Your immune system + gut = inseparable

Did you know that around 70% of your immune system lives in your gut?

Yep. Your gut isn’t just about digesting food — it’s your first line of defence against viruses, pathogens, and unwanted invaders. So when your body detects a virus (like the cold or flu), your immune system launches into full-blown warfare — and your gut becomes collateral damage.

This immune response can trigger:

• Increased gut permeability (aka leaky gut)
• Inflammation of the gut lining
• Changes to gut motility (hello, loose stools or constipation)
• Disruption to the microbiome (your healthy gut bugs can suffer)

Which means that even if your gut was mostly settled before, your symptoms can flare hard when you’re under the weather.

The gut-brain-immune triangle

When you're sick, your nervous system goes on high alert too — especially if you're anxious about symptoms or already run down. That activates your HPA axis (the stress response system), and cortisol levels rise.

This can:

• Slow down digestion
• Reduce enzyme output
• Change stomach acid levels
• Disrupt the migrating motor complex (MMC), which keeps things moving

All of which worsens symptoms like bloating, reflux, nausea, or bowel irregularities.

So now, you're not only sick — you're inflamed, stressed, and bloated too. A trifecta of gut chaos.

Why does being cold make things worse?

Feeling cold can constrict blood vessels — including those around your digestive tract — and slow down circulation. Less blood flow = slower digestion = more symptoms.

Also, people tend to eat different foods when they’re sick or cold — more refined carbs, fewer fresh foods, not enough water. And that change can throw off your gut rhythm, especially if your microbiome is already struggling.

Key signs your gut is flaring while you're sick

Here’s what you might notice:

• Loose stools or diarrhoea
• Constipation or incomplete bowel movements
• Increased bloating or gas
• Stomach cramps, nausea or reflux
• Increased sensitivity to food triggers
• Fatigue after eating (especially carbs)

It’s not just the virus — it’s the immune stress + food changes + hydration shifts + nervous system overload.

So… what can you actually do?

This isn’t about going gluten-free for a week and praying. It’s about supporting your body where it needs it most — nutritionally, emotionally, and immunologically.

Here’s your gut-first sick day strategy:

1. Focus on gut-easy foods

When you’re unwell, digestion slows. The goal isn’t to eat “more” — it’s to eat in a way that your body can actually handle.

✅ Choose:

• Cooked, warm meals (soups, stews, pureed veg, congee, oats)
• Simple proteins (poached chicken, white fish, bone broth)
• Soothing herbs (ginger, fennel, turmeric if tolerated)
• Soft-cooked veg or low-FODMAP blends if you’re prone to flares
• Small, regular meals (don’t overload your system)

⛔ Avoid:

• Raw, fibrous veg (like salad or raw onion)
• Spicy, acidic, or high-fat meals
• Excess caffeine (it’ll worsen dehydration + inflammation)
• Ultra-processed snacks (they confuse your immune system)

Your gut is inflamed — give it a break with gentle nourishment that’s easy to absorb.

2. Prioritise hydration (with electrolytes)

This part gets overlooked so often.

When you're sick, you:

• Breathe more through your mouth
• Sweat (even if you don’t notice it)
• Often eat less = less water from food
• And you might be losing fluids through the gut (loose stools)

So your hydration needs go up — but you’re often drinking less.

Here’s how to stay on top:

• Aim for 2.5–3L of fluids/day, more if you're sweating
• Use electrolytes (like LMNT, Elete or coconut water + a pinch of salt)
• Sip warm fluids — herbal teas (peppermint, chamomile), bone broth, warm water with fennel

Don’t wait until you feel thirsty — by then, your gut is already drying out, slowing down, or reacting.

3. Support your nervous system

If you’re anxious, tired, or overwhelmed — it’ll show up in your gut.

So during colds, flus, or viruses, add in:

• Breathwork before meals
• Short naps and rest without guilt
• Journaling, tapping, or vagus nerve stimulation
• Warming rituals (heat packs, warm baths, herbal compresses)

When the nervous system calms down, digestion follows.

4. Rebuild with the right support

After a bug, your gut bugs take a hit. So it’s worth gently reintroducing the good guys.

• Use a targeted probiotic once symptoms settle — like Symprove (your code: KLKNUTRITION50)
• Reintroduce prebiotic foods slowly (e.g. stewed apple, oats, squash)
• Consider L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, or marshmallow root if gut lining needs repair

If symptoms persist longer than a week, you might need deeper support — that’s where personalised coaching like the Mindful Gut Healing Method comes in.

The takeaway...

When you’re sick, your gut is already working overtime. So if symptoms spike — that’s not a failure. It’s information. Your body is communicating that it needs a little extra support.

The goal isn’t perfection — it’s tuning in, gently adapting, and giving your body what it’s actually asking for.