Executive Functional Healing LLC

09/16/2026

09/15/2026

MORE FIBER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR GUT IS ALREADY STRUGGLING.

Fiber plays an important role in gut health, digestion, bowel regularity, the gut microbiome, and the production of beneficial compounds such as short-chain fatty acids.

But here’s something that often gets overlooked: not all fiber behaves the same way, and not everyone responds to fiber the same way.

For someone dealing with SIBO, IBS, bloating, constipation, gas, or other digestive issues, simply adding large amounts of fiber may not always improve symptoms—and certain highly fermentable fibers can increase gas and bloating.

That doesn’t mean fiber is bad. Far from it.

It means the TYPE of fiber, the AMOUNT, and the individual gut environment matter.

Gut health isn’t about blindly adding more of something because it’s considered healthy. It’s about understanding what your digestive system actually needs and tolerates.

🔬 RESEARCH:

American College of Gastroenterology — Clinical Guideline: Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
https://webfiles.gi.org/links/PCC/ACG_Clinical_Guideline__Management_of_Irritable.11.pdf

2026 Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis — Fiber Supplementation in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42600900/

Predicting Personalized Responses to Dietary Fiber Interventions
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36446139/

Effects of Dietary Fibers on Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Gut Microbiota — Systematic Review
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35807739/

Executive Functional Healing specializes in root-cause gut health support for SIBO, IBS, bloating, constipation, digestive dysfunction, and complex gut-related health concerns.

🌐 executivefunctionalhealing.com

09/15/2026

I’ve created a new community for people dealing with gut-health issues.

If you’re struggling with SIBO, IBS, Candida, H. pylori, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, reflux GERD, diverticulitis, gut motility issues, post antibiotic gut problems, or other digestive concerns, I created this group for you.

Healing Gut Issues Naturally | SIBO, IBS & Root Cause Approach is a place where we’ll look beyond simply managing symptoms and talk about what may actually be contributing to them.

I’ll be sharing research-backed gut-health education, studies, practical information, case studies, helpful resources, and conversations about the different factors that can contribute to digestive problems.

This isn’t a group where everyone gets handed the same supplement protocol. The goal is to learn, ask better questions, understand your body, and start looking beyond the symptom to what may be driving it.

If that sounds like the kind of community you’ve been looking for, come join us:

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1HWDib8eeq/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Justin Kempf
Executive Functional Healing, LLC

09/14/2026

Antibiotics can be necessary and lifesaving but they can also significantly disrupt your gut microbiome.

Antibiotics don’t only target the bacteria causing an infection. They can also reduce beneficial bacteria, alter microbial diversity, and change the environment inside your gut.

And those changes don’t necessarily disappear when the prescription is finished.

A large 2026 study involving nearly 15,000 adults found differences in the gut microbiome associated with antibiotic use even 4–8 years after exposure.

Why does that matter?

Your gut bacteria play important roles in digestion, production of beneficial compounds such as butyrate, immune function, and maintaining the intestinal barrier. When that ecosystem becomes disrupted, it may be part of the bigger picture for people experiencing bloating, diarrhea, constipation, IBS, SIBO, increased intestinal permeability often called “leaky gut,” and other persistent digestive problems.

This isn’t about saying antibiotics should never be used. Antibiotics can be incredibly important when they’re medically necessary. But they don’t treat viral infections like the common cold, and unnecessary antibiotic use can have consequences for your gut microbiome.

If your digestive problems began during or after repeated rounds of antibiotics, that history matters.

🔬 RESEARCH:

Long-term effects of antibiotics on the human gut microbiome — Nature Medicine, 2026:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04284-y

Antibiotic use and risk of irritable bowel syndrome — nationwide Swedish study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37771273/

Antibiotic use as a risk factor for irritable bowel syndrome — population study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30189148/

Executive Functional Healing specializes in complex gut health cases and whole-body symptoms connected to gut dysfunction.

Visit executivefunctionalhealing.com to schedule a 15-minute discovery call.

09/11/2026

🚶‍♂️💙 FUN FACT FRIDAY! 🚶‍♀️

Welcome to Fun Fact Friday at Executive Functional Healing, LLC!

There is a LOT of health information floating around social media. Some of it is true. Some of it is exaggerated. And some of it has very little evidence behind it.

So every Friday, I’m bringing you an interesting health fact — and the research behind it. 🔬📚

Today’s fact is surprisingly simple:

🚶 A 10-minute walk after a meal can make a difference in your post-meal blood sugar.

In a randomized crossover study involving 41 adults with type 2 diabetes, researchers compared:

➡️ One 30-minute walk each day

VS.

➡️ Three 10-minute walks — one after each main meal

The result?

📉 Post-meal blood glucose exposure was significantly lower when participants walked for 10 minutes after each main meal.

And the effect was particularly noticeable after the evening meal.

Here’s what I love about this:

You don’t necessarily need another complicated health hack.

You don’t need an expensive gadget.

You don’t need to turn it into a workout.

Sometimes something as simple as getting up and taking a short walk after dinner can have a measurable effect. 👟

And this isn’t based on somebody’s viral Facebook post. There’s actual research behind it.

