5 Mistakes That Keep Your Gut Symptoms Going

28 Apr

By Joana Amram — Registered Nutritional Therapist (ANP/APENB), CNM London
Gut health, IBS & SIBO · Lisbon & online · joana-amram.com

You're doing everything "right." You've cut out foods, bought the supplements, followed the protocols. And your gut still isn't better. Here's the thing: it's usually not a lack of effort. It's a handful of well-intentioned mistakes that quietly keep symptoms going. These are the five I see most.

Mistake 1: Chasing symptoms instead of the cause

The most common one. Something for the bloating, something for the reflux, something for the constipation — each treated separately. But these are usually branches of the same root. Manage them one by one and you stay busy without getting better. Finding the shared driver is what changes things. (This is the whole problem with the IBS label.)

Mistake 2: Endless restriction

Cutting out gluten, then dairy, then FODMAPs, then nightshades — the list grows and the diet shrinks, but symptoms persist. Reacting to many foods is usually a sign of an underlying issue, not the cause itself. Restriction can calm things short-term, but a forever-shrinking diet isn't a solution — and can cause its own problems.

Mistake 3: Taking the wrong supplements (or too many)

A drawer full of gut supplements, taken hopefully, often without knowing what you're actually addressing. Some can even make things worse — generic probiotics with an overgrowth, for example. More isn't better; targeted is better, and that requires knowing the cause first.

Mistake 4: Ignoring stress and the nervous system

You can eat a perfect diet and still struggle if you're living in "fight or flight." Your gut digests, moves, and repairs best in a calm state. Skipping the nervous-system piece is one of the most overlooked reasons protocols stall.

Mistake 5: Giving up too soon (or expecting a quick fix)

Gut issues that built up over years rarely resolve in a week. People often abandon an approach right before it would have worked, or jump between protocols so fast nothing gets a fair chance. Real change is usually gradual — and consistency matters more than intensity.

The thread running through all five

Every one of these comes back to the same thing: working on the surface instead of the cause. The shift that changes everything is moving from "manage the symptom" to "find and address the driver" — tailored to you, alongside your doctor.

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This article is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always work with your doctor for diagnosis and before making changes to your care.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn't my gut getting better even though I'm trying hard?
Often it's not effort but approach — chasing symptoms, over-restricting, taking the wrong supplements, ignoring stress, or expecting a quick fix. Addressing the underlying driver is what shifts things.

Are elimination diets bad?
They can be useful short-term diagnostic tools, but a continuously shrinking diet isn't a solution and can cause its own issues. Reacting to many foods is usually a sign of an underlying cause.

How long does it take to see real change?
It varies, but gut issues that built up over years rarely resolve in days. Consistency over time usually matters more than intensity.

Can I work with you online if I'm not in Lisbon?
Yes. I support clients online in English, Portuguese, Spanish and French, as well as in person in Lisbon and Estoril.