Fixing problem with constant mucus in throat, bad breadth, constipation, gas.
I am 50 years old, and for as long as I can remember I had digestive issues, but the mucus in my throat was getting out of control, I could not talk at work without constantly clearing my throat and I would start coughing and do that for hours. So annoying, I was desperate to fix it, and I visited many different types of doctors, some say it was reflux, then I did an endoscopy and there was no reflux, I went to an ear throat doctor who have me gaviscon peppermint to calm my throat as the constant clearing made it dry and was triggering coughing, but that was just a little temporary relief that wouldn't work long term.
Finally, after years and years of pain, I decided to visit a naturopath, as I suspected the problem was in my gut. And it was.
See, I have been fed a poor diet as a kid, I ate a lot of sugar in all it's forms. And I have been addicted to sugar for as long as I can remember.
My naturopath tested me for SIBO and it was positive. SIBO, which stands for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth, this is caused mainly by eating sugar, flour and drinking alcohol (which I used to do a lot too).
My doctor gave me some natural pills to start what is called the 'kill' phase, where you basically nuke a lot of those bacterias and microbes, and Oh my god, the first week they die by the masses and you fart them out in the longest farts you have ever done (sorry for this explicit description, but you need to know that if you have a partner you might need to sleep alone for that week).
After the first month, some signs became better, but the mucus, bad breadth and constipation were pretty much there. What I did notice is that I didn't get such strong sugar cravings, as a lot of the bacteria that fed on that sugar was wiped out.
At that point I started a low histamine and low FODMAP diet (google it or ask chatgpt what both of those are. And this was life changing. Let me say that again: THIS WAS FRIGGING LIFE CHANGING TO THE POINT THAT I AM NEVER GOING BACK. I hope you get it.
The diet start super restrictive, you can eat all types of meats and fish, potato, sweet potatoes, chives, bok choi, eggs, carrots, cucumber, melon, blueberries, kiwis, rice, polenta, quinoa, roiboss tea, fennel tea and ginger tea. (there are more foods you can eat, again, chatgpt them). And you need to quit Alcohol, Sugar, Processed foods, Caffeine, Dairy and Wheat Flour.
After 4 days you wake up already feeling a massive difference. No brain fog and a lot more energy during the day. Gas and constipation improves mucus starts reducing. After a month the change is notorious, you still get mucus flares (especially if you eat something you shouldn't) but flares last less and don't stop you from functioning as my situation before did. I am two months in now. I am 80% there, I never cough again, I get tiny mucus flares that just require clearing my throat, bad breadth is gone, constipation is gone, and gasses are gone. I sleep a lot better than I ever did.
I stopped going to the naturopath last month, and now I keep the flow going with chatgpt, I ask him all the time -Can I eat this? and it goes, yes, or no, or not yet, wait two more weeks for that.
I started reintroducing some foods (eventually you can reintroduce everything as you build up resistance and normalise your digsetion), this will depend on how bad your situation is. I go very slowly as I was in terrible shape. Chatgpt says that by month 4 my digestive issues will be fixed, and that the mucus that was generated as a histamine reaction (because my intestine was leaky and that triggered an immune response) will disappear completely or only had it very occasionally.
Because of my drinking, my liver was under stress, so my original plan was to continue this diet until month 6, as that is how long it takes to regenerate your liver.
But the reality is, I am feeling so so so good, I never felt this way before in my life, that I am thinking to just stick to it for as long as I can hold it. Quit alcohol, sugar, wheat flour, caffeine and dairy forever. Maybe have the occasional pasta once a month but that's it. I know some people do the once a week cheat day and that might work for some. But I honestly don't want to ruin this feeling.
