The concept of a "detox diet" for gut health has gained popularity, promising to reset the gut microbiome and improve overall well-being. These diets often involve short-term dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments aimed at boosting beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. While the idea of spring cleaning for your body is appealing, it's essential to approach detox diets with a critical eye, examining the scientific evidence and potential benefits and risks.
Understanding the Gut Microbiome and Detox Diets
The gut microbiome comprises trillions of microorganisms residing in the digestive system, playing a crucial role in nutrient absorption, immune function, and overall health. Research suggests that gut bacteria influence various aspects of health, including immunity and inflammation, with both positive and negative impacts depending on the microbial species present.
Gut resets aim to restore the balance of the microbiome by:
- Removing foods that feed harmful bacteria and cause inflammation
- Introducing plenty of prebiotic foods, which feed beneficial bacteria
- Encouraging healthful practices, such as getting enough sleep and exercise and staying hydrated
It's important to differentiate a gut reset from a gut detox or cleanse. People typically use gut cleanses or detox diets to remove toxins from the body and lose weight. This is in contrast to a gut reset, which aims to improve digestive health by encouraging beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Examining the Evidence for 3-Day Gut Resets
A 3-day gut reset is a short diet that aims to improve digestive health by increasing the amount of beneficial bacteria in a person’s large intestine. While changing the diet and taking steps to lead a healthful lifestyle benefits gut flora, further research is necessary to determine whether a short-term gut reset has any lasting health benefits.
Read also: Explore the pros and cons of fruit juice detoxes.
Diet can influence the function, diversity, and composition of a person’s gut microbiome. For example, a 2023 study found that certain gut microbiota responded rapidly to short-term dietary interventions. This suggests that although a 3-day gut reset may positively influence the microbiome during the diet, people should implement longer-term changes to diet and lifestyle for longer-lasting benefits.
Long-Term Dietary Changes for Gut Health
According to a 2021 review, the Mediterranean diet can increase the amount and diversity of beneficial bacteria in the gut, whereas other types of diet may decrease it, including the Western diet or Standard American Diet (SAD). The Mediterranean diet includes many of the features of a gut reset, focusing on healthy fats, vegetables, and other sources of fiber. A 3-day gut reset may help a person transition to a diet that includes more of these foods.
Practical Steps for Implementing a Gut Reset
If a person wants to try a 3-day gut reset, it is a good idea to plan ahead. Gut resets often require sudden and significant changes to the diet, so it can help if a person prepares by:
- Eliminating any foods they wish to avoid from their cupboards and fridge
- Planning meals for the next 3 days
- Making a grocery list and shopping for the ingredients beforehand
- Making or freezing dishes ahead of time
- Making sure they have time each day to prepare homemade meals, exercise, and rest
Day 1: Eliminating Inflammatory Foods and Staying Hydrated
On the first day of a gut reset, the focus is on eliminating inflammatory foods and drinks from the diet. These include:
- Added sugars, such as table sugar, corn syrup, or ingredients ending in “-ose” (such as fructose)
- Refined carbohydrates, such as pasta, pizza dough, cakes, and pastries
- Foods high in saturated fat, such as processed meats
Instead, a person should eat plenty of fresh produce and healthy fats, including:
Read also: Supporting Detoxification
- Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach or kale
- Brightly colored vegetables, such as peppers, carrots, or eggplant
- Fruits that are lower in added sugar, such as berries, apples, or avocado
- Olives and olive oil
- Nuts and seeds
- Oily fish and lean protein
Complex carbohydrates can provide slow-burning energy throughout the day. A person can include moderate portions of foods such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, or sweet potatoes.
Adequate water intake is essential for the body to function. A person can tell if they are drinking enough water by the color of their urine, which should be the color of pale straw. During the gut reset, a person should replace caffeine and alcohol with water or herbal teas, such as peppermint, chamomile, or fennel.
Some evidence suggests that sleep can impact the microbiome, as well as cognitive function. A person can try making time to wind down in the evening and establish a regular time for sleeping and waking.
Day 2: Adding High-Fiber Foods and Regular Exercise
Adding additional high fiber foods to the diet can provide beneficial gut flora with more to eat. Examples of high fiber foods include:
- Raw vegetables and salads
- Ground flaxseeds
- Beans and lentils
A sudden increase in fiber intake may cause temporary bloating or gas, so some people may benefit from including fiber in the diet from day one instead.
Read also: Your guide to a 3-day detox meal plan.
A 2022 systematic review concludes that exercise modulates gut microbiota. However, the authors note that intense exercise over long periods may lead to unfavorable gut conditions. Regular exercise can also help people relieve stress and maintain a moderate weight. To start gentle exercise, people can try:
- Walking
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Tai chi
Day 3: Incorporating Fermented Foods and Relaxation Techniques
Fermented foods often contain probiotics, which are live bacteria that have beneficial health effects. A person can include the following fermented foods in their diet:
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Kefir
As with high fiber foods, probiotics can cause side effects, such as bloating or gas. This may resolve on its own after a few days. If it does not, a person may consider speaking with a doctor or dietitian for guidance.
