WAYS TO RESET YOUR GUT
7 min read/ 1351 words
Your gut is connected wholly to your entire body. Scientists are increasingly confirming how taking care of your gut can translate into better overall health. Let’s discuss 8 ways to reset your gut so you can feel your absolute best.
While there are many things you can do for better health, focusing on healing and balancing your gut microbiome is one of the best.
This is true because it is linked to other systems throughout your body, such as the brain, nervous, immune, digestive, endocrine, and more.
Therefore, an imbalanced gut microbiome can have adverse effects on your health.
A healthy, balanced gut can equate to a healthy, thriving body with fewer ailments or the need for medications.
Now, you’re probably thinking this whole gut healing must be complicated and require you to give up everything you love about living, but that’s not true. You can continue living your life with a few tweaks and learning new healthy strategies that will fit into your lifestyle.
So, without further ado, here are 8 Ways to Reset Your Gut & Feel Great.
Table of Contents
8 Ways to Reset Your Gut & Feel Great
As I said before, there are many things you can do that would benefit your gut and result in a healthier version of yourself, but here are eight ways you can get a jump on healing and set the stage for long-term health.
- Ditch toxins
- Eat fermented
- Probiotics
- Prebiotics
- Antibiotics
- Digestive enzymes
- Other supplements
- Manage stress
Ditch Toxins
Detoxing can be one of the best ways to reset your gut and set the stage for healing. Even though our bodies can detox themselves quite well, our modern way of living makes it difficult for our organs to do their jobs efficiently. We are constantly bombarding our bodies with toxins, both internally and externally.
A detox that addresses internal and external toxins is the only kind that works. Nope, you can drink no magic tonic and flush out all the toxins. A detox that sells that idea is a scam and should be avoided.
Here’s a list of things a detox should address:
- Limiting or avoiding alcohol and tobacco
- Eating whole fresh foods
- Avoiding or limiting highly processed foods
- Reducing chronic inflammation
- Ditching toxic cleaners, including household cleaners, laundry soaps, and personal hygiene products
- Replacing personal care products such as makeup, deodorant, shampoos, and body washes with those that are paraben-free and aluminum-free
- Finding natural ways to assist your lymphatic system
- Working your body physically and mentally
If you think detoxing is right for you, check out our 10-Day Total Gut Transformation that covers all these areas and more.
Fermented Food
Fermentation is the process by which bacteria and yeast break down sugars. Fermented foods and probiotics can help increase the number of beneficial bacteria in your gut.
There are many fermented foods to choose from:
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Brined pickles
- Sourdough bread
- Tempeh
- Miso
- Kombucha
Adding these foods to your diet can help increase the amount of “good” bacteria in your gut, which is exactly what you need to balance your gut microbiome so it can be healthy. Read more about the best foods for gut health.
Probiotics
Probiotics are essentially beneficial bacteria. The foods listed above are probiotic. You can, however, also take probiotic supplements.
Many companies have jumped on the probiotic trend, so be careful about the ones you choose. Read reviews and check ingredients. It’s also a good idea to find out what the capsule is made from. Those with an enteric coating can survive stomach acid, while others may be dissolved, killing off the bacteria before reaching your small intestine.
Prebiotics
Prebiotic fiber is another necessary component to keeping probiotic bacteria alive. Prebiotics feed the bacteria so they can survive, and you can reap their health benefits.
Here are some examples of prebiotics:
- Barley
- Garlic
- Onions
- Dark Greens
- Bananas
- Oats
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are the exact opposite of probiotics. The prefix pro means supporting or in favor of, whereas the prefix anti means defending against, preventing, or curing.
Antibiotics are used to control or eliminate bacteria, which is great except for one thing: it kills all bacteria, even those your body needs to stay healthy.
In order to keep your gut microbiome working properly, you should limit or avoid antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. If you can’t avoid them, ramp up your probiotic intake while taking antibiotics to help replenish the bacteria that is being eliminated and to prevent a secondary infection such as a yeast infection.
Digestive Enzymes
Digestive enzymes help your body break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins from food. They help your body absorb nutrients and maintain optimal health. Without these enzymes, the nutrients in your food go straight through your intestine and turn into waste.
Certain health conditions can prevent the production of digestive enzymes. This isn’t something you can diagnose on your own; therefore, you should seek advice from a medical professional. Besides, most digestive enzymes are only available through prescription.
Some enzymes available over the counter can help with certain conditions, such as lactose intolerance and difficulty digesting beans. While others are available, I still recommend speaking with your doctor before starting any other type of digestive enzyme.
You can also get digestive enzymes naturally with food. Here are some foods that contain digestive enzymes:
- sauerkraut
- avocados
- bananas
- ginger
- honey
- kefir
Here is a list of 9 healthy food swaps to help improve your digestion.
Other Supplements
Some other ways to reset your gut are by taking supplements that support gut health. Again, be sure to check with your healthcare provider before starting any supplement, especially if you have any health conditions or currently take medications.
Here is a list of supplements I recommend for gut health:
- Licorice root – anti-inflammatory and acts as a mild laxative if you’re constipated
- Peppermint – has many gut benefits – antimicrobial, kills harmful bacteria, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, protects against cell damage, and it can ease an upset stomach and bloat.
- Chamomile – antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, can also ease diarrhea
- Ginger – anti-inflammatory, eases nausea, lowers blood sugars, aids with weight loss, aids digestion, lessens menstrual cramps, and can help fight against infections
- Collagen – I don’t recommend taking a supplement for this unless recommended by your doctor; however, I recommend boosting your body’s ability to produce collagen naturally. You can do this by eating foods high in the three amino acids glycine, lysine, and proline. Examples are legumes, soy products, seeds, and nuts. You can also buy an amino acid supplement if you prefer.
Manage Stress
Stress is by far the most common reason for poor gut health. In fact, it’s the root cause of many health conditions, which is why stress management is so important.
In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have any stress, but in reality, we all have stress, and most of us don’t handle it well.
Stress is a natural reaction to life and the experiences we have, which is beneficial in the short term. When these stress levels become chronic, however, they can have adverse effects on your health, such as:
- headaches
- low sex drive
- heartburn
- depression
- insomnia
- weakened immune system
- digestive issues
- high blood pressure
- erectile dysfunction
- irregular periods
You must find ways to reduce and manage stress for better overall health. My best advice is to try different things until you discover what works. Click here to read more about how stress affects your gut health.
Here are a few things to try:
- meditation
- journaling
- walking
- bike riding
- focused breathing
- coloring or painting
- brain dumps
- practicing gratitude
- essential oils
- listening to music
By now, I hope you can see how important gut health is to overall health and wellness. Implementing these 8 Ways to Reset Your Gut can make all the difference in your health and quality of life.
Don’t know where to begin? Join our FREE 7-Day Gut Reset Challenge! This self-paced email challenge will help you jumpstart your journey to a happier gut. Click here to learn more.
Not sure if your gut needs some love? Check out this article, 10 Clear Signs Your Gut Needs Attention Now to find out.
