The Best Way To Detox Your Gut...

Your gut isn’t a landfill (although during bbq season, I begin to question this myself…).

It’s a self-cleaning oven of sorts.

So forget juice cleanses and colonics; here’s how to actually detox your gut, backed by studies that don’t involve selling you $50 celery shots.

1. Fasting: Let your gut eat itself (in a good way)

The Science:

When you fast for 12–14 hours (e.g., 7 PM–8 AM), your gut microbes switch from party mode to janitorial duty. Specialized bacteria like Akkermansia feast on the mucus layer lining your intestines, thinning it just enough to remove debris while stimulating stem cells to rebuild it. Think of it as a gut renovation crew working the night shift.

Actionable tip: Skip midnight snacks. Your gut needs a break as well!

2. Psyllium husk: The toxin hoover

The Science:

Psyllium is a soluble fiber that acts like a molecular sponge, binding to bile acids, heavy metals, and estrogen metabolites. A 2023 study found 10g/day reduced fecal endotoxins (inflammatory bacterial debris) by 40%. 

It’s not glamorous, but neither is scrubbing a toilet.

Caveat: Without enough water, psyllium turns into concrete. Hydrate or suffer (with constipation).

Actionable tip: Mix 1 tsp psyllium in water 30 mins before meals. Chase with 300mls H₂O.

3. Sweat & Hydrate: 

The Science:

Exercise isn’t just for glutes; it’s a handy gut reset too. Sweating increases blood flow to intestines, while hydration flushes microbial waste. A 2021 trial linked 30 mins/day of brisk walking to a 25% rise in Faecalibacterium, a keystone anti-inflammatory bug.

Actionable tip:

• Sweat: Sauna, cardio or resistance training - pick your vices (or all 3)

• Hydrate: Aim for urine the color of pale lemonade (not apple juice).

4. Bowel movements: The OG detox

The Science:

Your colon’s job is to evict toxins, not host them. Regular poops (1–3/day) prevent bacterial overgrowth and endotoxin leakage. Kiwis (2/day) increase stool frequency by 30% via actinidin enzymes, while magnesium (400mg/day) draws water into the colon like a sponge.

Actionable tip:

• Toilet stool: Elevate feet to straighten the rectum (bye bum grapes & straining).

• Coffee: Triggers colonic contractions within minutes.

• Timetable: A poop schedule trains your gut to release around the same time daily

What not to do

• IV drips/detox teas: Expensive pee, not gut healing.

• Prolonged fasting (>48h): Slows motility, letting toxins fester

• Enemas: Strip protective mucus, inviting dysbiosis. Save them for colonoscopies or when prescribed by your doctor.

“Detoxing” isn’t a masochistic ritual involving cayenne pepper and coffee enemas. Your gut’s demands are pretty simple: “Just let me poop and drink water!”

Detoxing is simple daily maintenance. Eat fiber, move, hydrate, and let your gut microbes handle the rest.

References

1. PMID 37528052 (Fasting & mucus layer)

2. PMID 39005935 (Psyllium toxin binding)

3. PMID 30883471, PMID 34330970 (Exercise & gut health)

4. PMID 36950759(Bowel regularity)

P.S If you want an even deeper dive into gut health on your next commute or run…check out this podcast episode:

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