Nourish to Heal: Why I Don’t Believe in Long-Term Food Restrictions for Gut Health

Have you ever been handed a long list of “foods to avoid” and felt your heart sink?

No coffee.

No dairy.

No gluten.

No joy?

It’s exhausting. You’re already tired from bloating, brain fog, or unpredictable digestion — and now you're told to restrict everything that brings comfort and ease? It can feel like punishment for something you didn’t cause.

As a gut health educator and holistic practitioner, I want to tell you something that may surprise you:

I don’t believe in long-term food restriction as the answer to gut healing.

Yes — food restrictions can have a place.

There are short seasons where certain foods may need to be removed to calm inflammation, support the gut lining, or reset the microbiome. But this should never become a permanent lifestyle.

Here’s Why Restriction Isn’t the Goal:

When we restrict long-term, we risk:

• Disrupting the natural diversity of our gut bacteria

• Causing fear around food and meals

• Making it harder for the body to regulate because it's underfed and undernourished

Healing should never feel like punishment.

And deprivation is not the same as discipline.

So What Do I Teach Instead?

I teach nourishment. I teach tuning in. I teach clarity.

Inside my gut health programs, we start by gathering data — not by guessing. I use Tiny Health lab testing to uncover exactly what’s happening in your microbiome. No more blindly eliminating foods that may not be causing the problem. No more wasted months of restriction just to end up confused again.

Instead, we take a guided, sustainable approach to healing:

• Restore balance in the gut with personalized support

• Gently regulate the nervous system so your body feels safe enough to digest

• Focus on what you can eat to support gut integrity and microbial diversity

• Reintroduce foods when the time is right, without fear

This approach brings relief, peace, and long-term results. And more importantly — it brings your joy and freedom back.

You're Not Meant to Live in Fear of Food

I’ve seen women cry tears of relief when they realize they don’t have to live in restriction forever.

You are not meant to be at war with your meals. You are meant to feel nourished, supported, and informed.

That’s what I help you experience inside my gut health programs.

Ready to heal your gut without fear and restriction?

Unlock your access here to enroll in the Gut Health Reset Program and take the first step toward peace-filled, sustainable wellness.

Let’s nourish — not restrict.

With you,

MiKaylan Cushing