📚 Want to read the research yourself?

🔬 Randomized crossover study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27747394/

🔬 Systematic review & meta-analysis on exercise timing and post-meal glucose:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36715875/

🔬 Research in healthy adults comparing short post-meal walks with no exercise:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32173259/

💬 Here’s today’s Fun Fact Friday question:
Would you be willing to take a 10-minute walk after dinner if you knew it could help your post-meal blood sugar?

👇 Let me know in the comments.

Executive Functional Healing, LLC

09/10/2026

What’s something everybody seems to love that you just don’t understand?

09/09/2026

Do you find yourself crashing a couple hours after lunch and reaching for another coffee or something sweet?

Your lunch may be part of the problem.

Research involving more than 1,000 people found that larger blood sugar dips 2–3 hours after eating were associated with greater hunger, eating sooner, and consuming more calories later.

And there’s a simple strategy worth knowing: research has shown that eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates can significantly reduce the post-meal glucose response.

Your afternoon crash can have many causes, but changing what and how you eat at lunch may be a good place to start.

📚 RESEARCH:

Nature Metabolism — Postprandial glycaemic dips predict appetite and energy intake in healthy individuals:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33846643/

Randomized crossover trial — Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Response to Meal Sequence:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39559800/

Executive Functional Healing, LLC

Educational purposes only. Not medical advice.

09/08/2026

ORGANIC CHIA SEEDS: What does the research actually say about hunger and fullness?

You’ve probably seen claims that chia seeds expand to 12 times their size or suppress hunger for six hours. Those claims sound impressive, but what does the actual research show?

A randomized, controlled crossover trial published in Nutrition Research and Practice studied 24 healthy women who consumed yogurt with 0 g, 7 g, or 14 g of chia seeds on different test days. Both chia doses significantly increased reported fullness and reduced energy intake at a later lunch compared with yogurt without chia.

The researchers reported approximately 25% lower calorie intake at that later meal. That is an interesting short-term finding, but it does not prove that chia causes long-term weight loss or suppresses hunger for a specific number of hours.

Why chia seeds are worth considering:

About 2 tablespoons (28 g) provide roughly 10 g of fiber, 5 g of plant-based omega-3 ALA, 180 mg of calcium, and 4–5 g of protein. Chia also contains all nine essential amino acids.

The practical takeaway is simple: adding chia seeds to yogurt, oatmeal, or a smoothie can be an easy way to increase fiber and may help you feel fuller. Start with a smaller amount if you are not used to eating much fiber, and increase gradually with adequate fluids.

I personally prefer organic chia seeds when possible, but organic certification does not mean the research has proven a greater satiety benefit than conventional chia.

The original research:
Ayaz A, et al. Chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.) added yogurt reduces short-term food intake and increases satiety: randomised controlled trial. Nutrition Research and Practice. 2017;11(5):412–418.

https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2017.11.5.412

At Executive Functional Healing, LLC, the goal is to share practical, evidence-based nutrition and functional health information that you can actually verify and use.

Have you tried chia seeds? Do you prefer them in yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, or something else?

Educational purposes only. Not medical advice.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day, everyone! 🇺🇸

Today is a day to recognize the hard work, dedication, and contributions of the people who keep our communities moving. Whether you’re spending the day with family, firing up the grill, enjoying the outdoors, or simply taking a well-deserved break, I hope you get a chance to slow down and enjoy it.

We spend so much of our lives working hard and taking care of everything and everyone around us. Sometimes, taking care of ourselves gets pushed to the bottom of the list. But rest, recovery, quality sleep, and time with the people we care about are all important parts of our overall health and well-being.

At Executive Functional Healing, LLC, I believe health is about more than just getting through the day. It’s about having the energy and vitality to enjoy the life you’re working so hard to build.

So today, take a little time for yourself. Enjoy the food, enjoy the company, and make some memories. The to-do list can wait.

Wishing you and your family a safe, relaxing, and wonderful Labor Day!

Justin
Executive Functional Healing, LLC

09/04/2026

Can one round of antibiotics leave a mark on your gut years later?

A 2026 study published in Nature Medicine looked at the gut microbiomes and prescription histories of nearly 15,000 adults and found that certain antibiotics were associated with changes in gut microbial diversity and bacterial composition even 4 to 8 years after use. Researchers also found measurable associations in people who had taken only one course of certain antibiotics.

This doesn’t mean antibiotics are “bad.” They can be absolutely necessary and lifesaving. But it does reinforce something I talk about often: what happens to the gut microbiome matters long after the prescription bottle is empty.

If you’ve had repeated antibiotics, ongoing digestive problems, bloating, irregular bowel movements, food sensitivities, or simply feel like your gut has never been quite the same afterward, there may be more worth looking at.

At Executive Functional Healing LLC, my goal is not to guess. It’s to understand what may be happening in the gut and work toward rebuilding a healthier foundation.

The gut has an incredible ability to recover, but sometimes it needs the right support.

📚 Read the actual study here:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04284-y

Executive Functional Healing LLC
Functional Medicine Practitioner | Gut Health & Whole-Body Wellness