Resetting Your Gut Health With a Juice Cleanse

Written by: Sam Bowman

Your gut is a biome of microflora, alive with activity and bacteria working together to keep you healthy and happy. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon nowadays for your healthy gut bacteria to get thrown off balance.  

Some of the causes are obvious. Let’s face it, it can be tough to establish a lifestyle that is benefitting your gut’s healthy bacteria. Too much alcohol consumption, antibiotics, and plenty of other factors can throw off the natural balance of your gut health. 

Thankfully, it’s easier than you might think to hit the “reset button” and give your gut a little boost!  

One of the best ways to balance things out is with a juice cleanse. It’s easy, delicious, and a wonderfully natural way to reset your gut flora safely and effectively.  

Not sure where to get started? Let’s cover how a juice cleanse works, what to expect, and how to maintain your gut health after your cleanse is over.  

What Is a Juice Cleanse?  

You’ve probably heard of juice cleanses before, because they’re used for a variety of things beyond gut flora. Many people use juice cleanses to:

• Lose weight 
• Reduce bloat 
• Fight inflammation 
• Flush “toxins” from the body 

There are different trendy cleanses out there, but the most important thing about a juice cleanse is making sure your body still receives the nutrition it needs. A cleanse can last a single day or up to a week, and the goal is to extract as many nutrients as possible from a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.  

If you’re thinking about a cleanse specifically to balance your gut bacteria, choose produce that contains plenty of prebiotics and probiotics – both will strengthen and increase healthy bacteria to fight back against the “bad” bacteria that could be making you feel sluggish.  

What to Expect 

If this is your first time going on a juice cleanse, it’s a good idea to know what you might expect along the way. A lot of it depends on why you’re choosing a cleanse in the first place.  

For example, you might consider a juice cleanse if you just finished a round of antibiotics. It’s not uncommon for antibiotics to interact with the microbiome of your gut and contribute to things like allergies, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. A juice cleanse that is rich in prebiotics can help to balance out your biome and boost immune function. Not only will it “fight back” against any harm the antibiotics may have caused to your gut, but it can make your body stronger against future infections and illnesses. You’ll feel more energetic, healthier, and stronger.  

If you’re going on a juice cleanse to rebalance your health and reduce inflammation, you can expect a reduction in stomach acid. Excess stomach acid can be caused by a variety of things, including too much alcohol consumption. It often leads to issues like:

• Discomfort 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Heartburn 
• Bloating 
• Diarrhea 

A juice cleanse will neutralize this acid and help your healthy bacteria to fight back against it. Whether the excess acid is from your diet or drinking, a cleanse will help to balance things out quickly.  

How to Keep Your Gut Happy 

Juice cleanses don’t last forever. While you can go on them periodically to jumpstart a healthy gut reset, the best thing you can do is to take care of your gut health 24/7.   

That doesn’t mean you can never enjoy a good burger, or you have to restrict yourself from the things you enjoy. However, when you keep your gut health in mind, you’re likely to make healthier choices. The more in tune you are with balanced flora, the better your entire body will feel.  

Thankfully, it’s easy to optimize your gut health with a few simple lifestyle changes. By dedicating yourself to a healthy gut, these are long-term solutions that will make a difference.  

The simplest change you can make is with your diet. Choose to consume more anti-inflammatory foods, including fruits and vegetables, spices like turmeric, tea, and unprocessed foods. Fermented foods can also make a big difference. Load up on sauerkraut and kimchi, and consider fermenting some of your own foods. It’s a fascinating process and the health benefits are through the roof! 

In addition to eating the right things, you can help to balance out your healthy gut bacteria by limiting your alcohol intake, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and reducing your stress levels through things like deep breathing, mindfulness, or meditation.  

The overall well-being of your gut is linked to so many other aspects of your health. By resetting your gut health with a juice cleanse and adopting healthier lifestyle choices, you’ll feel better, reduce your risk of certain conditions, and know you’re properly taking care of and fueling your body.