It really is possible to dramatically improve your gut health in just three days. A team of scientists proved that altering one’s diet can produce remarkable changes in the state of the gut microbiome; by day three, participants had not only increased the numbers of bacteria in the gut, but also increased the diversity of that bacteria. Even more amazing was that they saw a change in the kinds of genes these bacteria were expressing.

There was more good news in the study, too: the scientists discovered that the bacteria found in food (such as fermented foods and foods with natural probiotics) was more resilient than we’d previously thought, easily making it through the digestive process and into the gut to affect the gut microbiome.

The short of it is: if we drastically change our diet, we can drastically (and quickly) change our gut health.

How To Do It

It’s not difficult, but does involve a little planning, as for many it means a very marked change in what you’re eating. You’ll want to clear out your pantry and fridge, and then plan a shopping trip so that what’s in your home is all the good foods (and none of the bad to tempt you). Make sure your shopping list contains:

• Plenty of fruits and veggies. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are especially good, as are leafy greens like spinach, kale, collards, and Swiss chard. Also check out my article on prebiotic superfoods as well.
• Fermented foods like kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, and pickles. These will add natural probiotics to your diet.
• Herbs and Spices: cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin, ginger, cloves, sage and rosemary have all demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties. Use them to season and spice up your food to boost your gut healing to the max.
• Water is absolutely essential for the entire body. If you don’t like the taste of tap water you can buy bottled or, if you want to be kind to the environment, try getting a water filter. The Zero Water Filter is an affordable option.

Bonuses: Sleep and Exercise

Numerous studies have shown that sleep is an integral part of good gut health. Sleep is when our body does its best healing, so use these three days to reset your sleep patterns to ensure you’re getting the sleep your body needs. (If you’re looking for some tips on getting better sleep, check out my article on how I reset my own sleep patterns).

Exercise has also been shown to benefit the gut. This doesn’t mean you need to jump into a high-intensity workout; just find some way to get moving for a good 20-30 minutes each day. That can be something as simple as a walk after dinner.

One Last Thing

Do be aware that while we can all significantly improve our gut health in three days, maintaining (and continuing to improve it) are just as important. Many of us find it difficult to be 100% vigilant with regards to our daily eating habits. This is where using supplemental probiotics can be helpful, as well as our GreatGut prebiotic fiber products, to ensure you’re giving your gut as much help as possible to maintain its health.