I went on a gut healing journey and in just one year my gut was healed after adding only two ingredients to my diet.
I say a year, but really, I was already seeing results within just a few weeks. However, long-term healing was closer to a year. No more running to the bathroom immediately after having a cup of coffee, I can enjoy a road trip, or shopping without being worried about feeling the urge to go.
Homemade Milk Kefir and Slippery Elm Bark
Milk Kefir is one of the most powerful probiotic drinks you can have. It can contain 60+ different strains and over 100 billion colonies per cup. That’s more than any other probiotic drink, supplement, or food on the market.
Homemade Milk Kefir is what I used. Store-bought Milk Kefir is so heavily regulated and doesn’t have as many probiotics. However, it is so easy to make. All you need are some Milk Kefir grains (I ordered mine from Yeemos cultures website) and some whole milk. You could also use other types of milk that come from animals, but nut milk will not work.
Slippery elm bark is one of the best herbs for healing the digestive tract. Slippery elm is a powerful demulcent, which means its key property is its mucilage content. The mucilage will form a protective layer in your digestive tract. Slippery Elm Bark is the ingredient you need to actually heal the gut lining.
They Work Synergestically To Support Gut Health
If your gut lining is in poor shape, then no amount of probiotics is going to be fully effective. If your gut is filled with bad bacteria, then it doesn’t matter if your gut lining is perfect because it won’t be able to function properly. Milk Kefir rebuilds and diversifies the gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria and yeast. Slippery Elm supports, soothes, and protects the gut lining. Together, they help to rebalance the microbiome while also supporting the integrity of the gut lining, promoting more complete gut healing from the inside out.
How to use them both daily
I used these ingredients typically in a daily smoothie. If I had opted for something else, I would add the slippery elm bark to my coffee. With milk kefir, I would sometimes make other things with it, like kefir cheese, a kefir Popsicle, or a 2nd ferment with fruit added.
Important: If you decide to start with these ingredients, start small. Milk kefir is a probiotic, so you need to start off with a teaspoon if you haven’t introduced probiotics to your gut. At max, start with 1/4 cup, but I would still suggest starting with a teaspoon and working your way up.
Slippery Elm Bark becomes gel-like when introduced to liquid. You can use this ingredient in drinks or even add it to some honey or peanut butter. You only need a tiny amount, 1/4 tsp will do just fine.
A Quick Note If You Have SIBO
If you’ve been diagnosed with SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), you may need to go extra slow with milk kefir. I also suggest consulting your physician before introducing kefir.
Since kefir is very high in probiotics, some people with SIBO can experience bloating or discomfort when introducing it.
If that’s you:
- Start with a teaspoon amount, or even half a teaspoon
- Pay attention to how your body responds
- Or consider waiting until your symptoms are more stable
Slippery elm bark, on the other hand, is typically much gentler and may still be helpful for soothing the gut.
Final Thoughts: A Simple, Natural Approach to Gut Healing
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for gut health, but this combination is:
- Natural
- Affordable
- Easy to implement
- Backed by emerging research on probiotics and herbal gut support
If you’re struggling with digestive issues, this might be worth trying. Just remember to go slow and stay consistent. Results won’t be overnight, just like the gut didn’t decline overnight. However, results can be seen slowly over a few weeks. In just a few months, you might notice your body can handle a cup of coffee. Within a year, you might notice most symptoms of a bad gut have all but vanished.
Disclaimer: This is my personal experience, not medical advice, everyone’s gut is different. Speak to a medical professional before making dietary changes.
Let me know in the comments if you try this or have tried this. If you have been successful with healing the gut in an alternate way, please share!
This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon links. This means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through these links at no extra cost to you. I only share products I personally use and love.
Citations
I tried adding links to the research articles, but for some reason it didn’t work, so here are some citations if anyone is interested!
Bui G, Marco ML. Impact of Fermented Dairy on Gastrointestinal Health and Associated Biomarkers. Nutr Rev. 2025 Jul 24:nuaf114. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaf114. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40706019.
Ried K, Travica N, Dorairaj R, Sali A. Herbal formula improves upper and lower gastrointestinal symptoms and gut health in Australian adults with digestive disorders. Nutr Res. 2020 Apr;76:37-51. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2020.02.008. Epub 2020 Feb 8. PMID: 32151878.
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