The Stuck Gut: Why Constipation & Bloating Isn't Just About Fibre
After more than 20 years in clinical practice, sitting across from thousands of patients and listening to their stories, one thing has become very clear…
Most people with gut symptoms are not lacking effort — they’re lacking the right direction.
They’ve tried the diets.
They’ve removed foods.
They’ve been given labels like IBS, without ever being told why their body is reacting the way it is.
And this is where the frustration begins.
Because when you don’t understand what’s driving your symptoms, you end up stuck in a cycle of guessing, restricting, and hoping something will work.
Over time, I started to notice patterns.
The same collection of symptoms…
The same triggers…
The same underlying dysfunctions showing up again and again.
This is what led me to develop my 5 Gut Types — a simple but powerful way to understand what’s really happening inside your gut and what actually needs support first.
Because when you understand your gut type, everything starts to make sense.
Your symptoms are no longer random.
Your triggers are no longer confusing.
And most importantly — you finally have a clear direction on what needs to be addressed.
In this blog series, I’m introducing you to each of the 5 Gut Types, so you can start to recognise your own pattern.
This is the second gut type in the series… and it’s one I see all the time in clinic, yet it’s rarely spoken about clearly
The Stuck Gut Type
The Stuck Gut is less about what you’re eating… and more about how things are moving through.
Or more accurately — how they’re not moving.
Because your digestive system isn’t just a chemical process.
It’s also a mechanical one.
Food needs to be broken down, yes — but it also needs to be moved efficiently through the digestive tract.
And when that movement slows down or becomes uncoordinated, symptoms start to build
Common Signs of a Stuck Gut
People with this gut type often feel like their digestion is slow, sluggish & you guessed it “Stuck”
Symptoms include:
Constipation or incomplete bowel motions
Going days without a proper bowel movement
Bloating that builds as the day goes on
A heavy, “stuck” feeling in the abdomen
Relief after a bowel movement (even if temporary)
For some people, it’s not just constipation.
It can also show up as alternating bowel habits — where things feel stuck… and then suddenly rush through. This is part of constipation.
What’s Actually Happening in the Body
At the core of the Stuck Gut is impaired gut motility. Motility refers to the coordinated muscular contractions that move food through your digestive system.
This process is tightly regulated by:
The nervous system
The migrating motor complex (your gut’s “clean-up wave”)
Hormonal signalling
Physical movement and position of the gut
When this system isn’t working properly, things slow down.
When food and waste aren’t moving efficiently through the gut, several things can happen:
This is why symptoms often worsen throughout the day. It’s not just what you ate at lunch… It’s what’s still sitting there from earlier or even days before!
Why This Gut Type Is So Often Mismanaged
One of the biggest frustrations for people with a Stuck Gut is that they often feel like they’re doing everything “right”…
And still not getting relief from symptoms.
They’ve increased fibre.
They’re drinking more water.
They’re trying to eat “clean.”
But the underlying issue isn’t just not enough water, fibre etc, it’s that the gut is not moving effectively. And without addressing that, symptoms tend to persist — even when you feel you have tried ALL the gut supplements & dietary advice.
And this is exactly why understanding your gut type matters.
Because once you recognise this pattern, you can stop chasing symptoms — and start addressing what’s actually driving them.
What We’ll Cover Next
In the next blog, I’ll walk you through another Gut Type — one that often overlaps with both Low Fire and Stuck Gut, but has a very different underlying driver.
And as you start to see these patterns unfold, you’ll begin to understand your gut in a completely new way.
Want to Understand Your Gut Type?
If this is resonating, the next step is identifying your own dominant gut type.
Because while you may relate to parts of this…
Your full picture is what determines the right approach.
In my upcoming May workshop, I’ll guide you through:
How to identify your gut type
What’s actually driving your symptoms
And how to address it in a way that supports your body — not works against it
This is the exact framework I use in clinic — and inside the Tummy Rescue Hub.
Because when you understand your gut…
You stop guessing.
And you finally start moving forward.
More articles you might love:
Download my FREE E-book: 5 ways to reduce your bloating, pain & gas ☝️☝️☝️
The heartbeat
behind the work! 💚✨
🌿
I am Danielle Elliott a qualified Naturopath and the owner of Tummy Rescue.
I have been helping kids & adults improve their health for over 20 years, with the last 16 years concentrating on helping patients with any kind of gut disorder. I began focussing on everything gut related after my husband was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease. And lucky I did……as my husband and both our kids have Coeliac Disease and my daughter has a dairy protein allergy.
So…. I am well and truly where I am meant to be!
I love being able to help people to soothe and calm their symptoms, investigate the causes and support and improve their gut function.
I also get to write educational pieces to train practitioners and am often interviewed for podcasts and summits, which is another really rewarding part of my work. I love educating people (this is something I do in every consult), because I do believe knowledge is power. It gives you the tools to make the changes you need to!
So, when you opt-in to my E-book, you are beginning on a journey of learning and discovery, of how you can reduce your symptoms of bloating, gas & pain and improve your gut health.
I would be honoured to help you along the way.
Danielle ✖️🧡✖️🧡