3-Day Gut Cleanse: Guide To A Healthy Gut

Who knows what goes on in our guts? Can you imagine the longest tapeworm removed from someone was over 80 feet (2-4 school buses)? Such parasitic monsters are pointers to how unhealthy our insides can get. 

Hence, maintaining your gut health is crucial. But how can you achieve it?

Many factors contribute to a healthy gut, including a balanced diet, adequate hydration, and good oral hygiene. One of the best things to do for your gut health is a 3-day gut cleanse.

A gut cleanse is a great way to jumpstart your gut health and help your body detoxify and heal itself. 

Here’s how it works: you eat only gut-friendly foods and drinks for three days. These include water, bone broth, fermented foods, and probiotic-rich foods like yogurt. Avoid foods that are hard to digest, like gluten, dairy, and processed foods.

Don’t forget to add exercise to the mix, as a healthy gut needs a healthy body to go with it.

Dive in for the best approaches to a gut cleanse, how to starve bad gut bacteria, and more.

What is a 3-Day Gut Cleanse?

A 3-day gut cleanse is a short-term diet focusing on gut-friendly meals while avoiding those hard to digest. The goal is to give your gut a break from having to digest tough foods so that it can detoxify and heal itself.

There are many reasons to do a gut cleanse. Maybe you’ve been feeling sluggish, bloated, or just not yourself. Or, you might be looking for a way to jumpstart your gut health journey.

Cleansing your gut can help to

1. Improve digestion
2. Heal the gut lining
3. Detoxify your body
4. Support weight loss
5. Reduce inflammation
6. Increase energy levels
7. Promote healthy gut microbiomes

Are 3 Days Enough for Gut Reset to Work?

A gut reset is beneficial for your health. Giving your digestive system a 3-day break allows it to heal and rebalance itself. That leads to better overall health and lets you switch up the unhealthy microbe atmosphere in your gut.

However, a gut reset isn’t a magic bullet. It’s not going to fix all of your health problems overnight. Plus, following a healthy diet and lifestyle after the gut reset is over is essential. Otherwise, you’ll end up where you started.

If you’re considering doing a gut reset, talk to your doctor to ensure it’s a good idea. If you decide to go ahead with it, ensure to follow a healthy diet and lifestyle afterward to maintain your results.

General Guidelines on Your Meal

You can include different types of gut-friendly foods and drinks in your diet while doing a gut cleanse. For example, probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, and miso are a good start. They can help to increase the good bacteria in your gut and improve digestion.

During the cleanse, you also want to

1. Get adequate hydration through water, bone broth, and unsweetened herbal teas.
2. Eat gut-friendly foods like fermented vegetables, soaked nuts, and seeds.
3. Cut out all hard-to-digest and processed foods, excess sugar, and alcohol.
4. Pay attention to how you feel. Adjust your diet accordingly if you’re experiencing any digestive issues or discomfort.

Here’s how to reset gut health with excellent food and drink options.

Protein

Which proteins should you take during a gut cleanse? Here are some of the best recommendations.

1. Lean meat: wild-caught salmon and pasture-raised poultry are excellent sources. Avoid high-mercury options like swordfish, tuna, barramundi, and ray.
2. Bone broth: Bone broth is full of nutrients that help to heal the gut and promote a healthy digestive system. Bone broth is also a great source of protein, which is vital for gut health.
3. Collagen: Collagen is a protein found in animal connective tissue.
4. Gelatin: Gelatin is a protein that comes from collagen.
5. Whey protein: Whey protein is a protein from milk.
6. Pea protein: Pea protein is a protein from peas.

These proteins are excellent at helping in the repair of damaged gut linings.

Fruits and Vegetables

Take broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and mustard greens, among other cruciferous veggies. Spinach, lettuce, swish chard, dandelion, and other leafy greens, are fantastic.

Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha are rich in probiotics, which are suitable for gut health.

Use avocado, lime, and lemons for fruits. Incorporate herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary, cilantro, mint, and parsley.

Healthy fats, seeds, and nuts

Grab some alkaline foods like nuts (¼ cup maximum). Soaking nuts makes them easier to digest. They’re a good source of fiber, which is essential for gut health.

You can also get a jar of kalamata olives that allows you to see the ingredients rather than the olive bar. Hemp seeds are superb, especially when gut cleansing while on a vegan diet.

Squeeze in some olives and avocado for lots of healthy fats.

Seasonings

Apple cedar vinegar, herbs, and spices like cumin, coriander, peppercorns, ginger, and peppermint are excellent. Include healthy oils such as hemp seed, avocado, extra virgin olive, coconut, macadamia nut, sesame seed, MCT, perilla, etc.

