How Stimulating the GLP-1 Hormone Can Rebalance the Gut-Brain Axis for Hunger Control

When the Gut and Brain Fall Out of Sync

Your gut and brain are constantly communicating through what is known as the gut-brain axis. This is a two-way system where signals flow between your digestive system and your brain. It’s important for managing everything from hunger and cravings to overall well-being.

A key player in this system is your gut’s microbiome—the vast ecosystem of bacteria that influence digestion, hunger, and hormone production. Your gut has more nerve cells than any other part of your body besides the brain. When this balance is disrupted, it can lead to cravings, overeating, weight management issues, and more.

But there’s good news: through the right nutrition, particularly with resistant starches and dietary fiber, you can help restore that balance and support healthy hunger control. While probiotics play a role in this, resistant starches and fiber are the primary drivers in enhancing GLP-1 hormone activation and rebalancing your gut-brain axis.

What is the gut-brain axis?

The gut-brain axis is like a two-way highway connecting your gastrointestinal system to your brain. Nerve signals, hormones, and even gut microbes send messages back and forth, affecting everything from your appetite to your emotional state. When your gut is healthy, it sends positive signals to your brain, helping you feel satisfied and stable. But when this system is out of sync, it can lead to overeating, mood swings, and more.

Hunger hormones and how they work

Your body relies on hunger hormones to tell you when it’s time to eat and when you’ve had enough. The most well-known hormones include:

Leptin: Often referred to as the “satiety hormone,” leptin tells your brain when you’re full.
Ghrelin: Known as the “hunger hormone,” ghrelin signals your brain when it’s time to eat.
GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide 1): A hormone produced in your gut in response to food, slowing digestion and increasing feelings of fullness.
Peptide YY (PYY): This hormone helps reduce appetite after eating.

When these hormones are in balance, your body can properly regulate hunger and satisfaction. But when they’re disrupted by stress, poor diet, or an unhealthy gut, your brain may not receive the correct signals, leading to overeating or constant cravings.

What disrupts hunger hormones?

Several factors can throw these hunger hormones out of balance, leading to constant cravings and trouble managing weight:

Unhealthy diet: High-sugar and high-fat foods disrupt gut health and the production of hunger-regulating hormones.
Stress: Chronic stress elevates cortisol levels, which interferes with hunger signals and can lead to cravings for comfort foods.
Lack of sleep: Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin (hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (satiety hormone), making you feel hungrier than usual.
Gut microbiome imbalance: The microbes in your gut are key players in hormone regulation. An imbalanced gut microbiome can directly impact hunger and cravings.

Restoring balance with resistant starches, fiber, and more

Adding the right resistant starches and fibers to your diet can boost GLP-1 and help control hunger and support a healthy weight. These ingredients boost GLP-1 production in your gut, which signals your brain to manage appetite. A balanced gut not only improves digestion and nutrient absorption but also helps to keep your appetite stable.

With consistent use over time, the right GLP-1 boosting ingredients can help address the root causes of hormonal imbalance, making it easier to manage cravings and achieve sustainable weight loss.

Tips for supporting GLP-1 function naturally

A balanced approach to gut health includes a combination of resistant starches, fiber, and beneficial bacteria, but the first two are the stars when it comes to activating GLP-1 and managing hunger. Resistant starches, found in foods like green bananas, potato starch, or tapioca fiber can directly feed beneficial gut bacteria and support the production of short chain fatty acids and GLP-1.

Here are some lifestyle strategies that can naturally enhance GLP-1 levels:

Eat more fiber: High-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help your body release more GLP-1, keeping you full longer.
Improve gut health: A diverse and healthy gut microbiome boosts GLP-1 production. Incorporate dietary fibers and a variety of plant-based foods into your diet.
Stay active: Regular exercise increases your body’s sensitivity to GLP-1, making it more effective at controlling hunger.
Practice mindful eating: Slow down during meals and listen to your body’s signals.

Choosing the right ingredients for gut health

Not all gut health solutions are created equal. When supporting GLP-1 production, prioritize strains like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, known for their role in enhancing gut health and promoting the natural production of GLP-1.

Incorporating these beneficial strains into your diet can be as simple as adding fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, or sauerkraut.

For even better support, pair these foods with prebiotic-rich options like resistant potato starch, resistant tapioca fiber, and flax seed oil help to create an optimal environment for beneficial bacteria to thrive. This ideal gut environment then aids in natural GLP-1 regulation.

Although not all resistant starches and fibers are classified as prebiotics, they work similarly by nourishing the gut microbiome. These fibers contribute to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which are essential for maintaining gut health and promoting GLP-1 production.

Maintaining a diet rich in dietary fiber is key to maximizing the benefits of GLP-1 activation.

Finding balance for better health

Balancing the gut-brain axis is crucial for hunger control and overall well-being. While probiotics contribute to gut health, resistant starches and fiber are the most powerful tools in supporting GLP-1 activation, managing appetite, and aiding weight loss.

With the right mix of resistant starches, fiber, and lifestyle habits like exercise and mindful eating, you can restore balance to your gut-brain axis, making it easier to manage your hunger and achieve your health goals.

The gut-brain axis is a powerful connection that influences many aspects of your health. By rebalancing this axis with the right foods and ingredients, you can set yourself up for long-term success in your weight management journey.

The Good, The Bad, and The Fermented

While shoppers are becoming more aware of healthier and cleaner foods, many companies have caught up with the craze as well, often leading even the most adept of shoppers astray. And while many Kombucha and probiotic-rich granola bars litter the shelves of Whole Foods, many other products you in stores are chock full of gluten and refined sugars. Unfortunately, these are the exact things that gum down our gut in the first place.

By Marshall Madsen

Historically the fermentation technique was used as a way of preserving foods and drinks long before the days of refrigeration. During the process of fermentation, microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast or fungi convert organic compounds – such as sugars and starch – into alcohol or acids. For example, starches and sugars in vegetables and fruits are converted to lactic acid and this lactic acid acts as a natural preservative. Fermentation can produce quite distinctive, strong, slightly sour flavors.

As we continue to talk about the benefits of these bacteria, known as probiotics (literally meaning “supporting life”), often the more acidic – the better. These acids, which have derived from sugars and starches, have enhanced beneficial bacteria beyond their original bases. As these sugars and starches ferment (“Prebiotics” – think of them as food for your probiotics), they are given time to literally culture and enhance themselves.

Good for the Gut

So let’s talk about some good foods. These are both Pro and Prebiotics – fuel for your probiotics, but also food conducive to the growth and maintenance of healthy bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli (the second one is most common when you think about Probiotic supplements).

Those healthy bacteria are measured in groupings that we call CFU’s or Colony Forming Units. which simply refers to the number of live and active microorganisms that can be found in each serving of the probiotic you are taking. We look at them in terms of billions (although you can get less than that – typically anything less than 1 Billion isn’t enough units to make a noticeable difference for most humans), and standard Over the Counter servings of CFU’s (in supplements, foods, yogurts, etc.) range from 1-10 Billion.

Like we read earlier, generally fermented foods tend to be higher in CFU’s and better probiotics than their raw or pickled counterparts (yes pickling and fermenting are different).

Foods with high CFU’s, good for your gut:

Sauerkraut
Asparagus
Pineapple
Garlic
Bone Broth
Apple Cider Vinegar
Kimchi
Ginger

Foods high in Prebiotics (the food for your probiotics):

Lentils, Chickpeas, Beans
Oats
Nuts
Jerusalem Artichokes
Bananas
Onions
Leeks

These pungent flavors, aromatics, and seasonings usually accompany foods, rather than replace meals in their entirety. And just like anything else in life, too much of a good thing can be harmful. On top of wasting extra time on the toilet, TOO much, or over use of probiotics can strip the gut and intestines of natural, healthy bacteria – which could mean bare cells susceptible to disease and harm… and of course… a LOT of extra time on the toilet.

Things that Harm

While there are a few foods that can be harmful to the bacteria in your gut, the biggest culprit of what might affect a healthy gut are usually lifestyles and tendencies. For example, irregular sleep cycles, lack of regular physical activity, or even Antibiotic use can lead to changes or long-term alterations in gut flora.

Of course diet plays an important role, but there isn’t a singularly “bad” food. However, too much of anything can be harmful to your gut health. There’s a variety of bacteria that inhabit your intestines: Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria or Proteobacteria. The idea to create a wealth of gut flora with as wide a variety of diet and exercise as possible. Singling out a food group, or eating too much of a specific type of food can starve these bacteria, and can eliminate the diversity of the microbiome.

Things you can typically avoid to promote gut health:

Drinking too much alcohol
Stress
Lack of Sleep
Smoking
Lack of Physical Activity
Refined Sugars (if you want to go the extra mile)

Meal Plan

Keeping in mind the things you should and shouldn’t be eating, let’s look at a sample meal plan.

Breakfast

Peach and Kefir Smoothie
- Kefir has 12 probiotic cultures and peaches are a good source of fiber, not only helping your digestive tract run smoothly, but also helps you feel fuller, longer.
Kimchi Omelet
- Kimchi is an excellent fermented food, and if you want to take it step further make an egg white omelet to reduce calories.
Power Macro Bowl
- Any mixture of quinoa, legumes, steamed kale, and root veggies are good. Like we talked about in the Omega 3 and 6 Blog, try to throw in some healthy fats like Sunflower Oil, Avocados, or even cuts of Salmon. Protein AND probiotics!
Berry Smoothie
- Dairy Free Milk, fresh berries, spinach, ground flax seed and ginger root can be an incredible start to your day. Many people leave whole chia or flax seeds in their milk overnight to start a quick fermentation process that can be beneficial for your gut as well!
Ultimate Gut Health Smoothie
- Dairy Free Milk, Dairy Free kefir, spinach, cinnamon, vanilla extract and aloe vera juice. This one isn’t exactly kind on the carbs, but is an EXCELLENT way to maintain healthy inflammation and keep gut flora healthy, and your intestines clean while tasting great.

Note that we stick to Dairy Free solutions, not because they’re bad, but because whey proteins can often get in the … whey (oof, that one hurt), of healthy gut flora. Branched Chain Amino Acids or BCAA’s help your gut flourish as they break down slowly in the gut and make it appear younger (yes, the gut shows age like the rest of us). Whey isn’t as rich in BCAA’s as it cultured and fermented counterparts (yogurt and kefir), and rather than dilute them, it’s best to keep these Casein’s (the name of the BCAA’s) intact.

Lunch

Grilled Salmon Salad with Miso Vinaigrette
- Miso combines soybeans and barley, then puts them through the traditional koji fermentation process to produce a salty and thick miso paste. Top it off with a spinach salad! Spinach is filled with tons of nutrients. Any dark leafy greens provide protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals. And Salmon, duh! Always Salmon!
Grilled Eggplant with Yogurt and Mint
- Or Aubergine, if you’re feeling bougie. It really is as simple and tasty as it sounds. This really is the epitome of clean eating. Fresh herbs, fruits (yes, the eggplant is technically a fruit), and of course, fermentation! Shake it up with different seasonings and oils before grilling and try savory seasonings in your yogurt to make it closer to a crema.

Dinner

Skinless Tumeric Lemon Chicken
- Turmeric helps maintain a healthy inflammation response. Lemon is another ingredient that helps promote healthy immune response, and is packed with vitamin C, and helps with digestion.
Hearty Lamb and Onion Soup
- With a broth base in Onions, worcestershire sauce, olive oil, and root vegetables – it’s a low fat, low salt, tasty alternative to thick, creamy soups. Barley and green beans are also great for the gut!

Remember, the final take away: always make sure you moderate your diets. Even too many probiotics can give you a leaky gut, and probiotic-centric diets can be harmful if not consumed in moderation with a wide variety of foods and nutrition. Always consult a doctor or physician before making major alterations to your diet, as well as to check on sustainability and allergies. Not every diet is right for every person.

For more info or to get better help with your meal planning ideas:

5 Biohacker’s Diet Tips

#1: USE NATURAL FOOD TO SUPPORT DIGESTION

Sure, you can take probiotics, digestive enzymes, and other supplements to support digestion, but you should also get familiar with natural, east-to-afford foods that support digestion, including:

Fresh carrot juice (supports intestinal mucous membranes)
Celery juice (promotes intestinal movements and alleviates constipation)
Carminatives that reduce gas in the intestine: orange, fennel, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cilantro, caraway, licorice, oregano, parsley, peppermint oil, rosemary, sage, lemon balm, dill, thyme, garlic.
Bitters that stimulate the production of stomach acids and digestive enzymes: Jerusalem artichoke, Angelica sylvestris root, yellow gentian, Angelica archangelica root.
Other foods that support digestion: Aloe Vera, pineapple, chia seeds, chlorella, sauerkraut, currants, Iceland moss, cranberries, oats, papaya, lingonberries, rhubarb root, wheatgrass, Valeriana.

#2: LOOK FOR AMINES

Food hypersensitivity can be caused by the histamine, tyramine or other “biogenic amines” present in the food (chocolate, red wine, tuna or fermented ingredients such as cheese). In some cases, food (for example tomato or pineapple) may release histamine in the body. This is referred to as Histamine Intolerance Syndrome (HIS). Individuals with HIS typically have a low level of diamine oxidase, an enzyme that metabolizes histamine in the system.

So, if you get headaches, brain fog, low energy or other issues, then you should review your diet for the following and experiment with eliminating any that happen to be major staples:

#3: BE CAREFUL WITH FOIL

Tinfoil is used for stewing meat or fish on a grill or in an oven, Stewing in tinfoil reduces the formation of glycotoxins and HCAs, but the amount of aluminum released into the food is up to 6 times the amount considered a safe daily upper limit.

#4: TRY SOUS VIDE

Once limited to the pros, sous vide (pronounced sue-veed) is a cooking technique that utilizes precise temperature control to deliver consistent, restaurant quality results. High-end restaurants have been using sous vide cooking for years to cook food the exact level of doneness desired, every time. The technique recently became popular for home cooks with the availability of affordable and easy to use sous vide precision cooking equipment.

Sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French, refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath. This technique produces a result that is impossible to achieve through any other cooking method. Plus, vacuum sealing good means that vitamins and minerals are not lost during the cooking process unlike boiling or steaming.

#5: NUTRIENT DENSITY FOOD

Nutrient dense foods give you the most nutrients for the fewest amount of calories. In other words, nutrient-dense foods give you the “biggest bang for the buck”. You get lots of nutrients, and it doesn’t cost you much in terms of calories.

Nutrient density is the exact principle we used when we rated all of 127 foods found on the World’s Healthiest Foods website. They give you the most nutrients possible for the least amount of calories.

Eating nutrient dense foods like the World’s Healthiest Foods is one of the healthiest ways that anyone can eat. No principle is more likely to support healthy eating than the principle of nutrient density. Why is nutrient density so helpful? Because it gives you a concentrated amount of valuable nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, essential fatty acids, and phytonutrients, to name a few.

For more info and the complete list read The Biohacker’s Diet.

GI Cleansing: Simple & Easy

8 cups Water (cold)
5 Lemons (juiced)
4 TBSPs **Activated Charcoal Powder**
We Like Schizandu Organics

Most people underestimate the importance of regular GI cleansing.

We are being exposed to an increasing number of chemicals in our food supply, the air we breathe, and through many common items we use including cosmetics and household cleaners.

Among their potentially adverse effects, these chemicals can build up in our system and may contribute to stalling weight loss. While there are many factors that contribute, researchers find that environmental toxins play a role in being overweight or obese.

That’s where a well-designed detoxification plan can help. Besides helping you eliminate the wrong foods that can contribute to weight gain, the right program can give your liver and overall health a helping hand eliminating those toxins.

UNDERSTANDING DETOXIFICATION

Detoxification starts in your liver. While it’s a complicated process, your liver essentially does this in two phases. First, it converts toxic substances to highly reactive metabolites and then excretes these toxins. Your kidneys, lungs, and even gut also play a role in detoxification.

HOW TOXIC OVERLOAD CAN STALL WEIGHT LOSS

A healthy body can optimally detoxify, so many things we confront daily—the food we eat, the air we breathe, and prescription drugs—can make those toxins accumulate, overwhelming your body’s defenses.

Having a detoxification plan can help you maintain good health, including maintaining a healthy weight. For Example, Some research shows the right detoxification plan can impact weight loss directly as well as reduce many factors that contribute to weight loss.

Effective detoxification, as a means to support healthy weight loss and overall health, demands reducing or eliminating what creates a toxic load, but it also requires giving your body everything it requires to optimally detoxify. Food becomes the best way to do that. After all, we detoxify constantly, and we eat several times a day.

Cleanse Your Body Naturally With The Right Foods

Having a healthy diet is the most important way to detoxify. First, remove foods that interfere with detoxification or tends to increase toxic load. Among them is fructose, which is found in soda as high-fructose corn syrup or (HFCS) but also in fruit juices and commercial juice cleanses.

Research has shown that simple sugar can become a key contributor to chronic diseases including obesity. Fructose ramps up problems including chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, which can contribute to obesity.

A natural cleanse also involves avoiding trans fats and damaged fats. These fats are in processed foods with “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredients—even if the front label says, “low in fat.” Scrambled eggs on the buffet table are an example of damaged fats, where the fat has become oxidized—skip them.

Having a food sensitivity can also contribute to stalling weight loss and may exacerbate toxicity by making it easier for toxins to enter the bloodstream. Gluten, dairy, soy, and corn are among the common food sensitivities. When considering detoxification, try eliminating these foods for three to four weeks.

WAYS TO HELP YOUR BODY DETOXIFY

1. Using a Cleanser

The simple & inexpensive recipe above looks worse than it tastes! This particular cleanse did not leave me feeling bloated, cramping, or stuck @ home running to the bathroom; although, I only did it twice thus far. Drink 8 ounces twice daily for 5 days. The charcoal will settle, so shake vigorously or stir before drinking. Make a second batch when ready.

A few things to remember: DO NOT DRINK WITHIN 3 HOURS OF TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS – Charcoal is used in the emergency room to counter drugs when a person overdoses. (Drink @ your own risk)

You can also use the charcoal powder to whiten teeth. You can either make toothpaste (recipes found on web, or just mix with your toothpaste.

2. Using a Fat Burn Supplement

A fat burn supplement can also help support your body’s natural fat metabolism. Fat burn supplements can be both natural and powerful. With the right diet and exercise, it can help you finally trim stubborn inches and drop unwanted pounds.

3. Eat The Right Foods

Copious studies show whole foods including cruciferous vegetables, berries, garlic, and spices like turmeric can help your body detoxify through various pathways. Paired with protein and quality fat creates an optimal food plan to support detoxification and lose weight. Go for organic plant foods and the highest-quality animal foods whenever possible.

4. Support Your Gut

Gastrointestinal issues Make it more difficult to support a healthy digestive system as part of the body’s natural detoxification processes. Maintaining a healthy digestive system requires removing obstacles that create dysbiosis (gut imbalances) and other common gut issues, but also incorporating the right gut-supporting foods and nutrients.

5. Reduce The Body’s Inflammation Response

Toxicity contributes to a natural inflammation response, which can lead to a heavier toxic load, stalling fat loss in the bargain. An anti-inflammatory diet includes wild-caught seafood, plant foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids including flaxseed and chia seeds, lots of non-starchy vegetables, and spices including turmeric.

6. Support Your Immune System

At a minimum, ensure you eat well, get good sleep, manage stress levels, practice good hygiene like washing your hand regularly, and get the right nutrients that support optimal immunity.

7. Minimize Exposure

Prevention is always your first line of both offense and defense. Avoid household cleaners, building materials, plastics, processed foods, and other places toxins linger. A good place to start for information about environmental toxins is with the Environmental Working Group (EWG), which provides a wealth of information including identifying toxins in your life.

8. Sweat Out Your Toxins

Among its benefits, exercise can help your body better excrete toxins and burn fat more effectively. Whether that involves hot yoga or high-intensity interval training, find a consistent workout plan that fits your preference and schedule.

The Bottom Line

Toxic overload is often an overlooked factor that contributes to gaining weight, and the right detoxification plan can provide the right nutrients to help support your body’s natural healing processes and help you lose weight. While these strategies are a powerfully effective starting point, a chiropractor or other healthcare professional can help you design a custom-tailored detoxification plan based on your individual needs.