In this episode of the Nutrient Dense Podcast, Hannah Aylward breaks down one of the most overlooked systems in gut health: the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC). If you struggle with chronic bloating, constipation, gas, reflux, recurring SIBO, or food sensitivities, this episode explains why your gut’s natural “self-cleaning mechanism” may not be functioning properly — and how that can contribute to bacterial overgrowth and digestive dysfunction.

Hannah dives into how the MMC works, why meal spacing and circadian rhythm matter, how chronic stress impacts gut motility, and the hidden reasons many people relapse after SIBO treatment. She also shares practical strategies to naturally support your gut motility, reduce bloating, improve bowel movements, and optimize digestion without falling into restrictive diet culture.

In this Q&A-style episode of the Nutrient Dense Podcast, I answer listener-submitted questions on some of the most common (and misunderstood) gut and hormone concerns I see in practice. Hannah dives into what to actually eat while treating SIBO, why food alone won’t fix bacterial overgrowth, and the deeper root causes behind chronic bloating, IBS, low stomach acid, histamine flares, and low progesterone.

She also shares her perspective on GLP-1 medications and gut health, explains why chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation are often at the root of hormone imbalance and digestive dysfunction, and gives practical strategies to support better sleep, cortisol regulation, gut motility, and detoxification. If you’ve been feeling reactive to foods, chronically stressed, exhausted, bloated, inflamed, or like your body just isn’t functioning the way it should — this episode is packed with foundational education and actionable takeaways.

You’re not addicted to stress. You’re addicted to how it makes you feel.

In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked patterns keeping women stuck in burnout, gut issues, and hormonal chaos: the addiction to stress hormones.