The 5 R’s of Gut Healing: A Functional Medicine Approach to Restoring Digestive Health

Your gut is at the core of your overall well-being — it influences your energy, hormones, immune system, mood, and even skin health. But when gut balance is disrupted, symptoms can show up anywhere in the body: bloating, fatigue, food sensitivities, brain fog, or stubborn weight changes.

In functional medicine, we use a framework called the 5 R’s of gut healing to uncover and correct the root causes of digestive dysfunction. It’s a structured, step-by-step approach to restoring balance and helping your body heal from within.

1. Remove – Clearing Out the Triggers

The first step is about identifying and removing what’s harming your gut.This may include:

• Inflammatory foods (like gluten, dairy, refined sugar, or processed oils)

• Pathogens such as yeast overgrowth, parasites, or bacteria

• Environmental toxins or chronic stress that inflame the gut lining

Through personalized testing (like a GI-MAP or food sensitivity panel), we can pinpoint what needs to go — not just guess. Once these triggers are removed, your gut has space to begin healing.

2. Replace – Supporting Digestion Properly

If you’re not breaking down your food well, you’re not truly absorbing nutrients.We “replace” what’s missing:

• Digestive enzymes to help with protein, fat, and carb breakdown

• Stomach acid support (like betaine HCl) if low acid is an issue

• Bile support to improve fat digestion and detoxification

This step ensures that your body can extract the nourishment it needs from the foods you eat.

3. Reinoculate – Restoring Beneficial Bacteria

Next, we focus on rebuilding a healthy microbiome — the community of bacteria that keeps your gut ecosystem balanced.This includes:

• Probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, or kimchi

• Targeted probiotic supplements (based on your specific gut needs)

• Prebiotics like fiber, garlic, and green bananas to feed those good bacteria

Think of this as replanting your inner garden after we’ve pulled the weeds.

4. Repair – Healing the Gut Lining

Once balance is being restored, we support the gut lining so it can properly protect and absorb again.This often involves nutrients and compounds like:

• L-glutamine, zinc carnosine, and aloe vera to repair tissue

• Collagen peptides or bone broth to soothe the intestinal lining

• Anti-inflammatory nutrients like omega-3s and antioxidants

A healthy gut lining keeps out what doesn’t belong — and helps prevent “leaky gut,” where inflammation spreads beyond digestion.

5. Rebalance – Nourishing the Whole System

The gut doesn’t exist in isolation — it’s influenced by stress, sleep, movement, and mindset.The final “R” is about rebalancing your lifestyle:

• Prioritize daily stress management (meditation, journaling, or gentle walks)

• Support quality sleep for repair and hormone balance

• Incorporate whole, nutrient-dense foods regularly

• Foster mind-body connection — because your gut and brain are in constant communication

At Abundant Integrative Medicine

We don’t just suppress symptoms — we look for root causes. Using advanced testing, evidence-based protocols, and a personalized plan, we guide you through each phase of gut restoration so you can reclaim energy, reduce inflammation, and feel your best from the inside out.

✨ Ready to start your gut healing journey?Click the link in bio or book your discovery call to see if a functional gut healing plan is right for you.