🏰 I think of your intestines as a castle wall. The gut lining is the wall, the tight junctions are the mortar, and your gut microbes are the security team standing in front of it. When the security team is compromised, holes appear. Endotoxins, undigested food and bacteria leak into your bloodstream, your immune system goes into attack mode, and inflammation rises. That's an important periodic response, but if your gut wall stays leaky, the inflammation can become chronic.
💊 Some pharmaceuticals can influence your gut health: proton pump inhibitors (reflux), metformin (type 2 diabetes), some SSRIs (depression), ACE inhibitors (cardiovascular health), laxatives, and even paracetamol.
🤔 So what if you take pharmaceuticals daily?
None of this is a reason to stop taking the medications you need, but it is a reason to evaluate your gut health proactively.
🩺 Noticed more gut issues (bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, reflux, pain)? Review your medications' known side effects and take your questions to your doctor. There may be gentler alternatives, or the dose could be adjusted.
🌾 Increase your fibre. Guidelines suggest 30 g a day; many gut researchers now say aim for 40–50 g. Build up gradually — your microbiome needs time to adapt.
🥬 Add fermented foods like unpasteurised sauerkraut. They seed your gut with new species.
🦠 On antibiotics? Take probiotics before, during and after the course, a few hours after each dose.
🥗 What 40 g actually looks like
🍲 Cup of lentils 15 g · 🌱 2 tbsp chia 10 g · 🥑 Avocado 10 g · 🫘 Cup of chickpeas 12 g · 🍓 Cup of raspberries 8 g · 🍞 2 slices wholegrain bread 6 g · 🍐 Pear with skin 6 g · 🥦 Cup of broccoli 5 g
🌱 Your gut is a dynamic environment, constantly in flux. Food, exercise, sleep, stress and the pharmaceuticals you take all influence it. The good news? Small steps daily shift your gut health over time.