Tuesday Tip: Reset/cleanse your gut?

Tuesday Tip: Reset/cleanse your gut? 💊

I feel this probably needs saying – especially after the holidays when lots of people are coming back from indulgent breaks away and I’m hearing a lot about how they feel they need to ‘detox’ or ‘reset’ their systems.

So do you need ‘reset’ or ‘cleanse’ your gut? The short answer is no! You cannot cleanse your system or colon, nor should you want to – bacteria are a natural part of fecal matter and they keep your gut healthy. Taking products which purport to cleanse or reset the gut usually are simply laxatives in one form or another, encouraging rapid emptying of the bowels which actually results in more harm than good.

Feeling bloated, constipated and heavy after a holiday or time of indulgence is absolutely natural and to be expected. It’s not fun of course but it’s not something you need to spend money on ‘cleansing’ away. The maximum transit time for the gut is approximately 60 hrs – that’s 2.5 days – so if you’re having any sort of bowel movement within that time then things are ok! And if you’re not then it’s time to seek some medical advice – not an over priced diet supplement. Reasons you may feel bloated and constipated after holidays/breaks etc include eating more than usual, different eating routine, less exercise (regular exercise encourages bowl movements), altitude and dehydration effects (from flying and /or the location), alcohol, stress, hormones, increased salt intake and lack of fibre.

It’s definitely not a pleasant experience, but there are some things you can do to prevent it, help it and keep your gut healthy! Staying hydrated is an easy one so drink lots of water. Get active – even just walking will help improve bowel movements and reduce bloating. Reduce your alcohol intake and increase your fibre intake – fibre helps increase transit time in the gut (it also helps control blood sugar and cholesterol, and reduces the risk of colon cancer and cardiovascular disease). Increase your consumption of whole grain cereals, fruit and vegetables to help.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx