What does gut health mean to you? Do you think about your digestive system and improving irritating symptoms like bloating, constipation, and indigestion? Maybe you’ve dealt with a gut disorder such as IBS, ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease.
The thing is, there’s a lot more to gut health than meets the naked eye. Because the trillions of bacteria that inhabit your gut do a whole lot more than prevent stomach problems.
Case in point: Did you know that roughly 70% of your immune system is housed in your gut? Or that your gut is responsible for 90% of serotonin production? That makes restoring gut health pivotal for our immunity and mental health.
Sometimes, things can get a little clunked up on the inside, at which point it might be a good idea to reset your gut so you can get back on track.
To help you have a successful gut reset and put you on the path to optimal gut health, here are 10 simple tips to follow.
Resetting Your Gut Health
1. Eat a wide variety of plant-based foods
If you want to reset your gut, start eating more plant-based foods. But don’t just take our word for it!
The American Gut Project, which is the largest study ever conducted on the gut microbiome (over 11,000+ people participated), found the number one determinant of a healthy gut to be the variety of plant foods people eat.
So, what’s the magic number for restoring gut health? The study found that, during any given week, a variety of 30+ plant-based foods is ideal.
2. Make fiber your friend
When it comes to rebooting and restoring gut health, including fiber in your diet is a wise investment. Fiber is crawling with prebiotics, which act as fuel for the good bacteria that reside in your gut.
Not only can fiber help reset your gut, but it prevents constipation, makes it easier to lose weight, and has even been shown to reduce the risk of health conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.
You may want to consider supplements, like our Move Fiber Powder, to make sure you’re getting enough prebiotics in your diet.
3. Aim for more probiotics
Just like fiber and prebiotics, probiotics belong on the list of foods to reset your gut. Probiotics are live microorganisms that increase the amount of your gut’s “good” bacteria.
Foods that are high in probiotics include yogurt (make sure the brand you purchase contains “live” cultures), kefir, tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha. Oftentimes, if a food is fermented (like the ones we’ve named), it’s probably high in probiotics.
Similar to prebiotics, sometimes it can be hard getting enough probiotics in your diet. But supplements like our Cultivate Probiotic can make it easier.
4. Cut back on sugar and processed foods
Not surprisingly, sugar and processed foods aren’t just bad for your gut, but they’re not too good for your overall health either. Food labels tell you everything you need to know, so before buying something, make sure you’re aware of all the ingredients that go into it.
5. Steer clear of artificial sweeteners
They might save you some calories, but the more research that comes out about artificial sweeteners, the more it’s starting to look like they actually may not be the best for your gut. In fact, they might do more harm than good. So, if your goals are clearing out your gut and restoring gut health, you probably want to limit their use.
6. Combat the stress in your life
Stress throws your gut out of whack and can lead to inflammation, bloating, cramping, and a variety of other unfavorable symptoms. If you suffer from gut-related conditions like IBS, IBD, or GERD, stressful situations can cause symptoms or worsen ones already present.
Next time you feel like pulling your hair out, try turning to mindfulness meditation or yoga (here are 7 poses to reduce stress).
7. Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is another simple way to reset your gut. Being hydrated flushes out harmful toxins and acts as a natural digestive system reset.
If you’re tired of regular old drinking water, spice things up with your H2O and make your own homemade detox drink with ingredients like lemon or lime wedges, cucumbers, kiwi, or make some green tea.
8. Move your body
Exercise is good for preventing disease and staying fit. It’s also beneficial for your gut. Research shows that moderate exercise improves gut health. The best workout you can do is simply walking. Get started with something simple, like committing to a brisk walk around the neighborhood three times a week for 20 minutes.
9. Catch some shut-eye
Let’s be real, quality sleep can be hard to come by sometimes. But it may be one of the most overlooked ways for restoring gut health.
The CDC says adults should aim for between 7-9 hours each night. If you have trouble falling asleep, limit screen time 1-2 hours before bed. The blue light emitted from our screens messes with circadian rhythm.
10. Try a body reset cleanse or gut detox
We saved the best for last (aka the ultimate gut reset hack). And that’s trying a gut reset cleanse. Here at Clean, we offer a Gut Repair Program several times a year and ongoing 7-day and 21-day cleanse programs to help you detox the right way and restore gut health. With probiotics, fiber, digestive enzymes, and other herbs and supplements, our programs are designed to improve digestive health, increase energy levels, reduce inflammation in the body, and much more!
Find more about our Gut Repair Program here.
Click on the pictures below to learn more about our programs:
Final Thoughts on How to Reset Your Gut Health
And there you have it—10 ways for resetting your gut health! Remember, a healthy gut impacts so many other areas of your life—from your immune health to mental health and everything in between. Make use of these simple gut health tips in order to reset your gut and get back on the path to good health!
Written by Chad Richardson, a freelance writer from Cincinnati, OH who’s passionate about creating content that helps people enjoy healthier lives.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33803407/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6005194/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5385025/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6363527/
https://gut.bmj.com/content/47/6/861
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.637010/full