Heal Your Gut: Post-Laxative Protocol

The use of laxatives can have a detrimental impact on gut health, causing an imbalance in the microbiome—the delicate balance of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the gut. This imbalance can lead to a range of issues, including constipation, diarrhoea, poor absorption of nutrients, impaired mental health, and even more serious conditions like Crohn's disease. To heal the gut after laxative use, it is important to take a holistic approach, addressing diet, lifestyle, and gut health directly. This includes increasing the consumption of gut-healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and probiotic foods like yoghurt, as well as staying hydrated and getting regular exercise. Additionally, managing stress through practices like yoga and meditation can help support gut health. It is also recommended to take probiotic supplements that contain Lactobacilli cultures to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria. Making these changes can help improve gut health and reduce the negative impacts of laxative use.

Eat gut-friendly foods like oily fish, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and pulses

Eating gut-friendly foods is one of the best ways to improve your gut health and heal your gut after laxative use. Here are some gut-friendly foods that can help:

Oily Fish

Oily fish such as salmon and mackerel are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce gut inflammation. They also provide high-quality protein, which is essential for maintaining and repairing the gut lining.

Whole Grains

Whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat bread, and oats are rich in fiber and other nutrients. Fiber is crucial for promoting a healthy gut as it acts as a prebiotic, providing fuel for the good bacteria in your intestines. Whole grains also help prevent constipation by softening the stool.

Fruits

Fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can help reduce inflammation and support the growth of good bacteria in the gut. Some fruits that are particularly gut-friendly include:

• Berries: Rich in fiber and antioxidants, berries help combat stress and inflammation in the body.
• Bananas: High in prebiotics and a substance called inulin, bananas stimulate the growth of good gut bacteria and have antacid effects that protect the stomach and intestine from digestive acids.
• Apples: Apples contain pectin, a type of fiber that supports gut health, and quercetin, a polyphenol that supports the mucus layer in the gut.
• Pomegranates: Rich in polyphenols, pomegranates promote the growth of good bacteria and help heal the mucus layer that protects the gut lining.

Vegetables

Vegetables are an essential part of a gut-friendly diet. Here are some vegetables that can specifically help heal your gut:

• Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, and broccoli are excellent sources of dietary fiber and vitamins. They also contain a specific type of sugar that helps fuel the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
• Artichokes: Artichokes are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and high fiber content. They also contain prebiotics and probiotics, which can improve digestion and gut health.
• Fennel: This vegetable is high in fiber and acts as a prebiotic. Chewing fennel seeds after a meal can aid digestion and prevent gas.
• Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates, vitamin A, and fiber. Keeping the skin on provides additional fiber.

Pulses

Pulses, such as lentils, chickpeas, and beans, are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber. They can help support the growth of good bacteria in the gut and promote regular bowel movements.

In addition to incorporating these gut-friendly foods into your diet, it is also important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, as this helps enhance the absorption of nutrients and supports the elimination of waste and toxins from the body.

Take probiotics to support a natural gut bacteria balance

Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that colonise the human intestines and change the composition of the gut flora. They can be consumed as active bacteria preparations, such as supplements or fermented foods and drinks. Probiotics can help to heal the gut after laxative use by supporting a natural balance of gut bacteria.

Probiotics can help to inhibit the colonisation of pathogenic bacteria in the intestine and support the gut in building a healthy intestinal mucosa protective layer. They can also enhance the host immune system and improve immunity.

Probiotics can be found in the Lactobacillus genus, including L. acidophilus, L. rhamnosus, L. casei, and L. plantarum, and the Bifidobacterium genus, including Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve.

Probiotics can be consumed in supplement form, or through fermented foods and drinks such as sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, and pickle juice. Fermented foods and drinks may be preferable as they can help to promote a greater diversity of microbes in the gut.

Probiotics can also be applied topically to the skin or mucous membranes inside body cavities, such as the nose or genitals.

It is important to note that not all probiotics are alike, and different types may be more or less beneficial depending on an individual's needs. Probiotics are not regulated by the FDA, so it is important to consult a healthcare professional when deciding which type of probiotic to take.

