Why Gut Health Is the Root of Your Well-Being and My Personal Journey
- Brainz Magazine
- Sep 30
- 7 min read
Karin Nahmani is a colon hydrotherapist, entrepreneur, and gut health expert based in Los Angeles, CA. She is the creator of an award-winning one-woman show, host of a gut health podcast, founder of her own vitamin line & Candida Cleanse. Karin's mission - break the taboo of gut health and empower people to take control of their well-being.
When I first began my journey into health and wellness, I never imagined that my life, and the lives of my loved ones, would be so deeply transformed by something as simple and profound as the gut. For many people, gut health sounds like just another wellness trend. But for me, it’s personal. It’s not about fads, hype, or quick fixes. It’s about survival, healing, and creating a foundation for life.
I want to share with you not only why gut health is the cornerstone of overall well-being, but also the story of how I came to believe this with every fiber of my being. My own fertility struggles, and later, my husband’s battle with cancer, taught me that when the gut is out of balance, the body cannot thrive. And when the gut is nourished and supported, true healing is possible.
Why the gut is so much more than digestion
When people hear "gut health," they often think about digestion, bloating, constipation, or gas. And yes, those things matter. But the gut is so much more than that.
Your gut is an ecosystem. Inside it live trillions of bacteria, fungi, and microbes, collectively called your microbiome. These tiny organisms regulate everything from digestion to hormones, immunity, and even mood. When the microbiome is in balance, you feel energized, clear, and resilient. When it’s not, the body struggles.
Think of your gut as the root system of a tree. If the roots are healthy, the tree flourishes. If the roots are weak, the branches wither, no matter how much sunlight you give. Your gut is your root system.
My first wake-up call: Fertility
I didn’t come to this realization in a classroom or textbook. I learned it in the most intimate, painful way, through my own struggle to conceive.
For years, my husband and I tried to have children. Each month brought hope, then heartbreak. I was young, otherwise healthy, and doing "all the right things." And yet, my body wasn’t cooperating. Doctors offered medications, procedures, and explanations that didn’t add up. No one was asking me about my digestion, my stress levels, or my nutrition.
I started to pay attention to my own body. I noticed patterns, bloating after meals, irregular digestion, low energy, skin breakouts, and constant brain fog. At the time, I didn’t realize these were all gut-related symptoms. I thought they were just random annoyances.
Through my own research and training, I began to understand that my gut was inflamed and imbalanced. Years of stress, antibiotics, and processed foods had left my microbiome depleted. My body wasn’t absorbing nutrients properly, and my hormones were all over the place.
So I made a decision, I would heal my gut first.
I began eating clean, focusing on whole foods and probiotics. I introduced colon hydrotherapy to gently cleanse and restore my digestive system. I used supplements like digestive enzymes and magnesium to support my body’s natural processes. Slowly, the changes came. My energy returned. My skin cleared. My digestion improved. And, eventually, I conceived.
That experience changed everything for me. It showed me that gut health is not separate from fertility, hormones, or overall wellness, it’s central to it.
The gut-brain connection
Along the way, I also discovered the powerful link between the gut and the brain. Science calls it the gut-brain axis, but I like to call it the "second brain."
Have you ever felt nervous and noticed butterflies in your stomach? Or experienced stress and immediately felt digestive issues? That’s the gut and brain talking to each other. In fact, 90% of your serotonin, the neurotransmitter that stabilizes mood, is made in your gut.
When I was struggling with infertility, I wasn’t just physically drained, I was emotionally exhausted. Once I began healing my gut, I noticed something unexpected, my mood improved. The anxiety and heaviness lifted. For the first time in years, I felt hope.
That was when I realized healing the gut heals the mind, too.
My husband’s cancer journey
As if my own journey weren’t enough, life tested my belief in gut health again when my husband was diagnosed with cancer.
Cancer is a word no family ever wants to hear. It shakes you to your core. Suddenly, everything else, work, routines, even dreams, feels irrelevant. All that matters is survival.
When my husband began treatment, the doctors focused on surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. These were necessary, but they also took a massive toll on his body, especially his gut. The medications disrupted his microbiome, his appetite disappeared, and his energy plummeted.
I knew I couldn’t just stand by. I returned to the principles that had healed me, supporting his gut. Together, we rebuilt his microbiome with nourishing foods, probiotics, and gentle cleansing. We focused on hydration, fiber, and supplementation to strengthen his digestion and immune system.
Was it easy? No. Cancer is never easy. But I saw firsthand how protecting and restoring his gut helped him tolerate treatment better and recover faster. The gut became not just a side focus, but a lifeline in his healing.
What science tells us
My personal journey is powerful, but I want you to know it’s not just anecdotal. Science backs this up.
Immune system: 70% of your immune system lives in your gut.
