Dr. Daniel Ricciardi

05/19/2026

05/15/2026

Don’t make it harder on yourself…

Processed foods are typically engineered to make your hunger hormones keep firing long after you’ve eaten enough calories.

Ultra-processed foods are designed to be hyper-palatable (easy to eat). They hijack your dopamine system the same way drugs do, making it much harder to stop at one serving.  You overeat before you know what happened. 

If you have superhuman willpower, you CAN lose or maintain weight with processed foods…

But it’s an uphill battle, and you’re making it way harder than it needs to be.
_

Other problems with highly processed foods you didn’t ask for…

Your gut microbiome takes a hit. The emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives in processed foods disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut, impacting mood, immunity, and digestion.

Your gut lining pays the price. Many additives, like carrageenan, maltodextrin, and certain emulsifiers, have been shown to increase intestinal permeability, triggering low-grade inflammation that can show up as bloating, brain fog, fatigue, and joint pain.

Chronic inflammation becomes your baseline. When your gut is damaged and your microbiome is disrupted, your immune system stays in a constant low-level fight mode.

That’s not normal.

That’s the quiet impact of processed food that you aren’t told.

05/13/2026

Getting diagnosed with IBS is not useful.

It’s just what you’re told when you have digestive issues, and they don’t know why.

In reality, those symptoms often point to deeper issues like leaky gut, microbiome imbalance, low stomach acid, etc (things that usually don’t get tested in your regular checkups).

I was told I had IBS for a decade until I figured out it was SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

If you’re tired of being told “it’s just IBS,” here’s a simple step-by-step approach to start getting real answers (and relief):

Step 1. Choose simple, whole foods: Stick to foods with minimal ingredients. They’re easier to digest and often reduce symptoms right away. Do this first before anything else.
👉 If this works, stop here! If not, keep going step by step.

Step 2. Relax before meals: Avoid eating while stressed. Being in a calm state while eating helps big-time with digestion.

Step 3. Eat mindfully: Chew thoroughly, avoid chugging liquids with meals, and stop before you’re stuffed.

Step 4. Try digestive support: Apple cider vinegar, ox bile, or digestive enzymes sometimes can help, especially if you are deficient in one or more of these (or are always stressed when you eat).

Step 5. Make and go to your regular doctors appointments: Get your labs done. Get scans if covered by insurance. Rule out anything serious with your doctor.

Step 6. Dig deeper: If symptoms persist, test for SIBO, parasites, other root causes

If you want help with this, comment below or send me a message.

05/12/2026

12 Common SIBO Trigger Foods

If you’ve got small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), some of the healthiest foods can cause the most bloating, gas, and discomfort.

Here are the repeat offenders I see most:

🧅 Onion
🧄 Garlic
🍎 Apples
🥣 Beans (all of them)
🥦 Broccoli (florets not as bad)
🥙 Hummus/chickpea
🍇 Dried fruits (all of them)
🌸 Cauliflower
🧃 Fruit juices (all of them)
🥗 Raw vegetables (all of them)
🥬 Brussel sprouts
🥛 Milk (*NOTE: lactose free cows milk is often fine. Plant based milks without any additives besides water and salt are often fine)

These are all high in fermentable sugars (FODMAPs) or tough-to-digest fibers, which can cause a lot of symptoms if you have SIBO.

💡 Important: You don’t need to avoid these forever. The goal is to treat the root cause, rebalance the gut, and then reintroduce the healthy foods you enjoy with less reactivity.

💬 Drop a “SIBO” in the comments to for my free SIBO training.

05/10/2026

Gut problems don’t always look like gut problems.

05/08/2026

This and some ground beef.

Prep: 5 mins
Bake: 40 mins

White potato - cut into 1 inch cubes
Rinse and pat dry
Drizzle in olive oil, salt, parsley flakes
Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes (or until golden brown and crisp), turning halfway

05/05/2026

Do these to make it easier 👇

1️⃣ Hold off on starting: (If you feel hungry)
-have a glass of water with electrolytes
-have a coffee or tea
-have a high protein snack
-go for a walk
-go to the gym/workout
-wait 15 minutes (hunger goes away more often than you think)

2️⃣ Eat slower:
-chew your food 3x longer than you usually do
-set a timer, take 30 mins to eat your first plate
-don’t watch tv or scroll while eating
-focus on enjoying eat bite or talk to people while eating

3️⃣Make better food choices:
-eat protein and fat first, carbs last
-eat single ingredient foods instead of highly processed foods
-don’t bring sugar and junkfood home. Instead, treat yourself 1-2x weekly

4️⃣ After you finish your plate:
-immediately go for a walk outside
-immediately put away leftovers

You’re not supposed to feel like your stomach will explode.

05/04/2026

The best elimination diet you can do…

Eliminating highly processed foods.

Instead, eat single-ingredient whole foods 90% of the time

Here’s why you should try this elimination diet first:

• No hidden thickeners or fillers. Carrageenan, xanthan gum, modified starches — your gut doesn’t love these, and most people have no idea they’re consuming them daily.

• Less immune activation. Your immune system flags ingredients it doesn’t recognize. Whole foods have been in the human diet for thousands of years. A 47-ingredient snack bar hasn’t.

• More filling per calorie. Whole foods are naturally satiating — fiber, protein, and water content that ultra-processed foods are specifically engineered to bypass so you eat more.

• Actually nutrient-dense. Ultra-processed foods are often fortified with vitamins — but usually in cheap, poorly absorbed synthetic forms. That’s not the same as nutrients that come packaged the way nature intended.

You don’t have to eliminate gluten, dairy, FODMAPs, or entire food groups to feel better.

Sometimes the answer is simpler.

🥩🥦🍳🫐

(Yes, combining single-ingredient foods is fine)

Save this if you’ve been chasing the wrong elimination diet.

05/01/2026

I’ll just walk myself to jail

04/28/2026

Wins a win.

04/26/2026

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