Jo Newton is a registered dietitian with specialist experience in gastroenterology and gut health. After training in nutrition and public health and completing a Masters in Dietetics, she began her clinical career at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals - working across oncology, HPB and upper GI - before focusing on the area she finds most rewarding: helping people improve their quality of life through targeted, evidence-based nutrition support.
I studied Nutrition and Public Health at Sheffield Hallam University, then completed a Masters in Dietetics. I started my career at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and worked across a variety of areas, including oncology, HPB and upper GI.
I’ve always loved gastroenterology and gut health. The research is constantly evolving, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact diet can have on day-to-day symptoms and quality of life.
I have a specialist interest in supporting the gut microbiome and using evidence-based therapeutic approaches. That includes the low FODMAP diet for IBS, as well as structured elimination and reintroduction strategies to identify individual food triggers. When you improve someone’s quality of life in this area, the difference can be huge.
Yes, it’s becoming more widely acknowledged. There’s more awareness of the gut–brain connection and how lifestyle and diet can influence gut symptoms and overall wellbeing. Research in this area is growing, which makes it an exciting place to work.
A common misconception is that there must be one specific “bad” food causing symptoms, and that eliminating it will fix everything. In reality, gut symptoms are usually more complex.
Conditions like IBS can be influenced by many factors: gut motility, the gut–brain axis, sleep, stress, dietary patterns, and the gut microbiome. Symptoms are rarely caused by one single thing.
Take bloating, for example. Some bloating is normal - especially after a larger meal or one higher in fibre. Fermentable fibres can increase gas production, and changes in motility can make the gut more sensitive. Rather than focusing on one food, it’s often more helpful to look at overall patterns: meal regularity, hydration, fibre intake and diversity, and lifestyle factors.
It’s also worth being cautious with advice online that encourages cutting out foods. That can lead to unnecessary restriction without addressing the bigger picture.
Bloating is very common and, in many cases, it’s part of normal digestion - especially after eating a larger meal or a meal rich in fibre.
It’s worth investigating further if bloating is persistent, if it’s associated with other symptoms, or if it’s significantly affecting quality of life. In that case, it’s important to speak to a GP or gastroenterologist.
Pattern can also be a useful clue. Everyday digestive bloating often comes and goes, may build throughout the day, and improve overnight. It can fluctuate with stress, diet, and hormonal changes. But if someone feels constantly distended, or it’s impacting their daily life, it’s worth getting support so they can understand what’s driving it and the right route to treatment.
First: look at meal structure and regularity. Skipping meals, grazing constantly, or irregular eating patterns can disrupt digestion and gut motility. Regular meals - and giving the gut time between them can help support normal digestive function.
Second: focus on fibre and diversity. Many people don’t get enough fibre, and intake can fluctuate. Increasing variety from a wide range of plant foods supports the gut microbiome and can improve stool consistency. Different fibres feed different beneficial bacteria, so diversity matters.
Third: don’t overlook lifestyle factors, especially stress, sleep and physical activity. They play a major role in digestion and gut sensitivity. Stress can increase gut sensitivity and affect motility, which is why symptoms like bloating and abdominal pain often feel worse during stressful periods.
The low FODMAP diet is one of the most researched dietary approaches for managing IBS symptoms - particularly bloating, abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. For people with significant IBS symptoms, it can be very useful in the short term to identify which fermentable carbohydrates trigger symptoms.
Where it becomes problematic is when it’s used as a long-term or general “gut health” diet. The elimination phase is intentionally restrictive and is only meant to be followed in the short term. The goal is always to complete the full process: elimination, structured reintroduction, then personalisation, so the end result is the least restrictive diet possible.
Another issue is when people try it alone based on online information. That can lead to unnecessary restriction and confusion about what’s actually driving symptoms. Done in the right context and with professional support, it can be very effective, but it needs to be structured, and it isn’t intended as a long-term way of eating.
