The Gut-First Guide to Everyday Wellbeing – a 7 day reset
Many of us have days when our gut just isn’t feeling right and that in turn can impact on our wellbeing. But the good news is that supporting gut health doesn’t have to mean a complete lifestyle overhaul, or that you must do everything at once – a mistake many people often make! Jo Travers, Registered Dietitian for Love Your Gut talks us through a 7-day simple reset for our gut health and wellbeing.
Day 1: Make one simple fibre swap
Fibre (both soluble and insoluble[1]) is one of the most important nutrients for gut health, yet many adults don’t get enough. It helps support regular digestion and provides fuel for beneficial bacteria in the gut.
- Jo’s tip: Swap out fish or meat for lentils when cooking a curry, to add fibre to meals you already enjoy. Or instead of white rice, swap it for brown rice, quinoa or another similar wholegrain. As well as swaps, additions can be a great way to boost your fibre intake also. Try adding chickpeas to a salad or topping yoghurt with nuts and berries. Gut-friendly eating should fit into real life.
Day 2: Add colour to your plate
Different gut bacteria thrive on different types of colourful plant foods, which is why variety matters, including making sure you ‘eat the rainbow’ – which isn’t just a catchy saying, but holds a lot of nutritional truth too![2]
- Jo’s tip: Add a selection of berries or sliced banana to breakfast, use herbs and spices when cooking or even try adding different coloured vegetable varieties (such as peppers) to dishes, because they have different nutritional benefits. Also, remember you can use frozen and tinned options, as well as fresh. Frozen berries, tinned beans, sweetcorn, chopped tomatoes and mixed vegetables can all make it easier to add variety and colour, without the extra effort.
Day 3: Hydrate before you caffeinate
Hydration is often overlooked when people think about gut health, but fluids play an important role in digestion and help fibre do its job properly.
- Jo’s tip: Start the day with a glass of water (infused with cucumber or mint if preferred) before your morning tea or coffee. Try keeping a bottle of water on your desk as a visual reminder or pair every higher-fibre meal or snack with a drink.
Day 4: Move your body for your gut
Exercise, even a gentle short walk after a meal can support the transit of food through the digestive system and help keep the bowels working well.
- Jo’s tip: If you aren’t a gym bunny or used to doing regular sport, start with a 10-minute walk after lunch to support digestion or why not try balancing on one leg the next time you’re waiting for the kettle to boil!
Day 5: Get to know the role your gut plays in the immune system
The gut plays a central role in the immune system, with a large proportion of the body’s immune cells located in the gut.
- Jo’s tip: Focus on consistency rather than quick fixes (or look beyond your plate). Aim to get outside for daylight each day and take a daily vitamin D supplement during autumn/winter in UK and Ireland because the sun’s rays are not strong enough for your body to make it naturally.
Day 6: Give your gut a calmer evening
A calmer evening and a regular wind-down routine can support both the gut and the mind because the gut and brain are closely connected, which is why stress, poor sleep and irregular routines can all affect digestion.
Jo’s tip: Add one calming cue, such as making a warm drink or preparing breakfast for the next day, and try to switch off screens well before bedtime, as blue light can make it harder for the body to wind down. A simple breathing exercise or the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method[3] if your mind feels busy can help too.
Day 7: Find your gut-friendly rhythm
A healthy gut is not built in a day. The aim of a 7-day reset is help you identify which habits feel helpful and realistic enough to continue and build on.
- Jo’s tip: Your gut is personal because your gut microbiome is as unique as a fingerprint. What works for one person may not work for another, so listen to your body.
The gut-first shopping list
To make the 7-day reset easier, Jo recommends keeping a few simple gut-friendly staples on hand:
- Oats or wholegrain cereal
- Wholegrain bread, pasta or rice
- Tinned beans, lentils or chickpeas
- Frozen fruit and vegetables
- Nuts and seeds
- Live yoghurt, probiotics or fermented foods
- Herbs and spices
- Different coloured fresh fruit and vegetables (with the skin on where possible for added fibre!)
- Reusable water bottle or herbal teas for hydration
“Convenience matters,” says Jo. “Gut-friendly eating is much easier when you have simple ingredients ready to go. Tinned, frozen and store-cupboard foods can be just as helpful as fresh ingredients when life is busy.”
Download our Gut-First Guide here
[1] https://loveyourgut.com/all-entries/whats-the-fuss-about-fibre/
[2] https://loveyourgut.com/all-entries/eat-the-rainbow-paint-your-plate/
[3] https://www.lpft.nhs.uk/young-people/lincolnshire/about-us/whats-new/grounding-activity