My annual camping trip to the mountains on Memorial Day weekend always feels like the kick-off of summer.

Even though the weather reality in the Pacific Northwest often begs to differ.

(I don’t want to jinx anything, but the forecast is looking dry and decently warm this weekend 🤞🏻)

This is also the kick-off of “I can’t stick to gut-healing” excuse season.

Maybe these are ringing in your head already?

“It’s too hot to drink meat stock.”

“We’ve got a big trip planned and have to eat out.”

“I don’t want to go to a BBQ if I can’t eat anything.”

I’ve been taking care of my gut for 15 years now and summer doesn’t stop me, Reader.

It's a beautiful time to support your gut and your whole-body health if you make a few intentional choices.

Here are my favorite gut-honoring ways to embrace summer without sacrificing comfort, connection, or flavor:

1. Start with meat stock in the morning​
Before the day heats up, nourish your gut lining with a warm mug of meat stock. It’s soothing, mineral-rich, and keeps your digestive track topped-up on the amino acids and other nutrients it needs to stay happy.

2. Build better smoothies​
Instead of sugary blends, highly processed protein shakes, or icy water-based drinks, try this: blend fresh-pressed juice with yogurt, half an avocado, and raw pastured egg yolks (salmonella lives on the shell, so wash it with soap before cracking if you’re unsure your source is safe). You’ll get gut-friendly fats, enzymes, and a gentle probiotic boost – all in a chilled, creamy real food drink.

3. Use fermented foods as condiments​
Think: kraut or pickles on your burgers, kimchi next to your grilled chicken, a spoonful of fermented salsa or yogurt-based dip with your veggies. You don’t need a whole bowl – just a little with each meal helps crowd out opportunistic flora and supports digestive function.

4. Be BBQ-ready with gut-friendly staples​
Summer social life revolves around food – but you don’t have to eat whatever mystery-marinated meat shows up on the grill. Follow my BYOB routine and “bring your own burgers.” Source grassfed burgers, hot dogs, and sourdough buns to stock your freezer and then pop them into your cooler at a moment’s notice. You’re picnic-prepped without sacrificing your values or your microbiome.

5. Eat only local, seasonal fruit​
Enjoy that perfect peach or fresh-foraged blackberry – if it’s grown nearby and eaten in season. These fruits are metabolically appropriate and less likely to spike your blood sugar at this time of year. A few bites are often all it takes to feel satiated by summer’s sweetness because they contain the flavor with the nutrients your body expects to receive together.

6. Skip the chlorinated pool and head for wild waters​
Swimming in rivers, lakes, or the ocean exposes your skin and microbiome to beneficial microbes, while avoiding the harsh chemicals that come with pools. Plus, nature brings you into the present with birds chirping, ducks gliding, and sea creature spotting.

7. Get sun on your skin (safely)​
Vitamin D is essential for immune regulation and gut health. Aim for daily sun exposure without sunscreen for at least 10–20 minutes, depending on your skin tone and time of day. The goal? A slight glow, not a burn.

8. Chill out with carrot curry soup made right​
Most chilled soups, like gazpacho, are just raw veggies, but your gut will thank you if you blend in a little meat stock and whole milk yogurt. It adds protein, emulsifies beautifully, and gives you a creamy, tangy, satisfying version that’s easier to digest. Try my carrot curry soup recipe, or adapt the principle to any blended soup you like. With this tip, there’s literally no reason not to eat meat stock every day, Reader!

9. Choose fermented drinks over soda and alcohol​
Kombucha, water kefir, or a homemade ginger bug soda are refreshing and fizzy without wrecking your gut lining. They help repopulate beneficial microbes and give you something a little special to sip on at social gatherings.

10. Pack digestive enzymes when eating out​
Summer often means more restaurant meals, road trips, and spontaneous snacks. Keep a trusted digestive enzyme in your bag to support smoother digestion and help prevent the bloating, gas, or “food baby” feeling that can come from unfamiliar ingredients.

Bonus Tip: Make your gut-friendly lifestyle easy to stock and sustain. From grassfed hot dogs to raw cheese, fermented salsas to natural sodas – knowing where to buy these items is half the battle.

That’s why I created Where Can I Buy It? – your guide to sourcing gut-friendly foods from brands that use traditional preparation methods and ship straight to your door.

🛒Grab your copy here and make your summer both delicious and deeply nourishing.

Wishing you plenty of sunshine, good food, and even better digestion!

Jenn

​Body Wisdom Nutrition​

P.S. If you’d like to work with me one-on-one this summer, I’ve got space in both my 3-session and 12-session packages. Come to the next free get-to-know-me ​​Gut-Curious Zoom Call​​​ on Tuesday, June 3rd, at 4:15pm Pacific time.