How To Do a Gut Health Cleanse The Right Way

With gut health being linked to everything from immunity to mental health, it’s no wonder so many people are interested in doing a gut cleanse. However, not all gut cleanses are created equal. Some involve drastic, restrictive diets that can backfire over the long term. As a holistic health coach, I guide my clients through safe, sustainable cleanses focused on removing gut irritants and nourishing beneficial flora. In this blog, I’ll share my tips for how to effectively do a gut health cleanse the right way.

Set Your Intention

It’s important to have a clear intention before doing a cleanse. Ask yourself: Why do I want to do this? Am I looking to reset my gut microbiome, eliminate bloating, support detoxification, identify food intolerances, and boost energy? Having an intention will help shape your cleanse protocol and determine how long you should follow it. I recommend starting with a manageable 2-5 day cleanse and building up from there.

Remove Gut Disruptors

The removal phase involves taking away substances and foods that feed bad bacteria, irritate the gut lining, or cause inflammation. These commonly include:

● Processed foods, added sugar, artificial sweeteners

● Conventional dairy and gluten-containing grains

● Alcohol, caffeine, carbonation, gum, and candy

● Refined cooking oils like vegetable, canola, and soybean oil

● Potential food intolerances like eggs, corn, soy, nuts, shellfish

Some people need to be more aggressive and also eliminate grains, legumes, nightshades, or fruit during this elimination phase.

Follow a Gut Nourishing Diet

During the cleanse, focus your diet on gut-nourishing foods like:

● Organic, locally grown vegetables

● Clean, grass-fed protein sources

● Healing herbs and broths

● Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and yogurt

● Prebiotic-rich foods like onion, garlic, asparagus

● Soothing teas like chamomile, marshmallow, ginger

Bone broth, collagen peptides, and glutamine supplements also help repair and strengthen the gut lining during a cleanse. Stay hydrated with filtered water and herbal tea.

Support Your Microbiome

Removing inflammatory foods allows your gut’s beneficial bacteria to rebalance and thrive. You can further support your microbiome during a cleanse by taking a high-quality, high-potency probiotic supplement with at least 30-50 billion CFUs. I also recommend consuming fermented foods and beverages that contain probiotics.

Manage Stress

Don’t underestimate the toll stress can take on your gut health. Increased cortisol from chronic stress inhibits the growth of beneficial bacteria. Be sure to incorporate stress-reducing practices into your cleanse, like meditation, Epsom salt baths, nature walks, yoga, or mindfulness. Getting quality sleep is also key.

Move Your Body

Exercise and movement are super important for a healthy gut cleanse. Physical activity reduces stress, circulates lymph, and stimulates peristalsis - the wave-like contractions that keep things moving through your digestive tract. Aim for 30-60 minutes of moderate exercise daily. This can include walking, Pilates, Qigong, cycling, or swimming.

Go Slow with Reintroductions

Once you’ve completed your gut cleanse, don’t rush to reintroduce eliminated foods. Take a slow, strategic approach to identify which foods you tolerate well versus those that trigger symptoms. I coach my clients to reintroduce one food at a time while paying attention to subtle clues like energy, sleep, pain, mood, digestion, or bowel habits as possible reactions. Keeping a food journal is very helpful.

The key is to go as long as needed without inflammatory foods in order for your gut to heal, strengthen, and create new healthy habits. The goal is to achieve food freedom and thriving for life. With patience and consistency, you can experience the many benefits of a gut cleanse done the right way. Whole clean foods and lifestyle changes are ideal. Be careful of extreme cleanses, always consult your physician before making drastic diet changes, especially if you have existing health conditions.

Additional Tips for an Effective Gut Cleanse:

● Try intermittent fasting by having a 10-12 hour overnight fast between dinner and breakfast. Allowing the gut to rest helps reduce inflammation and encourages diversity of microbes.

● Incorporate gut-soothing herbs like marshmallow root, slippery elm, and licorice root, which coat and protect the intestinal lining. A herbalist can provide customized recommendations.

● Consider digging deeper with a stool test, organic acid test, or SIBO breath test to understand what’s happening inside your microbiome. This can help personalize your cleanse plan.

● Avoid gut-irritating medications like NSAIDs, antibiotics, steroids, antacids, and PPIs unless absolutely necessary. Always consult your doctor.

● Manage other sources of inflammation in the body, like food sensitivities, fungal overgrowth, and chronic infections that impact gut ecosystems.

● Support your body's detox pathways using sauna therapy, electrolyte replacement, liver-loving foods, and binding supplements to clear environmental toxins.

The gut cleanse journey requires patience since it takes time to rebalance digestive health. But with a strategic, compassionate approach, you can create deep transformation. Know that minor setbacks are part of the process. Your body will thank you for the gut-healing love!

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