Typically, around 4–8 weeks for the elimination phase, followed by the reintroduction stage. Reintroductions are often the most challenging part to navigate alone, which is why working with a dietitian tends to give people the best outcome.
Stress and digestion are linked through the gut–brain axis - it’s a two-way connection. Signals travel between the digestive system and the nervous system via pathways involving the vagus nerve, hormones, and the gut microbiome. Because of that, it’s very common for stress to show up as digestive symptoms.
One simple tool I often recommend is slow diaphragmatic breathing. This can activate the parasympathetic nervous system - the “rest and digest” state - which supports digestion. Even a few minutes of breathing before or after meals can make a noticeable difference for some people.
With patients, I’m also careful to validate that symptoms are real. Many people with digestive conditions have been told “it’s just stress,” which can feel dismissive. The aim is to help them understand the gut–brain connection without minimising what they’re experiencing.
When people understand what’s happening in their gut and have practical tools to manage symptoms, they often feel more confident around food again. From there, we can identify patterns and, where possible, gradually expand the diet. As that confidence builds, anxiety often improves too.
Digestive symptoms can definitely change across hormonal stages - it’s something a lot of people notice.
Hormones like oestrogen and progesterone influence gut motility, gut sensitivity and the gut microbiome, so digestion can fluctuate across the menstrual cycle. For example, in the days leading up to a period, when hormone levels shift, many people report more bloating, abdominal discomfort, or looser stools. That’s partly because hormonal changes can affect how quickly the gut moves and how sensitive it is to normal digestive processes.
In perimenopause, symptoms can become more unpredictable as hormones fluctuate. Some people notice increased bloating, changes in bowel habits, or a worsening of pre-existing digestive conditions like IBS.
In menopause, hormone changes can also influence gut motility and microbiome composition, so we can still see digestive changes.
What helps is coming back to the foundations: consistent meals, adequate fibre, hydration, movement, and stress management. For some people, tracking symptoms alongside their cycle can also help identify patterns and plan supportive strategies during the phases when symptoms tend to flare.
Dietary diversity. Getting a wide variety of plant foods in, and therefore a range of fibres, helps support different types of beneficial gut bacteria.
Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds supports a more diverse gut microbiome. I like that more content online is encouraging people to add foods in, rather than just cut foods out.
If you increase fibre too quickly, it can worsen symptoms like bloating, gas and discomfort - so the key is to go gradually and make it personalised.
I start by looking at the types of fibre someone is eating. Soluble fibre - from foods like oats, fruits and vegetables - is often better tolerated initially than large amounts of insoluble fibre (like wheat bran).
From there, it’s about increasing slowly over weeks, giving the gut time to adapt. You can build tolerance - it’s almost like “training” the gut to handle a wider range of fibres without triggering symptoms.
Fermented foods can also be beneficial because they provide live bacteria that support microbiome diversity - but again, it depends on individual tolerance. Start with small portions, observe symptoms, and adjust.
I aim for a variety of plant foods rather than perfection - thinking about fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds across the day where I can.
I try to include fermented foods a couple of times a week, eat regularly, and stay hydrated, because those are key for digestion.
Habit-wise, I prioritise movement and stress management, even if it’s just a short walk or stretching during the day - and I try to keep my sleep consistent. Small, sustainable changes tend to work better than trying to overhaul everything at once.
Regular movement - exercise in any way you can.
Expensive gut tests, or extreme elimination diets.
Legumes - beans, lentils, chickpeas. They can cause bloating at first, but when you build tolerance, they’re really beneficial.
A good breakfast with fibre and protein - it sets the intention for the day. And hydration.
A sandwich - no shame. Ideally wholegrain bread, a protein filling like eggs, tuna or chicken, and some salad if I can.
That all gut issues are caused by one single food - dairy, gluten, etc. It’s usually more complex than that.
Variety is more powerful than perfection. Eating a range of plant foods consistently is one of the best things you can do for your gut.
I like the gut health bars, the prebiotic ones. Chocolate hazelnut is my favourite!
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