The Journal
Gut health, explained without the jargon.
Short, honest reads on how digestion actually works, what the research says, and what you can do about it.
Featured
Meet the trillions of microbes that call you home
Your gut hosts a vast community of bacteria that helps digest food, train your immune system, and produce compounds your body can't make on its own.
November 2025 · 6 min read
Trending now
Why you bloat, and what's actually going on
That post-meal balloon feeling usually comes down to gas produced when food ferments in the gut faster than it can move through.
January 2026 · 5 min read
Signs of an unhealthy gut, and what they mean
Bloating, fatigue, irregularity, cravings: the everyday signals that your gut may be out of balance, and the ones worth taking to a doctor.
December 2025 · 6 min read
The best time to take a probiotic
Morning or night, with food or without: what actually matters for a probiotic, and what matters far less than the internet claims.
April 2026 · 5 min read
All articles
Meet the trillions of microbes that call you home
Your gut hosts a vast community of bacteria that helps digest food, train your immune system, and produce compounds your body can't make on its own.
November 2025 · 6 min read
Why you bloat, and what's actually going on
That post-meal balloon feeling usually comes down to gas produced when food ferments in the gut faster than it can move through.
January 2026 · 5 min read
Digestive enzymes: the workforce behind every meal
Enzymes are the proteins that break your food into absorbable pieces. When they fall behind, digestion gets uncomfortable.
March 2026 · 5 min read
Apple cider vinegar, minus the wince
ACV has real research behind it, but drinking it straight is rough on your teeth and throat. Capsules keep the acetic acid, skip the burn.
October 2025 · 6 min read
Free toolPrebiotic fiber: what it is and how much you need
Probiotics get the headlines, but prebiotic fiber does the quiet work. What it is, why it matters, and a free calculator for how much you actually need.
December 2025 · 6 min read
Fermented foods and your daily routine
Yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut: cultures worldwide figured out fermentation long before anyone could see a microbe.
February 2026 · 6 min read
Signs of an unhealthy gut, and what they mean
Bloating, fatigue, irregularity, cravings: the everyday signals that your gut may be out of balance, and the ones worth taking to a doctor.
December 2025 · 6 min read
Free toolPrebiotics vs probiotics: the difference, explained
One is live bacteria, the other is the fiber that feeds them. Here is what each does, why you want both, and how to tell them apart on a label.
September 2025 · 5 min read
The best time to take a probiotic
Morning or night, with food or without: what actually matters for a probiotic, and what matters far less than the internet claims.
April 2026 · 5 min read
How long does it take to improve gut health?
Your microbiome starts shifting within days, but real, lasting change is a matter of consistent weeks to months. Here is the honest timeline.
August 2025 · 6 min read
Bloating vs belly fat: how to tell the difference
Bloat comes and goes with meals and eases overnight. Belly fat is constant. Here is how to tell which one you are dealing with, and what helps.
July 2025 · 5 min read
Leaky gut: what the evidence actually says
Your gut lining is meant to be selectively permeable. 'Leaky gut' is a real area of research, but the science is younger and messier than the internet suggests.
September 2025 · 6 min read
Should you take probiotics with antibiotics?
Antibiotics clear helpful bacteria along with the target. Probiotics can lower the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, with one important caveat about timing.
October 2025 · 6 min read
Free toolPsyllium husk: benefits and how to take it
Psyllium is a gel-forming soluble fiber that helps regularity in both directions and feeds your gut bacteria. The trick is taking it with enough water.
November 2025 · 5 min read
Bromelain and papain: the enzymes in pineapple and papaya
The reason fresh pineapple stings your tongue and tenderizes meat is bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme. Papaya has its own version, papain. Here is what they do.
December 2025 · 5 min read
CFU count: does a bigger number mean a better probiotic?
CFU tells you how many live bacteria are in a dose, but a bigger number is not automatically better. Strain, survival, and matching the research matter more.
January 2026 · 5 min read
How to read a supplement label
The most important information on a supplement is on the back. Here is how to read a label, spot proprietary-blend games, and tell transparency from marketing.
February 2026 · 5 min read
Free toolInulin: the prebiotic in chicory root
Inulin is a prebiotic fiber that your gut bacteria love. It comes from chicory root and everyday vegetables, and it is one of the best-studied ways to feed your microbiome.
March 2026 · 5 min read
A morning gut routine that actually helps
Your gut runs on a daily clock, so a consistent morning anchor pays off. Here is a simple, evidence-aligned routine, minus the wellness theater.
April 2026 · 5 min read
Period bloating: why it happens and how to ease it
That puffy, heavy feeling before your period is mostly water retention and slower digestion driven by the hormone shift, and it eases as your period goes on.
July 2026 · 5 min read
Why you bloat after eating carbs and bread
Bread and other carbs bloat you when carbohydrates your small intestine cannot fully absorb reach the colon, where bacteria ferment them into gas.
July 2026 · 6 min read
What causes bloating in women over 40
After 40, bloating usually comes from several changes stacking up at once: shifting hormones, slightly slower digestion, new food sensitivities, and a changing gut microbiome.
July 2026 · 6 min read
The gut check
Nerdy, honest gut-health reads in your inbox.
New articles, plainly explained and backed by the research. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Put what you learned into practice.
Formulations built around the same science you just read about.
Shop Stillbelly