How Your Gut Affects Your Immune System

When people think about the immune system, they usually picture vitamins, hand sanitizer, or maybe that one winter they lived on Emergen-C packets.

But here’s the thing most doctors gloss over: up to 70% of your immune system actually lives in your gut. Yep, the little ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and microbes inside you is basically the control center for how your body fights off colds, flu, and bigger threats.

If your gut flora is thriving, your immune system is smarter, more resilient, and better at regulating inflammation. If your gut is trashed from antibiotics, processed food, or stress (hi, everyone in Salt Lake County and Utah County traffic), your immune system struggles. You’re more likely to get sick, stay sick, or deal with chronic inflammation that makes everything harder… from autoimmune issues to allergies.

This connection is especially obvious during flu season here in Utah, where everyone seems to pass around the same cough from Park City to Provo.

A balanced microbiome helps regulate immune cells, produce protective compounds, and train your system to tell the difference between “harmless” and “dangerous.” Without that training, your immune system either overreacts (autoimmunity, allergies) or underreacts (constant colds, infections).

Bottom line: if you want a stronger immune system, start with your gut. No supplement, v*ccine, or “detox tea” can compensate for a dysregulated gut microbiome.

PS: If you’re in Salt Lake City, Utah County, or anywhere along the Wasatch Front and want to strengthen your immune system from the inside out, book a consultation with me. We’ll run the right labs, dig into your gut health, and build a treatment plan that actually addresses root causes.