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You’ve cut out gluten. You’ve bought the probiotic. You’re blending the smoothies, skipping the cocktails, and still—your gut feels off. The bloat lingers. Your energy dips before noon. The brain fog, skin flare-ups, or mystery aches seem to come and go without warning.
Sound familiar?
If you’re doing all the “right” things and still not feeling better, you’re not broken—and you’re definitely not alone. According to renowned functional medicine physician and bestselling author Dr. Amy Myers, most people who are trying to heal their gut are unknowingly making a few key mistakes. And unfortunately, these mistakes are exactly what keep symptoms stuck on repeat.
Dr. Myers saw it all the time in her clinic: people who were eating clean, taking the trendy supplements, but still feeling sick. The truth? Healing your gut requires more than diet tweaks and probiotics—it requires a complete approach that addresses the root of the problem.
We’re unpacking the three most common gut-healing mistakes Dr. Myers sees—and sharing the exact tools she uses to help her patients finally feel like themselves again.
Mistake #1: Skipping the Full 4R Gut-Healing Process
Most people focus on what to remove from their diet—but forget to add in what the body actually needs to heal. Dr. Myers says this is one of the most common and damaging mistakes she sees, especially because gut healing isn’t always something you can “feel” in progress. It’s easy to assume you’re on track once you’ve cleaned up your meals, but without the right tools, the damage remains.
Healing the gut, she explains, requires addressing all four stages of her 4R approach: Remove, Replace, Reinoculate, and Repair.
Remove starts with inflammatory foods like gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol—but it also includes hidden culprits like Candida overgrowth, SIBO, and parasites. These gut infections quietly contribute to chronic inflammation and gut permeability.
In the Replace phase, Dr. Myers recommends adding Complete Enzymes to support digestion and nutrient absorption while easing the burden on the gut lining.
Next is Reinoculate, where you rebuild the microbiome using targeted, high-potency probiotics. Dr. Myers suggests her Probiotic 100 Billion for active healing and Probiotic 30 Billion as a maintenance option.
Finally, the Repair phase is where deeper healing happens. This is where Leaky Gut Revive® comes in—a powerhouse blend of L-glutamine, aloe vera, slippery elm, and marshmallow root designed to seal the gut lining, calm inflammation, and support tissue regeneration.
This comprehensive approach is the foundation of her Leaky Gut Support Protocol—a step-by-step system that makes gut healing tangible and actionable.
Mistake #2: Not Trying an Elimination Diet
Even the cleanest diet can cause issues if it includes foods your body doesn’t tolerate. Dr. Myers often encountered patients suffering from lingering symptoms—fatigue, skin flare-ups, joint pain, brain fog—because of undiagnosed food sensitivities.
An elimination diet is one of the most effective ways to uncover these triggers. By temporarily removing common irritants like gluten, dairy, soy, corn, and eggs, then systematically reintroducing them, you can pinpoint which foods are quietly sabotaging your progress.
Dr. Myers incorporates this into her Leaky Gut Support Protocol with a full 30-day meal plan designed to reset the gut, reduce inflammation, and support healing from the inside out.
For anyone who’s done “everything right” and still isn’t feeling better, this is often the missing step.
Mistake #3: Using the Wrong Probiotics—and Overdoing Fermented Foods
Probiotics have become a go-to for anyone looking to boost their gut health—but they’re not all created equal. Dr. Myers explains that many probiotics on the market are lactic acid-based, which can actually worsen symptoms for those dealing with SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) or Candida.
In these cases, even fermented foods like kombucha or sauerkraut can feed bacterial overgrowth in the wrong part of the gut, leading to more bloating, constipation, or discomfort. Instead, Dr. Myers recommends soil-based strains like those found in AMMD’s Primal Earth Probiotic. These bypass the small intestine and colonize the large intestine, where they’re most effective.
This probiotic is a core component of her SIBO Support Protocol, which also includes Microb-Clear®, Biofilm Disruptor, and a low-FODMAP meal plan to support microbial balance without triggering further irritation.
The Invisible Gut Saboteurs You Haven’t Considered
If you’ve adjusted your diet, added supplements, and still feel off, the problem may be coming from the outside in. Dr. Myers points to alcohol and environmental toxins as two of the most damaging, yet often overlooked, disruptors to gut health.
Alcohol can damage the epithelial cells lining the gut, leading to increased intestinal permeability—aka leaky gut. It also throws off microbial balance, promoting dysbiosis and inflammation.
Beyond alcohol, everyday toxins from plastics, pesticides, cookware, personal care products, and even clothing can slowly chip away at gut integrity and immune resilience. Reducing your toxic load while strengthening your gut barrier is essential to long-term healing.
Which Gut Protocol Is Right for You?
Dr. Myers created four targeted protocols designed to meet you wherever you are in your gut-healing journey:
+Leaky Gut Support Protocol – for those with food sensitivities, fatigue, and low-grade inflammation.
+Candida Support Protocol – for chronic bloating, brain fog, and yeast-related issues.
+SIBO Support Protocol – for ongoing gas, bloating, and IBS-like symptoms.
+Autoimmune Solution Protocol – for those managing autoimmune conditions who want to heal from the root.
Each one includes a full supplement stack, detailed plan, and therapeutic diet support to remove guesswork and help you make real, sustainable progress.
The Gut Reset That Changes Everything
If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “why am I still bloated even though I eat clean,” welcome—you’re in very good company. The truth is, gut healing can be confusing, overwhelming, and way more complicated than adding a few extra greens to your grain bowl. But it doesn’t have to be.
Think of this as your gut’s official clean slate. A smart, targeted, root-cause reset that takes the guesswork out of what’s really going on—and finally gives your body a chance to catch up with your good intentions.
Explore the full range of gut-healing protocols here and use code TCM20 for 20% off your first order.
Your green smoothie is great—but this is where the real transformation starts.
All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programs. This story is brought to you in partnership with AMMD. From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers
