When Food Fights Back: Protecting Your Gut This Summer - July 2025 News from Gut Healthy
Published 3 months ago • 4 min read
July 2025
Why one bad meal can mess with your gut for years
Happy July!
Summer is a season of fresh fruit, cookouts, and dining al fresco but it's also the peak season for food borne illness. Every year, millions of people get sick from something they ate. While most cases are mild, food poisoning can sometimes lead to longer-lasting digestive issues especially if the gut’s delicate balance is disrupted.
And at the centre of that disruption? Something most people have never heard of: the migrating motor complex (MMC).
What Is the Migrating Motor Complex and Why It Matters
The migrating motor complex (MMC) is like your gut’s internal cleaning crew. It’s a pattern of electrical waves and muscular contractions that sweeps residual food and bacteria through the small intestine between meals and overnight.
It activates every 90–120 minutes during fasting (zero caloric intake) and pauses when you eat. That’s why spacing meals and avoiding all-day grazing is often recommended for gut health.
When the MMC is working well, it keeps your digestive system clean, efficient, and less prone to bacterial overgrowth. But when it's disrupted, such as after a food borne infection, that cleanup cycle can break down.
How Food Poisoning Can Disrupt the MMC
Food poisoning doesn’t just affect your stomach short term, it can have lingering effects on your gut motility.
Here’s how:
Slowed motility: With the MMC impaired, food and bacteria hang around longer than they should, increasing the risk of SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
Molecular mimicry: Some bacteria (like Campylobacter jejuni) produce toxins that closely resemble proteins in your gut’s nerve cells especially vinculin, a protein involved in gut motility.
Autoimmune confusion: Your immune system may mistakenly attack your own MMC-regulating nerves, disrupting the normal wave-like contractions.
IBS, SIBO & Food Poisoning: The Hidden Link
Research shows a very strong connection between food poisoning and later development of chronic gut issues:
People who suffer a significant bout of food poisoning are 6–7 times more likely to develop IBS.
Up to 60–84% of SIBO cases are believed to be post-infectious, stemming from prior food borne illness that damaged the MMC.
Blood tests now exist to help identify post-infectious IBS and SIBO even if the food poisoning happened months or years ago.
That “bad chicken” you ate five years ago? It might be the root of your ongoing bloating, gas, or unpredictable digestion.
How to Support Your MMC After Food Poisoning
If you've had food poisoning in the past and now struggle with persistent digestive issues, these steps can help restore healthy motility:
Leave 3–4 hours between meals if possible to allow the MMC to run a sweep or two
Walk after meals to gently encourage motility
Avoid late-night snacking which is when the MMC activity should be at its peak
Prioritize sleep, since gut rhythms are tied to your circadian cycle
Consider testing for SIBO or post-infectious IBS with a practitioner
Support your gut, if needed, with prokinetics (like ginger, bitters, or medically prescribed options)
What Is Food Poisoning, Really?
Now let’s back up: food poisoning happens when you eat or drink something contaminated with harmful bacteria (like Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria), viruses (like norovirus), or parasites. These pathogens can multiply quickly when food is mishandled.
Common symptoms include:
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal cramps
Fever or chills
Symptoms typically show up within hours to a few days of eating the contaminated food.
You can get sick from:
Undercooked meat or eggs
Unwashed fruits and vegetables
Cross-contamination (e.g., raw chicken touching salad greens)
Leaving food out too long—especially in warm temperatures
How to Protect Yourself This Summer
Wash hands before preparing food and after handling raw ingredients
Wash your produce before cutting and use clean water
Cook foods to proper internal temperatures
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours or within 1 hour if it’s hot out
Be extra cautious with mayo-based dishes, deli meats, and unpasteurized products
What to Do If You Get Sick
Stay hydrated which is especially important with vomiting or diarrhea
Stick to bland foods like broth, rice, toast, or bananas while recovering
Rest and give your body time to heal
Seek care if symptoms persist beyond 3 days, if you have a high fever, blood in your stool, or signs of dehydration
Food poisoning isn’t just a short-term inconvenience. It can have lasting consequences for your gut health. But with a little knowledge and a few simple precautions, you can stay safe, support your digestive system, and still enjoy every bite of summer.
Be well, Peggy
Looking for a meal that’s kind to your gut? This simple chickpea and ginger soup is loaded with fibre, gentle herbs, and soothing ingredients that support digestion and may even help your migrating motor complex (MMC) do its cleanup work between meals. It’s easy to digest, quick to make, and comforting if your gut’s been through a rough patch—like after a bout of food poisoning.
Soothing Chickpea & Ginger Soup
New! Cooking Classes in the Fall
I’m excited to be offering three brand new cooking classes this fall through Panorama Recreation. Whether you’re craving bold tacos, cozy Thai comfort food, or a fun night of wholesome cookies, there’s something delicious (and gut-friendly!) for everyone. You’ll find all the details in the screenshot below, and you can register through the rec site starting on July 22.
“Right now, there is quite likely to be a conversation you are trying to avoid. It is probably one that is important to you, but it has a quality of discomfort to it.”
That’s the opening line of Listen by Kathryn Mannixa book that’s been on my shelf for a while and turned out to be exactly what I needed. It’s not about food or nutrition, but it is about care, connection, and the kind of honest conversations that can really shift how we show up for each other. Through thoughtful stories and gentle insight, Mannix explores how listening, truly listening, can be a powerful act of compassion.
P.S.: Looking for some plant-based picnic ideas. Check out this collection. I love the Gluten-Free Tabouli made with quinoa.
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