Week 1

Introduction to the Program

Program Overview

Restore Your Gut is an 8-week program designed to transform your wellbeing. Each week in your guide, you will learn about topics that are essential to your gut health. You will follow an 8-week meal plan that’s chock-full of gut-rebuilding recipes. 

To make this program as simple as possible, you will also receive a shopping list for each week that includes all of the ingredients needed to cook your suggested meals. In addition, you’ll receive a Recipe Guide that’s loaded with juices, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, desserts, and cultured foods.

Please note that you’re free to swap out meals if you do not like a particular recipe listed in your suggested meals, or have an allergy to an ingredient.

Beneath this section and in ever guide, you’ll see a daily schedule. I recommend following it to the best of your ability. It includes support tools that will help eliminate toxins and rebuild your cells.

Daily Schedule

Here is a daily schedule for Weeks 1 & 2.

NOTE: All of your Tools to Reduce Toxicity, such as skin brushing and tongue scraping, are discussed in this Week 1 guide.

UPON RISING:

Drink the Lemon Water Elixir (see Recipe Guide).

Take your probiotic 45 minutes after the Lemon Water Elixir.

BEFORE YOU SHOWER:

Do skin brushing.

Do tongue scraping.

BEFORE MEALS: 

Consume ginger tea or chew on a small piece of fresh ginger 10-15 minutes before your meals to naturally enhance digestive enzymes. You can also mix one teaspoon of Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar in water. If you have a reaction to the apple cider vinegar, then use bitters to enhance digestion. They are highly effective in getting the digestive juices flowing. My favorite bitters are made by this company: https://www.urbanmoonshine.com/product-category/digestive-bitters/

BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER: 

Refer to your Suggested Meals for recipes (feel free to exchange the meals with other recipes from your Recipe Guide—flexibility is key!)

AFTER MEALS (OR AT THE END OF THE DAY): 

Be sure to write in your food diary. Reflect on how you feel emotionally and physically. Note if you have any reactions to food during the program as this could indicate an allergy.

SNACKS:

Choose 1-2 a day—listen to your body and eat only if you’re hungry.

BEFORE BED:

Write in your food diary or journal.

Take an Epsom salt bath before bed three times per week.

*NOTE: For advanced gut rebuilding, please refer to the section titled Advanced Tools to Reduce Toxicity and integrate these into your schedule when possible. I have found it very beneficial to do a castor oil pack two times a week. This cleanses the lymphatic system (the body’s sewage system). Also, I recommend rebounding for lymphatic drainage as well as improving circulation. Movement and exercise have been proven highly effective for many who suffer with IBS or constipation as sweating supports the liver, which is a key component of digestion.

What to Expect

For many, a healthy gut can be achieved fairly fast with only minor diet and lifestyle changes.

On average, you can restore the digestive system in six months; however, there are many factors that contribute to this such as your family health history, the state of your hormones, the amount of toxins and heavy metals in your body, and any allergies you suffer from.

Also, if you suffer from long-standing gut issues such as candida, parasites, autoimmune diseases, or other unknown health issues, then your journey to optimal gut health may take longer, even up to five or more years. 

Remember, this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon that requires time and patience. Now is the time to let go of fad thinking—the kind that tells you to “do this to get that result.” Every single person’s body is different and what works for one person may not work for another.

Restoring your gut also requires a positive mental attitude. A positive mindset during this program is everything and you cannot restore your physical digestion without properly being able to digest life.

As I mentioned, this program isn’t about deprivation and it’s certainly not a diet. The nutrient-dense foods in this program combined with proper hydration will keep you fuller longer. However, if you’re hungry, there are plenty of snacks to choose from. Many of my clients find miso soup, bone broth or a smoothie to be an excellent snack, as is a cold-pressed juice such as carrot and ginger.

You can expect to probably lose weight during this program as you combat internal inflammation that’s a result of eating the wrong foods.

Giving Your Kitchen a Facelift

Before you begin this program, I recommend giving your kitchen a makeover.

HERE ARE MY SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS:

·      Throw out the chips, crackers, granola bars, cookies, and other processed junk and plan to make Kale chips or roasted veggies instead.