Drink more water to ensure stool softness and lubrication

Drinking more water is a great way to ensure softer stools and improve lubrication. Water helps to keep stools soft as they move through the colon, making them easier to pass. This is especially important when increasing your fibre intake, as fibre absorbs water. By drinking more water, you can also avoid dehydration, which can cause stools to become hard and lumpy. Dehydration can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, travel, and medication side effects.

The amount of water you need will vary depending on factors such as age, gender, activity level, and climate. A general rule to determine if you are drinking enough water is to look at the colour of your urine. If it is dark yellow and you are urinating small amounts infrequently, you are likely not drinking enough water.

In addition to drinking more water, you can also try drinking prune juice or a glass of warm water in the morning to help improve discomfort associated with constipation.

Exercise regularly to get your intestines moving and promote healthy bowel movements

Exercise is an important part of promoting healthy bowel movements and healing your gut after laxative use. Here are some ways in which exercise can help get your intestines moving:

Increased Blood Flow

Interval-type cardiovascular training increases blood flow and pumps stronger blood through the intestinal muscles. This results in stronger contractions in the digestive tract, reducing the time it takes for food to pass through the intestine. Weaker contractions and slower food transit time are caused by reduced blood flow to the gut.

Mechanical Assistance

Exercises that involve running, skipping, and jumping create mechanical assistance to help with bowel movements. These movements can help stimulate the intestines and promote healthy bowel function.

Neurological Stimulation

Exercises that increase your breathing rate and heart rate will stimulate the muscles and nerves in the mucosal lining of your intestines. This activation stimulates the intestinal muscles to squeeze more efficiently, helping to move waste through the intestines faster.

Types of Exercise

High- and moderate-intensity interval training, such as VIITS, HIITs, and MetCon, are great for promoting healthy bowel movements. Additionally, activities like running, jogging, jumping rope, and dancing can be beneficial. If you're looking for resistance training options, try deep squats and lunging movements such as air squats, reverse lunges, and high box step-ups. Yoga is another excellent option, with poses like cat-cow, bow pose, cobra, high lunge, and extended triangle helping to stimulate the digestive tract.

Timing Your Workouts

While there is no specific time that is best for promoting bowel movements, it is generally recommended to avoid exercising within an hour after a meal. This is because the post-meal period is crucial for digestion, and exercising during this time can divert blood flow away from the digestive process, delaying it.

Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly to improve nutrient absorption

Eating slowly and chewing your food thoroughly is a practice that has been recommended by various schools of medicine for thousands of years. In Ayurveda, a system of medicine that originated in India around 7,000 years ago, slow and thorough chewing is considered essential for good digestive health. By chewing your food well, you can separate a food's indigestible components from the necessary nutrients.

Chewing your food slowly and thoroughly has several benefits for your health and digestion:

• It helps with weight maintenance: Research has shown that people who eat slowly tend to gain less weight over time compared to fast eaters. Eating slowly may help you eat more mindfully and tune into your body's feelings of fullness.
• It improves nutrient absorption: Chewing breaks down food into smaller particles and activates enzymes in your mouth that aid digestion. This process helps the body absorb more nutrients from your food. For example, research has shown that chewing almonds 40 times increases the absorption of healthy fats compared to chewing them just 10 times.
• It reduces digestive issues: Chewing your food well reduces the workload on your stomach and small intestine, as it breaks down food into smaller particles that are easier to digest. This can help prevent issues like bloating, gas, indigestion, and constipation.
• It improves saliva production: Chewing stimulates the salivary glands to produce more saliva, which contains enzymes like amylase and lipase that break down carbohydrates and fats. Saliva also contains mucus, which helps bind food particles together and lubricates the food to aid swallowing.
• It may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome: Fast eating has been linked to a 35% increase in the risk of metabolic syndrome, which includes health issues such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, poor cholesterol levels, and excess abdominal fat.

To improve your chewing habits, aim to chew each bite of food around 20 to 30 times, or until your food is a mushy, liquefied consistency. Try to avoid distracted eating, such as eating while watching TV or scrolling through your phone, as this can make it harder to focus on chewing slowly and thoroughly. Eating with mindful attention to your food can help you slow down and improve your chewing habits.

Frequently asked questions