In both ancient Ayurveda and modern medicine, the importance of gut health as a staple of our physical and mental health has never been clearer. If you want to give your gut a reboot so that it can work optimally for you, here is a routine you can follow that will give your gut a good cleanse.

Start with an intermittent fast

The night before you start your cleanse, plan to fast for 12 to 16 hours. This is easier than it sounds—a 12-hour fast simply means that you stop eating at 7 in the evening and don’t eat again until breakfast the next day until 7 a.m.

Begin your morning with water

Drinking water, especially warm water on an empty stomach, is one of the best things you can do for digestion. Warm water takes less energy to digest and stimulates digestion while detoxing the system and helping food move through the digestive tract. Before consuming any food, start your day with a glass of warm water.

Have a sugar-free breakfast

Fruit sugars are OK, berries are best, but make sure they’re accompanied by plenty of fiber and fat, so you don’t have a blood sugar crash. 

Midmorning, have a cup of chai.

Boil one cup of water, then add one heaping tablespoon of loose chai tea. Add additional gut-boosting spices like half a teaspoon each of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger.

Have a broth-based meal with probiotics for lunch

Not only is broth soothing, but it aids in the production of gastric juices, strengthens the intestinal lining, soothes the gut, and aids liver and kidney function. 

Don’t snack between meals

If you’re feeling peckish, have another glass of chai instead.

Add prebiotics to your dinner

The best source of fiber is complex carbohydrates from fermentable plant fibers or “prebiotics,” which support good bacteria already present in the gut. Think of broccoli stalks, the bottom of asparagus, kale stems, and orange pulp.

Minimize stress

Stress has a negative effect on the gut. When you’re stressed, you release peptides that lead to increased inflammation, gut permeability, visceral hypersensitivity, perception of pain, and gut motility. 

Go to bed early

Get adequate rest for your body, and therefore, also your gut.

Remember…

This is a three-day routine, so make sure to repeat it on days two and three and check in with your body to see how it feels.