Sharing is caring!

Monday began 101 days: healing, and today I need to remind you that gut healing is not a diet.

{Updated in September 2016. Read also, Gut Healing is not a Diet or Maybe It Is.}

Monday was just horrible. All around.

By Tuesday the bloat was down 75%.

Yesterday I tried my hardest to push my gut out. I failed. The bloat was now down about 95%!

This is not rocket science. It’s just a science I have studied for a long, long time now.

98 days left.

Cured? Should I stop now?

Absolutely not, and absolutely not.

98 days can seem like a long time, but only if you view this as a “diet.”

Gut Healing is Not a Diet

Click HERE to save this post for later.

If gut healing were a diet, I’d have conflicting goals.

You cannot restrict calories, create “rules” about when you eat carbohydrates/fat/protein, eat sugar-free, fat-free everything and work your body into an exhausted state IF gut healing is your real goal. Why? Because it puts stress on your body, and when your gut is a mess, stress (more stress) is the last thing you need. Period.

These are some (but not all) of the things I left behind. –> Fruit, veggies, gluten-free grains, perfect macros, “carbohydrates” only post workout, protein powders, fasting for weight loss and more. All of those are surely on every dieter’s menu.

This all boils down to GUT HEALTH VS. GUT HEALING.

None are on my menu, at least not this week, perhaps not ever.

I’m not going to talk about the things I’ve removed from my daily routine because I’m now confident that those things only feed negatively into women’s minds….as the “dieting” way. I don’t strive for thin or fit-spiration any longer because neither one of them ever did any good for my gut.

Instead, I strive to heal, and to become the A+ version of me.

(Really want to know what I have been known to eat, though? I put a daily sample in The Gutsy Girl’s Bible.)

7 Simple Gut Healing Rules for Week 1

Click HERE to save these 7 things for later.

1. 7-day intense 200-billion probiotic protocol (Updated in 2018: After getting the SIBO diagnosis in 2014, I would never have taken a 200 billion probiotic. I would never take that high of one now, either. Work with your doctor on the appropriate probiotic and amount for your condition. I currently am religious to the Primal one). I imagine Monday was filled with die off symptoms. My body tells me in other ways that I’m continuing to have these. That’s normal. 
2. Kombucha. I added this in on Tuesday. It’s my homemade version, and for me this works amazing miracles. Want to know how I make it? Good. Because I have an entire Kombucha tutorial put together for you HERE. Please note that Kombucha will not work for everyone. I ferment mine just right so it’s slightly more acidic, which is what I need. Also, proceed with caution for my SIBO friends.
3. Broth. I would be hugely slightly embarrassed if you came over right now to see how much broth is in our fridge. I’d also be massively somewhat embarrassed by how our house smells: chicken and broth. But guess what? That’s okay because this stuff saves me, daily. And guess what else? Sometimes Ry (<– that’s my husband, Ryan) has been known to sneak in a bowl or two, too. It’s that good, and it’s that healing….immediately.
4. Workouts. Do them, but keep them light and minimal when your gut is working hard to heal. (Updated in 2018 to add: I learned this lesson the hard way time-and-time again, and then I just straight up rested.)
5. Sleep. I go to bed around 8 or 9 pm, without justifying that I’m 89 years old. On Monday I took a 2-hour nap, too.
6. Journaling. I bullet journal how I feel daily, and keep meticulous track of everything eaten (not quantities, calories, macros – remember, this is not a diet). I’m cognizant of movement and physical activity. I write out feelings, which sounds oh-so sentimental, but some days this is what gets me through….it keeps stress at bay.
7. Water. The water I drink is at room temperature, and start my day with a cup of water. I only drink 6-7 glasses because I’m getting so many other liquids from the broths. There is no reason to drown the system in water. “Dieters” drink to feel full. I drink it to keep my system moving, repair cells and keep vibrant. Isn’t that what it was intended for? I rest my case.

Support System

Finally, I lean heavily on my best friends and family for support. Without support, it’s hard to endure the healing process.

My support system is second to none. I mean, just look at what a friend sent me on Monday:

You feel like you’re missing out sometimes, but it’s just food. You want to be “normal,” but God gave you different circumstances. Maybe He chose you to teach what you learn….to teach concepts in a way that others would be able to grasp. Food is fuel. Food is medicine. I’m sorry. I know you’re tired and not feeling well today. Life is hard, angel face, real hard at times. It’s how we perceive and react to our problems that separates us. It’s more than okay to have a bad day, but don’t stay down for long. Always remember: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

In these ways, in that message, in my thoughts, and in my prayers…..there is NO diet in any of this.

Peace, love, and healing — I can feel it, I know I’m bound for better days ahead, no matter what gets thrown my way. I wish the same for you.

Xox,
SKH