Inflammation: Gut imbalances can lead to "leaky gut," where toxins enter the bloodstream and trigger chronic inflammation.
Hormones: Your gut regulates estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, and more.
Nutrients: Without proper gut health, your body can’t absorb vitamins and minerals, even if you’re eating healthy.
In other words, if your gut is weak, everything else in your body pays the price.
Everyday gut stressors
So why are so many people struggling today? Our modern lifestyle is tough on the gut.
Diets filled with processed foods, sugar, and artificial ingredients
Overuse of antibiotics and medications
Chronic stress and poor sleep
Environmental toxins
Lack of probiotic-rich foods
All of these chip away at the microbiome. For many people, the result is fatigue, bloating, constipation, mood swings, skin problems, and eventually more serious conditions like autoimmune disease or cancer.
How to start healing your gut
The good news is your gut is incredibly resilient. It can heal, given the right environment. Here are some of the same steps I use for myself, my family, and my clients:
Nourish with whole foods: Fill your plate with fresh vegetables, fruits, clean proteins, and healthy fats. Cut back on processed foods and sugar. Your gut bacteria thrive on fiber, think leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains.
Add probiotics and fermented foods: Foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and kefir help replenish good bacteria. A high-quality probiotic supplement can also make a huge difference.
Support digestion with enzymes: Digestive enzymes (like my NOA Digestive Enzyme blend) help your body break down and absorb nutrients more efficiently, especially if your gut is already under stress.
Hydrate and move: Water is essential for healthy digestion, and movement, like walking, yoga, or gentle exercise, keeps everything flowing.
Manage stress: Your gut feels everything your brain feels. Meditation, deep breathing, and time in nature can all help calm the gut-brain axis.
Gentle cleansing: Colon hydrotherapy, when done properly, can help reset the gut, remove toxins, and create a clean environment for healing.
My message to you
I’ve been through infertility, heartbreak, fear, and the terror of watching a loved one fight for his life. And through it all, one truth has remained, gut health is not optional, it’s foundational.
When you care for your gut, you’re not just improving digestion, you’re strengthening your immune system, balancing your hormones, protecting your mental health, and giving your body the tools it needs to heal.
If you’re struggling with fatigue, anxiety, digestive issues, or chronic illness, I want you to know there is hope. Your gut can heal. You can feel better. And it starts with small, simple steps, choosing whole foods, reducing stress, and supporting your microbiome.
My journey taught me that healing doesn’t come from one pill or one procedure. It comes from aligning the body with its natural wisdom. And that wisdom begins in the gut.
Breaking the taboo
There’s one more thing I want to share with you. For far too long, gut health has been treated like a taboo subject. People whisper about constipation, diarrhea, or colon health, if they talk about it at all. Many feel embarrassed, even ashamed, to bring up what’s happening in their own bodies.
But here’s the truth, we all have guts, and we all need to talk about them.
When I started my practice, I noticed how many clients hesitated to share their digestive struggles until they were desperate. They would suffer in silence for years, believing something was "wrong" with them, when in reality they were experiencing common signs of imbalance that could be addressed.
This silence keeps people sick. It prevents healing. It makes us feel isolated when, in fact, we’re not alone.
That’s why I’ve made it my personal mission to break this taboo. To normalize conversations about gut health. To let people know there’s no shame in talking about bloating, constipation, or colon cleansing. These aren’t dirty words, they’re part of our human experience.
When we bring gut health out of the shadows, we empower ourselves and each other. We give permission to heal. And we begin to see gut health for what it really is, the foundation of vitality, fertility, resilience, and life.
A final invitation
So take this as my heartfelt invitation, start listening to your gut. Talk about it openly. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to seek help.
Your gut is not a source of shame. It’s your body’s greatest teacher, communicator, and healer. And when you nurture it, you nurture your entire being.
For me, this isn’t just professional, it’s personal. I’ve lived it, I’ve seen it, and I believe in it with all my heart. And that’s why I will never stop reminding the world that gut health matters, and that it’s time we start talking about it, loudly, proudly.
Read more from Karin Nahmani
Karin Nahmani, Colon Hydrotherapist/ Speaker/ Entrepreneur
Karin Nahmani is a colon hydrotherapist based in Los Angeles, CA, with over two decades of experience in gut health and digestive wellness. She is the creator of the award-winning one-woman show Shit Isn't A Dirty Word-How Gut Health Made Me Who I Am, where she uses humor and personal stories to break the stigma around colon health and digestive issues. Karin also hosts a gut health podcast, sharing expert advice and candid conversations on the mind-gut connection, digestive health, and holistic wellness. In addition, Karin is a guest speaker on the connection between the gut & the subconscious mind. Karin's mission is to break the taboo around gut health and empower people to take control of their digestive health and emotional well-being.
