21 Day Detox to Better Gut Health and Overall Wellbeing

Are you feeling bloated or gassy, suffer from abdominal pain, have loose or constipated bowels, are lethargic and excessively tired, or just genuinely don’t feel very well?

Maybe your body needs a digestive reboot, to get it back to its optimum level of functionality.

How do you do this?

Well there are many ways that you can do this, with all kinds of diets and advertised pills and drinks, but I like to keep it as simple as possible. Because sometimes in simplicity our bodies find exactly what it wants and needs.

My 21-day Detox plan is simple but effective. It allows the gut tract to take a ‘rest’ from digesting heavy foods, dairy, animal proteins, and wheat, while providing it with a kaleidoscope of fruits and vegetables, nuts and healthy grains, to provide our body with a multitude or micro nutrients (vitamins and minerals), and fibre, to flush out our system, while rebuilding our gut health.

The flow on effect to the rest of our body from eating well is phenomenal. Some of the major differences you will notice are, you will have regular bowel motions, better quality of sleep, less likely to get winter colds and flus, recover quicker from training sessions, have more energy and concentration, less aches and pains, and generally just feel better about life.

I like to break up the 21 days into 4 categories.

Day 1 and 2:
I use the first 2 days as a way to completely flush out my system by having only juice. This can’t be shop bought juice but has to be freshly made juice from fruit and vegetables. I use my NINJA so that I’m not receiving only the extraction from my fruit and vegetables, but the whole thing. I also use coconut water to bend it with as its high in electrolytes.

Every juice will have a mixture or fruits (not bananas), depending on what’s in season, but I do like to try and get a kiwifruit in there as they’re great for the digestive track, and they will also have 1 large handful of spinach leaves and 1 large handful of kale leaves. Then I add a variety of vegetables, depending on what’s in season, and what I feel like. I use carrot, cucumber, celery, wheatgrass, courgette, and beetroots. Mixing it up so that I’ve had all of these vegetables throughout the day.

I will have 6 juices’ each day for the first 2 days.

It is important to remember that you will not have a lot of energy on these 2 days, and do need to abstain from exercise, unless it’s a gentle walk or yoga.

And drink lots of water on top of your juices’.

Day 3 -7:
I will continue to have a juice smoothie for breakfast and afternoon tea, but I will add raw nuts and seeds as a morning snack and snack on carrot, celery or cucumber sticks when hungry.

For lunch and dinner, I will start to eat raw salads. This needs to be derived from plant foods like beetroot and carrot salad, cauliflower rice, red cabbage based coleslaw, green salads, lots of spinach and kale leaves, spiralized squash and parsnip etc. You can also add shaved almonds and sesame seeds etc. For a dressing I like to use lemon juice with apple cider vinegar. Get creative and think outside the box.

Over this week you will start to have more energy but avoid strenuous training of any kind as your body will still not be quite ready. Continue to drink lots of water.

Week 2:
This week you can start to add some more variety to your meals, but don’t stray too far from the basics that you’ve established in week 1.

Start to introduce cooked vegetables by way of a small handful of roasted vegetables (kumara, pumpkin, yams, parsnip) to one of your salads. Your second main meal can either be a repeat of your first meal, or be a clear vegetable soup.

Now is also the perfect time to add fermented vegetables to your raw salads. Think kimchi or sauerkraut.

Fermented vegetables are a great probiotic. They will introduce beneficial bacteria into your digestive system and help the balance of good versus bad bacteria in your digestive system. They also allow you to absorb the nutrients from your food better by creating the optimum level of good gut bacteria and the right amount of digestive enzymes.

Week 3:
Over week 3 still avoid all animal protein, including dairy.

Start to add quinoa, legumes and pulses, chia seeds and brown rice to your meals. Hummus Is also nice to add to your salads or for a snack with your vegetable sticks.

Try and maintain your fruit and vegetable juice for breakfast and at least 1 other during the day.
Continue to snack on vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Extras:
Drink lots of water.

Drink herbal teas for something warming. There are also a lot of specific detox teas out there that will aid you in your journey to detoxing.

Have 1 Tbsp. of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water on an empty stomach before breakfast. Apple cider vinegar is rich in natural minerals, vitamins, enzymes and acids. Some of the benefits are, it lowers blood sugar levels, lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, can aid in weight loss, increase energy levels, help with reflux and aids in digestion, among many other benefits.
Always look for a raw apple cider vinegar that hasn’t been treated, as you need one with the mother. I always use Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, available in most supermarkets and health stores.

Avoid all alcohol, caffeine, fizzy drinks, packaged drinks and energy drinks.

Ending your Detox:

When you have finished the 21 days, it’s important to gradually add animal proteins and dairy back into your diet, as your body may go into shock and you certainly don’t want to undo all the amazing work you’ve just done to get your body back to its optimum state!

And remember to listen to your body, it’s a pretty amazing being, that if we actually listen, will tell us if we NEED something or if what we are eating is actually causing us to feel bad. So stop and ask yourself do I really need that item of food, does my body actually need it, or do I just want it? Am I going to feel better for eating it, or is it going to disagree with me and make me feel bad?

You have the power to make the choices that will benefit your body, your mind and your wellbeing.

Warning: Through the detoxing process, the body will be eliminating a lot of toxins. This can cause headaches to start with and sugar withdrawals, plus you might find you’re tired and don’t have a lot of energy. All of these things are normal side effects and won’t last long, but they can feel rather frustrating when you know you’re doing something so good for your body. Stick with it and know it will pass!

If you are thinking about undertaking a lifestyle change like this, it’s always good to talk to someone first, as you may need to do a modified version, or take some precautionary steps before starting out.