Gut Health Trends that AREN’T Worth the Hype

“Gut health” has been all the hype in recent years, and for good reason! More and more is being learned about the importance of a healthy and thriving gut for its contributions to physical health, mental well-being, improved cognitive function, & so much more. The rage is definitely justified!

So, it makes sense that having good gut health lives up to the hype– however, certain methods to achieve good gut health may not be as easy, glamorous, or effective as they seem. 

Some gut health trends that are dominating the internet have been growing in popularity recently due to their promises to heal your gut FAST– however, these ineffective gut health trends are likely fads in reality, and they can actually do more harm than good. 

Instead, using evidence-based methods to improve gut health consistently and gradually over time, instead of engaging in isolated gut health trends, is the key to effectively healing your gut!

The Appeal and Potential Dangers of Gut Health Trends

One of the main reasons why gut health trends have become so popular is because of social media. For instance, some social media influencers in health and wellness promote certain products that promise to help solve your gut issues, when they don’t actually get to the root cause of those issues. 

While social media can be a great outlet to get recipe inspo or find a workout for the day, it can also be an avenue for gut health misinformation to spread. For example, the promotion of products that don’t actually work to improve your gut health can cause you to spend money unnecessarily on those products. 

It is also important to note that extreme practices disguised as gut health “hacks” without any research backing them could lead to food fears, nutritional deficiencies, gut imbalances, and potentially more consequences.

Despite this, however, ineffective gut health trends can be so appealing because they promise to fix your gut issues immediately, without any changes to your habits (such as your diet and exercise routines). However, these gut health fads are often too good to be true and likely don’t result in any long-lasting benefits to your gut health.

Therefore, it is CRUCIAL to know the facts when it comes to improving your gut health, as well as distinguishing between supported gut health practices and mere hype. For example, you can probably spot a gut health fad from a mile away if it is guaranteed to work for EVERYONE, when in reality, everyone’s body is uniquely different. 

Identifying Ineffective Gut Health Trends

As we now know, not only can gut health fads be simply ineffective, but can also be potentially dangerous. In order to prevent falling into a gut health trend trap, here are some examples of gut health trends that are NOT worth the hype.

“Detoxes” and “cleanses”:

Although there are certain things that you can do to detoxify your system even more than your body already does, some quick “detoxes” and “cleanses” just take it too far.

Some detoxes and cleanses can be ineffective for your gut health long-term if they are too restrictive, which can actually deter you from achieving good gut health. 

For example, a juice cleanse may sound great after indulging in lots of delicious, yet not so gut-friendly, meals– however, only drinking fruit or veggie juice keeps you from getting in some of the most essential nutrients that your body NEEDS, such as protein and healthy fats. Also, fiber is stripped from fruits and veggies during the juicing process, and not eating enough fiber can cause your gut health to be less than optimal. 

Additionally, restrictive eating patterns can disrupt the natural balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut, which can cause even MORE damage to your body and gut health, in addition to potential nutrient deficiencies.

Your internal organs already do SO much when it comes to detoxifying and cleansing your system– therefore, it is important to support your body rather than restrict it.

Taking the WRONG kind of supplements:

Supplements are an AMAZING tool to improve your gut health, and many need them in order to heal. But, personalization is key!

For example, taking the wrong kind of probiotic  can cause uncomfortable GI symptoms like gas, bloating, diarrhea, and cramps. Don’t take a one-size-fits all probiotic!

In order to find the probiotic and other personalized gut health supplements YOU need, take the free GutPersonal Gut Health Quiz HERE!

Restrictive diets:

When it comes to poor gut health, food often gets the blame.

You eat the food and then get digestive symptoms, so it must have been the food’s fault.

Here’s the thing about gut issues… It is not the food that is the problem. It is the environment that the food is going into - which is your gut! So cutting out a bunch of foods in order to heal your gut is missing the mark.

Restrictive diets will not heal your gut.

Instead, utilizing personalized supplements and for some, gut testing, is needed to address the root cause to imbalances.

Gut Health Tips that ARE Worth the Hype 

Want to fix your gut health issues AT THEIR SOURCE, without all the gut health fads and hype getting in the way? Here are a few proven solutions to help you get started!

• Eat a balanced and varied diet.
• Consume a wide variety of colorful fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and high-quality proteins.
• Focus on fiber - at least 20-30 grams per day!
• Tip: cook your veggies in order to reduce bloat!
• Regularly consume probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods.
• Probiotics in foods like yogurt and kimchi are fantastic for boosting the amount of good bacteria in your gut.
• Prebiotics in foods like vegetables nourish good gut bacteria so those beneficial gut bugs will thrive!
• Manage your daily stress and engage in feel-good practices daily that bring you joy.
• We can’t eliminate stress completely from our lives, but we can learn to recalibrate from stressful situations.
• There is no “right way” to manage your stress. Try different things to find what you enjoy! Some ideas to get started: nature walks, journaling, dancing to your favorite songs, spending time with family, calling a loved one, playing with your pet, etc.

Doing What’s Right for YOUR Gut

It can be hard to distinguish between gut health strategies that are actually effective for improving your gut health and those that are mere hype. 

It is CRUCIAL to remember that strategies to improve gut health are not one-size-fits-all– what may work for one person may not work for someone else, which is why personalized approaches are the key to doing what’s best for you. 

Want to find out more about what YOU need to heal your gut? Take our free, 3-minute Gut Health Quiz to get personalized gut health supplements! If you’ve been feeling bloated, anxious, or just down in general, our gut health quiz is a GREAT stepping stone to finding out what gaps you might need to fill and how we can help!!