Most people think about magnesium for constipation and digestion. 

What if the problem isn't that you're deficient in magnesium? What if the minerals you already have can't actually do their jobs?

That's what copper does. And it is one of the most overlooked minerals in functional nutrition.

In this episode, Dr. Heather covers the copper-zinc-iron-thyroid connection and why it matters so much when it comes to constipation, low ferritin, slow motility, and fatigue that doesn't budge.

What you'll hear in this episode:

• Why minerals don't work in isolation and what happens when copper is low
• The seesaw relationship between zinc and copper, and why long-term zinc supplementation without copper can backfire
• How copper supports stomach acid, digestive energy, and gut motility
• Why iron supplementation doesn't always work (and what the actual missing piece might be)
• Ceruloplasmin: the copper-dependent protein that acts like a traffic controller for iron
• How copper and zinc both connect to thyroid physiology, and how that links back to constipation
• The zinc-copper-iron-thyroid-constipation chain, explained step by step
• Copper-rich and zinc-rich foods, and why oysters are in a category of their own
• What we look for on HTMA and why we read minerals as a pattern, not in isolation

Resources and links mentioned:

• Minerals & HTMA Practitioner training on June 18
• HTMA testing 

For practitioners: On June 18, Dr. Heather is teaching practitioners how to identify mineral patterns using HTMA and other functional assessments, including how copper and zinc impact ferritin, why some clients don't improve with iron, and how minerals affect thyroid and gut function. Details in the link above.

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This is part 3 of the iron/ferritin series! 

Three episodes, three clients, three different breakdowns in the same system:

Part 1: Ashley's body couldn't absorb iron because of active gut infections and a system in defense mode.

Part 2: Danielle's body couldn't transport iron because of low ceruloplasmin, copper utilization impaired by long-term zinc, and microbial activity driving inflammatory sequestration.

Part 3: Jessica's body couldn't store iron because the terrain was depleted, the nervous system wasn't in a building state, and the downstream conditions for storage weren't in place.

Same symptom. Three completely different root causes and interventions. 

If you've been listening to this series and you see yourself in one or all three, of these cases, and you want to actually understand which step is the issue for you, that is exactly what our May 31st webinar is built to help you figure out. We'll go through all three steps, the testing that shows you where your system is breaking down, and what to actually do about it. Link to register is in the show notes.

And if you're ready to work through this with our team directly, gutTogether is where we do this work together: GI Map, HTMA, Full Monty iron panel, and a plan built around your specific picture. No generic protocols. No "just take more iron." Just the real answer to why your body isn't doing what you've been trying to get it to do. The link is in the show notes.

Thank you for spending this series with me. I don't take it lightly that you trust me with your time and your health. I'll see you next week.

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Most people assume low ferritin means they need more iron. But what about the woman whose ferritin is actually high and she still feels exhausted, is still losing hair, and is still bloated every single day? That's the case this episode is built around, and it's one of the most important iron stories Heather has ever told (because it goes WAY beyond iron)

This is Part 2 of a three-part series on iron, and it covers what happens after iron is absorbed and why it can still fail to reach the cells that need it. Dr. Heather walks through the case of her client Danielle who came to gutTogether eating clean, exercising consistently, and taking a carefully curated supplement stack and still couldn't figure out why her body felt so depleted.

In this episode:

• Why a high ferritin doesn't automatically mean your body is iron replete and what elevated ferritin with low iron saturation actually signals
• What ceruloplasmin is, why it's the missing link in most iron conversations, and how copper status determines whether iron can move at all
• How long-term zinc supplementation without copper awareness quietly undermines iron transport
• Why the body deliberately sequesters iron during infection and dysbiosis 
• The thyroid-iron connection: how sluggish T3 conversion creates functional iron deficiency even when labs look "normal"
• Why the answer wasn't more iron and what actually started moving the needle
• The interesting turn of events that contributed to a last minute addition to the episode

Next week: Part 3 covers iron storage and what has to be in place for ferritin to actually build and stay built, and why some women do everything right and still can't get above 30

Ready to fully address your iron issues and low ferritin? Make sure to join the live training "Why Iron Isn't Enough" on May 31st! 

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If you've been taking iron consistently and your ferritin still won't move, this episode is going to help you understand why. 

This is Part 1 of a three-part series on iron, and it starts where most ferritin problems actually begin: absorption. Dr. Heather walks through the case of her client Ashley, whose years of stress, grief, antibiotics, hormonal birth control, and mold exposure created a gut environment that couldn't absorb iron no matter how much she took. Dr. Heather also  breaks down exactly why iron intake is only one small piece of a much bigger system.

In this episode:

• Why iron absorption depends on stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, bile flow, mineral status, and nervous system regulation, not just how much iron you're taking
• What Ashley's GI Map revealed, including H. pylori, C. diff, pathogenic E. coli, and a depleted four-lows mineral pattern on HTMA
• How chronic stress physically changes digestive function and blocks absorption
• Practical starting points to support absorption, including meal hygiene, stomach acid and bile support, and minerals
• Why iron supplementation needs to be timed to where your body actually is and what to look at if ferritin still isn't moving

Next week: Part 2 covers iron transport: ceruloplasmin, copper, and why ferritin can stay low even when your iron looks normal on a blood panel.