Stress affects the gut in a number of ways. According to a 2019 review, the hormones, inflammation, and autonomic changes involved in stress can cause changes in the composition of a person’s gut bacteria. A 3-day gut reset offers an opportunity for a person to introduce relaxation into their daily routine. This may involve:
- Meditating or practicing mindfulness
- Taking a warm bath
- Getting a massage or doing self-massage
- Practicing deep breathing exercises
When the 3 days are over, a person may consider continuing some or all of these practices for long-term benefits.
Meal Plan Ideas for a 3-Day Gut Reset
Breakfast options include:
- Coconut yogurt with blueberries and flaked almonds
- Smoothie with coconut water, spinach leaves, an apple, a handful of blueberries, and a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds
- Oatmeal with cinnamon and grated apple
Lunch options include:
- Salad with rocket, watercress, tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers, topped with hummus and green olives
- A chickpea flour wrap stuffed with salad, sauerkraut, and sliced tofu
- A vegetable soup
Dinner ideas include:
- Lean chicken breast and vegetables stir-fried in coconut oil, fresh ginger, garlic, and tamari
- Salmon and steamed green vegetables, such as kale, cabbage, or pak choi
- Zucchini noodles and lentil bolognese sauce
Drinks and Supplements
Some juice recipes may claim to cleanse the gut. However, not all of these drinks are safe. People should drink plenty of water during a gut reset to ensure they stay hydrated. They may also create drinks like smoothies to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in a meal or herbal teas to replace drinks high in alcohol or added sugars.
Some supplements may contain probiotics. However, probiotics are not suitable for everyone. People should speak with a healthcare professional before introducing supplements into their diet.
Addressing Misconceptions and Potential Risks
It's crucial to address common misconceptions surrounding detox diets and cleanses. The normal intestinal tract is teeming with bacteria. While dietary changes, medications, and even exposure to other people (and pets!) can change your intestinal flora, scientific reality dictates that you can’t “cleanse” your body through diet or “detoxify” your colon.
There is limited evidence of benefit associated with detox or cleanse programs, there is limited evidence of harm. However, there are reports of side effects and complications.
Colon Cleansing: An Alternative Approach
Colon cleansing is a process that involves flushing out the large intestine with liquid such as water. It's commonly done before some medical procedures, so that healthcare professionals can see inside the intestine. People who practice alternative medicine offer colon cleansings for other reasons, such as removing chemicals called toxins from the body. But you don't need a colon cleansing to get rid of toxins, also known as detoxing.
There are two main types of colon cleanses. One type flushes out the colon with a large amount of liquid. This is called colonic irrigation, also known as a colonic. It's done using a tube that's placed in the rectum, the last few inches of the large intestine. The other main type of colon cleansing, called an enema, empties the colon using a small amount of liquid. The liquid is held in the large intestine for a short time before being removed. Colon cleanses done for medical reasons use water.
Colon cleansing can be dangerous. Coffee enemas have been linked to many deaths. And in general, colon cleansing also can cause less serious side effects. These include cramping, bloating, diarrhea, upset stomach and vomiting. For some bowel conditions such as colitis or a blocked intestine, colon cleansing can lead to worse symptoms. A change in the balance of important minerals in the body called electrolytes.
Precautions and Considerations
Short-term gut resets may not be suitable for people who have certain health conditions, take medications, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Additionally, because gut resets involve dietary restrictions, they may not be helpful for people recovering from eating disorders.
It is important to speak with a doctor or dietician before making any sudden dietary changes. People should also let a healthcare professional know about any persistent or troubling symptoms, as these could indicate an underlying health condition.
If you want to get a colon cleansing, ask your main healthcare professional to recommend a professional who practices alternative medicine. You also can ask a local hospital, medical school or state health agency for recommendations. Once you find an alternative medicine professional who offers colon cleansings, look into that professional's education, training, licensing and certifications. Get a list of specific herbal ingredients and amounts in any colon-cleansing products used.
Beyond Detox: Sustainable Lifestyle Changes for Gut Health
A healthy, low stress lifestyle with an emphasis on sleep, exercise, and plant-based foods is the best way to support good gut bacteria. But if you’re only going to stick with one thing: Change your diet to include more whole foods and vegetables. This will have the single biggest impact.
For the rest of the week:
- Mix it up and try new foods. Eating diverse foods leads to a happier gut and a more diverse microbiota.
- Skip harsh, aggressive cleaners like bleach and use natural cleaners like soap and water instead.
- Take antibiotics only when absolutely necessary.
- Exercise regularly.
While your microbiome may change quickly with what you eat, there are no quick fixes or overnight miracle workers for a healthy gut. Instead, it’s about sticking to the small changes that add up.
The best ways you can clean your stomach is to use products such as liquid or powdered supplements that you can take orally. In addition, certain products are administered through the rectum. As mentioned, you can also clean your stomach professionally with colon irrigation. This method is similar to an enema, but it involves more water. The healthcare specialist might use different water pressures and temperatures.
One of the easiest ways to clean your stomach is to use products such as liquid or powdered supplements that you can take orally. Also, regular exercise can help people relieve stress and maintain a moderate weight.
One of the best ways to cleanse your colon naturally is by having regular bowel movements. Make sure to consume plenty of the following fiber and antioxidant-rich foods to cleanse your stomach.