The Truth About Processed Foods and Your Gut Health

If you're dealing with bloating, fatigue, or digestive issues, one of the first questions I ask my clients is: "How much processed food are you eating?"

I ask because I lived it myself.

Growing up, we did a lot of home cooking in my family. But like many households, there were still processed foods that seemed totally normal—packaged snacks, processed luncheon meats, the occasional frozen meal. Nothing felt extreme or unhealthy at the time.

It wasn't until my teens and twenties that processed foods became a bigger part of my diet. Between school, work, and a busy lifestyle, fast food and convenience foods were just... easier. I wasn't thinking about how it might be affecting my body—I was just trying to get through the day.

For over 12 years, I dealt with chronic fatigue, constant digestive issues, and multiple allergies that controlled my daily life. I was breaking out in hives, dealing with rashes, struggling with sinus issues—and on acid reflux medication just to function. Doctors ran tests, found nothing "wrong," and told me I'd need to stay on medication for life and get allergy injections.

I refused to accept that.

When I finally started investigating what was actually happening in my body, one of the biggest connections I made was between the processed foods I was eating and how terrible I felt. I wasn't making "bad" choices—I genuinely didn't understand that those convenient meals were creating inflammation, disrupting my gut microbiome, and sabotaging my health.

In this video, I'm sharing my honest, no-holds-barred perspective on why processed foods can wreak havoc on your gut health—and what you can do instead.