Ready to fix your low (or high) ferritin? 

Join me live on May 31st for my live training "Why Iron Isn't Enough" (you'll also receive my ferritin troubleshooting guide)

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Gas is one of those symptoms people joke about publicly but privately can wreck your confidence, keep you anxious before meals, and make you dread situations that should feel normal.

The thing is, gas isn't random. The smell, the timing, and the pattern are all clues, and once you know how to read them, you can stop guessing and start actually supporting your digestion.

In this episode, Dr. Heather breaks down the most common gas patterns, what they're pointing to underneath, and why removing more foods is rarely the answer.

What we cover:

• Upper vs. lower gas and why the location matters
• Sulfur gas, dirty diaper gas, and chemical-smelling gas and what each pattern means
• What SIBO actually is and why hydrogen and methane patterns look completely different
• How your nervous system is affecting your digestion more than you realize
• Simple, practical things that move the needle without a strict protocol

Mentioned in this episode:

• Organic Olivia Bitters
• Episode 107: Burping, Gas, and Bloating: 5 Gut Clues You Can't Ignore

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That heavy, pressured, food-isn't-going-anywhere feeling after meals is one of the most exhausting GI symptoms to live with and one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, Dr. Heather breaks down why food can feel like it just sits in your stomach for hours, what's actually driving that slowdown, and why standard testing often misses it entirely. Digestion that is underpowered, depleted, or stuck in survival mode has a real path forward and this episode walks you through exactly what's going on.

In This Episode

• Why the "brick in your stomach" feeling is a digestion slowdown, not a broken body
• What good digestion actually feels like and why low stomach acid is so often missed
• Why "healthy foods" can sometimes make symptoms worse
• The vagus nerve, nervous system, and why you can't fully digest in fight-or-flight
• A real client case study and why sequencing matters as much as the protocol

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Reflux is one of the most common symptoms we see… and also one of the most misunderstood. Most people are told it’s either too much stomach acid or not enough, but many still feel stuck even after trying both approaches. In this episode, we take a step back and look at reflux through a more complete lens. While its easy to assume reflux means "too much" or "too little" acid, its more nuanced than that. It often involves how your body is handling it, including factors like pressure, motility, and how well that “lid” between your stomach and esophagus is functioning. 

In this episode, Dr. Heather covers:

•  What reflux, heartburn, and GERD actually are 
•  Where low stomach acid fits in  
•  Why betaine HCl can sometimes make symptoms worse 
•  How pressure, bloating, and motility influence reflux 
•  The difference between typical reflux and upper reflux (LPR) 
•  Hidden triggers like hiatal hernias, stress, and constipation 
•  Simple, practical strategies to start reducing symptoms

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If you feel like your food just sits there like a brick or you’re bloated after meals, burping, dealing with reflux, or still constipated no matter what you try…

There’s a good chance one of the most important parts of digestion is being overlooked.

In this episode, we’re talking about low stomach acid: what it actually does, how to know if yours might be low, and why it can impact everything from bloating and reflux to constipation, iron levels, and even SIBO.

Because here’s the truth:

You can be taking magnesium, probiotics, fiber, or even iron…but if your digestion isn’t working well at the very top, your body may struggle to break down, absorb, and move food the way it should.

This is one of the biggest patterns we see in women who feel like they’re doing everything right…but still have GI symptoms 

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Burping after meals? Bloated by the end of the day? Constantly gassy no matter what you eat? In this episode, Dr. Heather breaks down what your gas might actually be trying to tell you. From low stomach acid and slow motility to SIBO, dysbiosis, and bile flow issues, you’ll learn why gas is often more than just an annoying symptom. Gas is a clue that digestion is breaking down somewhere. She also walks through what different types of gas and bloating can mean, plus simple ways to start getting relief and stop blaming food for a deeper gut issue.

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If you’ve treated SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) before and either nothing changed… or things got worse… this episode is for you!

Because what if it’s not just bacterial overgrowth?

In this episode of the Love Your Gut podcast, Dr. Heather Finley breaks down one of the most overlooked reasons women stay stuck with bloating, food reactions, sugar cravings, and “gut protocols” that never seem to fully work: SIFO, or small intestinal fungal overgrowth

You’ll learn why SIFO can look a lot like SIBO, why it’s often missed, and why repeated antibiotics, low stomach acid, restrictive diets, and chronic stress can all create the kind of environment where fungal overgrowth can thrive.

Loved this episode?

If this episode gave you a new perspective on your symptoms, make sure to:

•  Subscribe to the Love Your Gut podcast 
•  Leave a rating + review (we pick a winner every month to win a free HTMA bundle. Simply screenshot your review and email to [email protected])
•  Share it with a friend who’s been told “it’s just SIBO” 

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Want a chance to win a free HTMA Bundle? Leave a rating & review and email it to [email protected] with [PODCAST REVIEW] in the subject line! We choose a new winner every month!