·      Exchange or eliminate the caffeine. Caffeine is pure acid and an acidic body leads to sickness and poor digestion. You can exchange coffee for yerba mate or green tea, which are rich in beneficial antioxidants. (Note: To trick your body into easing off of caffeine, mix it with a coffee substitute—my favorite grain-free coffee substitute, made mainly of roots, is from Mountain Rose Herbs http://www.mountainroseherbs.com. Start by filling your cup with ½ regular coffee and ½ coffee substitute. Reduce the amount of coffee each day by ¼ until you are only drinking coffee substitute.)

·      Clean the fridge of sugary drinks like soda, tea, juices, and lemonade. Replace these with veggie- and fruit-infused waters and herbal teas.

·      Ditch the processed pasta (even whole grain), the soy and the beans and replace with zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash and cauliflower rice. There are a few easily digestible beans you can keep, such as mung, lentils and adzuki, but be sure to soak the beans to remove the phytic acid per the instructions provided in Week 4.

·      Say goodbye to the fancy flours and grains like Kamut, bulgur, spelt and barley, and replace them with coconut flour, almond flour and arrowroot. Enjoy seed-like grains such as buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth. 

·      Anything with wheat or gluten causes bloating, mucus in the stool and weakened digestion. Read labels. If it contains gluten, throw it out and stock up on fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds.

·      Replace butter with coconut oil and ultra-pasteurized milk with homemade or store-bought nut milk or ghee.

·      Make your own ketchup, or find an organic brand without high-fructose corn syrup such as Annie’s. Note that this has vinegar and vinegar feeds yeast. Here is the link: http://www.annies.com/products/condiments-sauces/organic-ketchup (Note: If you have Candida, I highly discourage you from adding vinegar to your diet. This is very different than Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar. It is best to avoid vinegar and make homemade recipes from www.bodyecologydiet.com.)

·      Make your own honey mustard by stirring in a tablespoon of raw honey, or for regular mustard, find one that does not contain sugar such as Organicville mustard found here: http://organicvillefoods.com/products/condiments/stone-ground-organic-mustard/

·      Instead of soy sauce, use Bragg’s Coconut Aminos.

·      Substitute table salt for pink Himalayan salt.

·      Replace sugar with organic cane sugar, coconut crystals, coconut sugar, raw honey, high-quality maple syrup, or stevia (if you suffer from candida, use stevia regardless)

·      For a healthy salad dressing, whisk together some raw honey, olive oil and Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar.

·      Find great gadgets for your home that make eating veggies fun such as zucchini spiralizers, available at http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/paderno-sprializer/.

Understanding Food Allergies

Before diving deep into this program, it’s important to be aware of potential food allergies and how they may affect your body and your gut health. Did you know that most people suffer from unknown food allergies without even realizing it?

When you consume foods that your body is allergic to, it has a horrendous effect on your gut and your entire body.

To restore your gut health, you must make yourself aware of potential food allergies. However, it’s not always easy to identify food reactions, as symptoms can occur as fast as 10 minutes or as long as 72 hours after ingestion and can manifest in many different ways.  

During this program, be on the lookout for the following signs, or anything else out of the ordinary for you.

·      White coating on the tongue

·      Acid reflux or heartburn

·      Bad breath

·      Constipation

·      Foul-smelling stool

·      Headaches or migraines

·      Joint pain

·      Sinus issues

·      Clogged ears

·      Rashes or hives

·      Fatigue

·      Poor sleep

·      Water retention

·      Gas and bloating 

·      Dry eyes, a sign of liver congestion

·      Weight gain or weight loss

·      Racing heart

·      Bags under the eyes, otherwise known as shiners 

·      Food cravings, especially for sugar or salt

·      Canker sores or a sore tongue 

·      Difficulty breathing or a cough

·      Poor concentration

If you experience any of these symptoms during this program after eating a particular food, write them down in your journal and practice the concept of an elimination diet— remove that food from your diet for a week and reintroduce that food after your body has a chance to heal. If you experience the same reaction when reintroducing that food, remove that food from your diet for at least a few more months before reintroducing.

Keep in mind that once your gut health is restored, you may not experience the same allergic reactions you experience when your gut health is compromised. Therefore, you may decide to reintroduce that food again in a few months.

THE MOST COMMON ALLERGENIC FOODS ARE: 

·      Dairy products (lactose and casein)

·      Wheat (and other gluten-containing foods)

·      Eggs (whites particularly)

·      Corn 

·      Peanuts

·      Tomatoes

·      Shellfish

·      Sugar

·      Chocolate 

·      Coffee

·      Black tea

·      Alcohol

·      Soy

·      Artificial sweeteners 

·      Yeast

Gut Health and Toxicity

If you experience digestive issues and/or metabolism issues, it’s likely that your liver is overburdened as a result of too much toxicity in your body. 