Now, I thought this was only about digestive issues and liver, but when you embark on this diet, you get so much more, and I love that you can ask chatgpt to tell you what will improve by when, and what things that are not even in my radar will improve my following this diet. For me it's only been two months and I fixed all my digestive issues, liver is of course healing as I don't eat anything to upset it, my skin is glowing and more clean, my joints don't hurt, I exercise more and recovery is easier, but by far the biggest improvement that I am loving the most is that I am way happier, I have increased my baseline happiness considerably, better mood, better motivation, better stress management and a lot more energy during the day.
It has only been two months and there is so much more to look forward to down the track. So I just want to say, if you have been suffering from any digestive issues, especially the mucus or bad breadth ones which get on the way of a normal life, you have to try this, because I tried everything before, but I was always looking at the symptoms, you need to go deep, to the root issue, to the gut. Once you fix the gut, you can go back to a more normal life, with measure, of course. I will no longer be addicted to sugar as the biological addiction disappeared when the bacteria died, so I don't have cravings anymore, which makes sustaining a good diet a lot easier.
I really hope that this can help you, because I was so desperate and I would have loved to read something like this when I was looking for a solution. Be happy and healthy :)
PS: I asked Chatgpt to produce a table to add here with all things that improve in your health and life when doing this long term. Here you go:
Long-term improvements table
| Body system / marker | What improves (practical, real-life) | Why it improves (main mechanisms) | When you notice it | When it “peaks” / stabilizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy stability | Fewer crashes, steadier all-day energy, less “wired/tired” | Stable blood sugar, less inflammation, better sleep architecture | 2–6 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Mood & emotional stability | Less irritability, less anxiety spikes, more resilience | Reduced inflammatory signaling, improved gut-brain axis, steadier glucose | 4–8 weeks | 6–12 months |
| Focus / cognition | Better concentration, less brain fog, more mental stamina | Improved insulin sensitivity, lower neuroinflammation, better sleep | 4–12 weeks | 6–18 months |
| Sleep quality | Deeper sleep, fewer awakenings, better recovery | No alcohol/caffeine disruption, lower histamine/inflammation, stable glucose | 1–4 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Stress tolerance | Less reactive to stress, calmer baseline | Lower cortisol swings (no stimulants), improved autonomic tone | 6–12 weeks | 6–12 months |
| Sugar cravings / food “noise” | Cravings weaken, easier satiety, fewer compulsive urges | Dopamine recalibration, stable glucose/insulin, microbiome shifts | 2–8 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Weight / body composition | Less fat gain tendency, easier fat loss, less water retention | Lower insulin load, reduced inflammation, fewer hyper-palatable foods | 4–12 weeks | 6–24 months (compounds) |
| Visceral fat & metabolic risk | Lower waist, improved metabolic markers | Improved insulin sensitivity, reduced fatty liver risk | 2–6 months | 1–3 years |
| Blood pressure | Often modest reduction, less variability | Better endothelial function, less sympathetic drive, less inflammation | 1–3 months | 6–12 months |
| Cholesterol profile | Often ↓ triglycerides, ↑ HDL, improved ApoB (varies) | Less sugar/alcohol, better insulin sensitivity, less liver fat | 2–4 months | 6–12 months |
| Cardiovascular risk | Lower long-term heart disease risk | Lower inflammation + better lipids + better glucose control | 6–12 months | Years (compounds) |
| Circulation / vascular function | Warmer extremities, less leg heaviness, less swelling tendency | Better endothelial function, less blood viscosity/inflammation | 6–12 weeks | 3–12 months |
| Varicose vein appearance (sometimes) | Less prominent on “good days,” less swelling around veins | Reduced inflammation + fluid retention, better venous tone | 6–12 weeks | 3–12 months (structural veins vary) |
