behaviors (compulsions) intended to ease that anxiety. OCD can be focused on any subject. Common obsessions include contamination, perfectionism, scrupulosity, and harm, but sometimes, the content of obsessions can be focused on food, body image, or weight. What Is an Eating Disorder? Eating disorders , like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) involve disturbed eating behaviors and intense concerns about body weight or shape. These conditions go beyond dieting or “picky eating” and can become life-threatening without professional intervention. The Overlap: Why It Can Be Confusing OCD and eating disorders often share similar symptoms : Ritualistic eating (e.g., needing to eat foods in a certain order or at a certain time) Rigid rules about food (like only eating certain food groups or certain amounts of food) Excessive checking (like weighing food or body or repeated checking of expiration dates or thorough cooking) Avoidance behaviors ( like avoiding carbs, fats, or other food groups or avoiding places or objects that can trigger obsessions) Distress when routines are disrupted (either around mealtimes or exercise routines) So, How Can You Tell the Difference? Use the following chart to compare and contrast symptoms of OCD and eating disorders.