The reality is—we live in a very toxic world and regardless of how clean we eat, we’re still going to face toxicity. Before we even open our mouths to take a bite of food, we are exposed to pollution in the air and toxins in our cleaning products and cosmetics. So the question you should ask yourself is not “am I toxic?” but rather “how toxic am I?”

The good news is, our bodies are meant to detox naturally. In fact, 90% of environmental carcinogens can be processed and eliminated by a fully functioning liver. The bad news is, our bodies have not evolved fast enough to keep up with the increasing toxic load brought on by the influx of processed foods, mass agriculture and pollution.

Therefore, we must give our bodies the support they need to get rid of toxins naturally, and we can do that by following everything taught in this program, including integrating the basic fundamental tools listed in the next section that are designed to reduce toxicity in your body. 

Remember, you cannot rebuild your gut health if your body suffers from toxic overload.

Self-Care Tools To Reduce Toxicity

Self-care is the cornerstone of great gut health. Caring for yourself, making your body feel beautiful, and pushing toxins out from your body is necessary for great health and a wonderful life. Self-care is also a way to connect with yourself, to fall back in love with yourself, and to cultivate health and joy within and spread it to everyone you touch! Here are some of my favorite tools.

SKIN BRUSHING

Skin brushing is a must when it comes to eliminating toxins and restoring your gut health. Doing this supports your lymphatic system, kidneys and liver. 

Using a skin brush such as the one by Yerba Prima, brush your skin in the morning before showing and at night for maximum results.

Always brush toward your heart with the flow of the lymphatic fluid.

Start at the soles of your feet and then move up your legs, brushing in a circular motion.

Brush your chest and shoulders toward your heart in long strokes, and then start at the fingertips and brush toward your body. Use small, circular strokes in your armpits.

Move in a circular motion counterclockwise on your stomach to respect the direction of digestion.

TONGUE SCRAPING

Tongue scraping is one of my go-to tools to relieve my body of toxicity. This removes mucus and toxic buildup in your mouth. 

You can purchase a tongue scraper on Amazon or simply use a spoon. I use Dr. Tung’s Tongue Cleaner.

In the morning and at night, reach to the back of your tongue with your scraper and pull forward, scraping off the white film and then repeating.

EPSOM SALT BATHS

Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, is wonderful for supplying your body with magnesium, boosting nutrient absorption, relieving stress, improving sleep, and reducing muscle cramps. 

Adding Epsom salts to your bath is a divine experience. To do this, add 1 cup of Epsom salts, ½ cup baking soda, ½ cup sea salt, and ¼cup Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar (optional) to a warm bath. You can also add a few drops of essential oils, such as lavender or another favorite essential oil.

Advanced Tools To Reduce Toxicity

REBOUNDING

Rebounding is a great way to support lymphatic drainage. You can purchase a used rebounder on Craigslist or a new one on Amazon. I suggest rebounding for 15 minutes each day.

CASTOR OIL PACK

Castor oil packs are another way to efficiently remove toxins from the body. There are two ways to do a castor oil pack:

Rub castor oil on your stomach, the right side of your liver and upper abdomen. Some people prefer to soak a cloth, towel or old shirt in the castor oil, wrap the pack in plastic wrap (BPA-free preferred) and then apply over the desired organ. You can lay a hot water bottle or a heating pad on the top of the pack and relax as you release toxins for about 45 minutes. 

OR

Lay down on a towel and rub the castor oil on your stomach, the right side of your liver and upper abdomen. Then re-apply every 15 minutes until you've reached the 45-minute mark. 

OIL PULLING

Oil pulling is one of my favorite and most effective advanced tools because it cleanses the mouth of bacteria and yeast that can lead to infection and toxicity in the body.

You should oil pull in the morning on an empty stomach, and follow up with tongue scraping (above).

·      Put 1-2 tablespoons of coconut or sesame oil in your mouth.

·      Swish the oil for 5-20 minutes.

·      Spit the oil into the trash to prevent it from clogging your sink.

·      Rinse your mouth with water and sea salt, then brush your teeth.

Follow up with tongue scraping.