| Inflammation (whole-body) | Less puffiness, less aches, fewer flares | Reduced inflammatory inputs (alcohol/sugar/wheat), gut barrier improves | 4–12 weeks | 6–12 months |
| Joint pain / stiffness | Less morning stiffness, fewer flares | Lower systemic inflammation, less glycation damage | 2–6 months | 1–2 years |
| Gut symptoms (bloating/gas) | Less bloating, less fermentation, more predictable digestion | Less irritants + microbiome shift | 4–12 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Stool quality | More formed stools, easier evacuation, less urgency | Improved motility + less inflammation | 2–8 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Constipation (if present) | More regularity (varies by fiber/fluid/magnesium) | Motility improves, inflammation drops | 4–12 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Reflux / throat sensitivity | Less reflux events, calmer throat | No alcohol/caffeine, less gut pressure, less inflammation | 4–10 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Mucus / post-nasal drip reflex | Lower baseline mucus, fewer flare days, faster recovery | Less histamine triggers + less reflux + calmer mast cells | 6–12 weeks | 3–6 months (sometimes 6–12 months) |
| Bad breath (if linked to mucus/reflux/SIBO) | Less frequent, more stable mouth feel | Reduced reflux + reduced fermentation | 6–12 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Histamine sensitivity | Larger “histamine bucket,” fewer reactions | Lower baseline inflammation, gut barrier repair, mast cell calm | 2–4 months | 6–12 months |
| Immune resilience | Fewer colds, faster recovery | Better sleep, less inflammation, improved gut immunity | 3–6 months | 1–2 years |
| Skin clarity (face) | Less redness, less blotchiness, calmer tone | Reduced inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity | 4–12 weeks | 6–12 months |
| Body skin texture | Smoother texture, less “roughness,” better hydration | Better micronutrient absorption, lower glycation | 2–6 months | 1–2 years |
| Acne / breakouts (if present) | Fewer breakouts, less oily swings | Lower insulin spikes, less dairy trigger | 4–12 weeks | 6–12 months |
| Eczema/dermatitis tendencies | Less flaring (if relevant) | Lower inflammatory load + histamine control | 2–6 months | 6–18 months |
| Cellulite appearance | Often modest improvement, less “inflamed look” | Less inflammation/fluid retention; body comp changes | 3–6 months | 1–2 years |
| Collagen/aging (skin) | Slower visible aging, better elasticity over time | Less glycation, less oxidative stress | 6–12 months | Years (compounds) |
| Liver health | Lower fatty liver risk, better enzymes (if elevated) | No alcohol + less sugar = huge | 2–6 months | 1–2 years |
| Kidney strain (metabolic) | Lower long-term metabolic load | Better glucose control, lower inflammation | 6–12 months | Years |
| Hormonal balance | More stable hunger hormones; often improved libido/energy | Better sleep, less inflammation, better insulin sensitivity | 2–6 months | 6–12 months |
| Fertility markers (if relevant) | Often improves in both sexes | Lower oxidative stress + inflammation | 3–12 months | 1–2 years |
| Bone health | Can improve if nutrition is adequate (protein, minerals) | Less inflammation; but needs calcium/vit D support | 6–12 months | Years |
| Dental/oral environment | Less dry mouth/reflux effects, steadier breath | Less reflux + less sugar | 1–3 months | 6–12 months |
| Headaches/migraines (if relevant) | Often fewer triggers | No alcohol, stable glucose, less histamine | 1–3 months | 6–12 months |
| Anxiety sensitivity to caffeine | Less jitteriness, fewer palpitations | Removing stimulant | Days–2 weeks | 1–2 months |
| Resting heart rate (often) | May drop slightly | Better sleep, less sympathetic drive | 4–12 weeks | 3–6 months |
| Exercise performance | Better recovery, less inflammation, better endurance | Improved mitochondrial efficiency, better sleep, better fuel use | 1–3 months | 6–12 months |
| Longevity / mortality risk | Lower risk of early chronic disease | ↓ CVD/diabetes/cancer drivers (inflammation + metabolic control) | Not “felt” | Compounds over decades |
| Healthspan / independence | More functional years, slower decline | Muscle preservation + metabolic health + sleep | Not “felt” | Compounds over decades |
Posted Jan 10, 2026, 12:31 AM UTC