You can flavor your food with iodized salt with daily needs limited to a teaspoon per adult.

Drinks

Aim to drink 8-10 glasses of water. Ample hydration helps to flush out toxins and keep your body hydrated.

Herbal teas like ginger tea, turmeric tea, and lavender tea can help to soothe an upset stomach and reduce inflammation. Regular tea and black coffee are also alright.

What to Avoid

Some foodstuffs contain harmful ingredients that can damage the gut lining, cause swelling, or are challenging to digest. Things to keep off your gut cleanse meal plan include:

1. Alcohol: beer, wine, spirits
2. Gluten: wheat, barley, rye, etc.
3. Dairy: milk, cheese, ice cream
4. Soy: soy milk, soy sauce, etc.
5. Legumes: beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
6. Grains and pseudo-grains: wheat, barley, rye, oats, etc
7. Processed foods: biscuits, cakes, cookies, chips, pastries, ready-meals, etc.
8. Excess sugar: candy, soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, table sugar, etc.
9. Nightshade vegetables: potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, etc.

Day One

We’ll aim for plenty of probiotics and adequate fiber on day one. These foods ensure things move smoothly while healthy bacteria stay nourished. 

Let’s get started on the best way to detox your gut.

What to Eat

Breakfast	Coconut yogurt with flaked almonds.
Lunch	Sauerkraut soup
Dinner	Kale salad with roasted sweet potato, grilled chicken, and avocado dressing.

Kickstart your meal plan with coconut yogurt packed with probiotics to help cleanse your gut. The gut-friendly lunch soup sauerkraut gives vitamins C, and K, minerals, and more. The dinner is full of fiber to help keep things moving along and healthy fats that promote microbial balance.

What To Do?

Snack on homemade hummus and have some warm lemon water. Get at least 25-30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise to make it easier to attain the required 150 weekly minutes. Aim for eight sleeping hours throughout the cleansing period. 

Day Two

On day two, we’ll focus on getting plenty of vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are essential for gut health and help the detox process.

What to Eat

Breakfast	Green smoothie
Lunch	Garden salad with grilled salmon and tahini dressing
Dinner	Roasted cauliflower rice bowl with grilled chicken and salsa

Have a smoothie for fiber and antioxidants. Next, take garden salad with grilled salmon and tahini dressing for anti-inflammatory omega-3s and probiotics. Roasted cauliflower rice bowl, grilled chicken, and salsa provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

What To Do?

Try some kombucha and hard-boiled eggs in between meals. Take only one to two eggs, depending on your health. Do a moderate-intensity workout like walking, jogging, or biking.

Day Three

On day three, we’ll focus on getting plenty of protein, antioxidants, and healthy fats.

What to Eat

Breakfast	Oatmeal with cinnamon and blueberries
Lunch	Salmon topped with capers-lemon sauce, Brussels sprouts, and lettuce.
Dinner	Chicken avocado wrap with greens and tzatziki sauce.

Start with oatmeal, cinnamon, and blueberries for antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients. Salmon contains anti-inflammatory omega-3, while Brussels sprouts and lettuce supply fiber and water. Chicken and avocado are high in protein and healthy fats, which help to support a healthy gut lining.

What To Do?

Drink plenty of water and green tea throughout the day. For exercise, a moderate walk is perfect. You could also try a light jog or bike ride if you’re up to it. 

FAQs: What is Everyone Asking about Gut Cleansing?

Who Should Not Try a Gut Reset?

Pregnant and lactating women, those on some medications, and those with weak immunity shouldn’t try a gut reset. If you have an underlying medical condition, verify from a doctor that its presence won’t cause side effects.

Do I Need to Reset My Gut?

You need to reset your gut if:

1. You get tired often
2. You’re struggling with skin issues
3. You’re experiencing digestive issues
4. You want to improve your overall health.

Resetting your gut enhances your digestion and overall health.

How Do You Know Your Gut Is Unhealthy?

You know your gut is unhealthy when you have digestive problems. You may feel full after eating only a small amount of food. You may also experience fatigue, skin problems, and mood swings.

These symptoms can come from various factors, like a diet high in processed foods, a lack of exercise, and stress.

Conclusion

A gut cleanse is a great way to improve your gut and overall health. It’s a simple, 3-day protocol that anyone can do. Just listen to your body and take it easy during the cleanse.

After the gut cleanses, you should notice an improvement in your energy levels, mood, and digestion. Plus, your skin may look clearer, and you lose a few pounds.

Besides healthy eating, drinking, and exercising, fasting is an excellent way to support a healthy gut. Are you wondering how long it would take to reset the digestive system through fasting? Check out our “what can you drink if you’re fasting?” guide for answers to that and more.