Why a Detox May Be Beneficial to Your Gut Health
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
The term “Spring Cleaning” may not just pertain to the clutter in your house. A little spring cleaning as in detoxing may be VERY beneficial to your gut health. When the body is detoxified, it can function more efficiently and gain resilience.
Why Detox?
Your body can actually be filled with toxins that need to be cleaned out. A lot of doctors have been seeing an increase in symptoms of toxicity in their patients over the last few years. Hormone imbalances, obesity, mental fog, memory loss, fatigue, lack of vitality, metabolic syndrome, sleep disturbances are all manifestations of a toxic body. Therefore, a little cleaning of the gut may improve our insides and our overall gut health.
What does it mean to detox?
Basically, detoxification means cleansing the blood. This is done by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin.
So if that’s the case, why would we even need to do any type of detox?
Well, sometimes our body’s ability to detox is hampered. For example, if we’re constipated, it can’t excrete toxins through our poo. If we drink too much, our liver may feel overworked and not do its job effectively. If we’re eating foods that funk up our gut health, a detox may be necessary once in a while. Therefore, detoxing should be about supporting these elimination routes to get them working again rather than lots of treatments.
So, how would a simple, gentle detox be beneficial to your gut health?
Let’s talk a bit about the importance of your overall gut health first.
Your gut is not just about digestive issues alone, as gastrointestinal health can be the root cause of many other health issues including brain and mental health. There are many different health issues that can be linked to your gut health. We’re not just talking about indigestion, heartburn or constipation here. While those are a few of the basic signs and symptoms that your gut health may need some assistance, there are many more issues that can arise if your gut health is off.
Your body is filled with a gazillion bacteria, viruses, and fungi ( I know, gross, but it’s true). Some of this bacteria is associated with disease, while others are actually extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight and many other aspects of health. There is actually a certain amount of GOOD bacteria that is supposed to be in our bodies in order to keep our gut health in check.
The Microbiome
This bacteria makes up our microbiome, an integral internal ecosystem that benefits our gut health and the immune system. The microbiome is defined as “community of microbes.” The vast majority of the bacterial species that make up our microbiome live in our digestive systems.
It’s been said by some researchers that up to 90 percent of all diseases can be traced in some way back to the gut and health of the microbiome.
Believe it or not, your microbiome is home to trillions of microbes, diverse organisms that are responsible for many functions in the body. If the bacteria is not balanced correctly, this can lead to poor gut health.
Poor gut health can contribute to diseases and disorders like arthritis, dementia, heart disease, and cancer, while our health, fertility, and longevity are also highly reliant on the balance of bacteria living within our guts.
Sometimes, with all the garbage that is out there in the air, in the foods we eat and even the products we use each day on our bodies and household cleaners, things can get a little funked up in our guts requiring a little “spring cleaning” of sorts.
What are the gut health benefits of a Detox?
Consider a “detox” a simple reset of sorts for your overall gut health. A gentle gut reset will make you feel better in your belly, body, and brain. A toxic gut can disrupt the body’s functionality on a cellular level, which can lead to chronic fatigue, depression, seasonal allergies and even autoimmune diseases.
Reseting your gut health can not only improve your overall gut health but, it can also help prevent many illnesses over time. Healing your gut allows the body to build a stronger immune system and produce the right kind of bacteria that tells your brain that it’s okay to feel good again.
Below is a list of illness that can be caused by poor gut health:
- Gastric ulcers
- Infectious diarrhea
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis)
- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
- Celiac disease
- Allergies
- Respiratory infections
- Acute inflammation conditions
- Chronic inflammatory conditions (such as arthritis)
- Thyroid disorders
- Obesity-related metabolic diseases (fatty liver, Type II diabetes, heart disease)
- Autoimmune disease (lupus, multiple sclerosis, Type I diabetes, Hashimoto’s, and more)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- The propensity towards weight gain or obesity
While these are some pretty serious issues there is a way to help reverse them. A detox can immensely improve, reverse and even rid our bodies of some of these illnesses. Some of my clients who have done my gut reset have improved their gut health, healed their leaky gut and have even reversed things like some of the above-listed issues.
Who needs a detox?
Gut cleansing isn’t just for those with common stomach issues. There are many health issues that may benefit from a gut cleanse including:
- Bloating
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Allergies
- Skin issues
- Mood swings
- Headaches
- Joint pain
There are common factors that play into these symptoms – inflammation, poor nutrient absorption and cell dysfunction, all of which are directly influenced by the function and health of your gut.
What happens during the detox:
First and foremost, there is a lot of healing that goes on and everyone goes through different phases during this detox. Overall, everyone follows the basis of the following protocol below. A lot of my clients have seen an increase in energy, less bloating, better sleep, less inflammation and some have even seen weight loss.
REMOVE, REPLACE, REPAIR, RE-BALANCE
- REMOVE: we remove foods and factors that damage the gut.
- REPLACE: we replace the removed foods with healing foods as you follow an anti-inflammatory leaky gut diet.
- REPAIR: we repair the gut with a specific gut healing regimen
- RE-BALANCE: we focus on repairing your microbiome by re-balancing the GOOD bacteria. This is key because bacteria in your gut are a major component of the intestinal barrier. They help promote resistance to the colonization of harmful or pathogenic bacteria species by competing for nutrients. Gut microbiota also regulates the digestion and absorption of nutrients and help supply epithelial cells with energy.
Final Thoughts: A seasonal detox is a necessary step in repairing a poor gut. It will repair the things that aggravate and compromise our gastrointestinal health. A detox is a sort of ‘heal and seal’ of the gastrointestinal tract. Think of the gut like a car. A gut cleanse is like a service, and gut-friendly foods and supplements are like premium fuel. Therefore, a detox is similar to an oil change. We need to flush things out in order for our bodies to function at their highest ability.
Above all, our gut is the basis for our health!
Latest posts by Melanie Sobocinski (see all)
- Why Your Metabolism and Hormones May be a Little Slow - November 5, 2020
- My Before and After Story - September 11, 2020
- 7 Changes That Happen When You Don’t Eat Enough - July 16, 2020
