Had a thread about this in John Meadows’ subforum but I’ve started this one so I can keep updating it without annoying John.
So I suspect my gut health is not great, based on the quality of my bowel movements. Too much information? You betcha, but I’m willing to bet a lot of physique enthusiasts are in my position due to the way we eat. It’s not something we talk about, but I reckon gut health should be one of the things we put highest on our agenda as health conscious, physique minded individuals.
Apparently force feeding, and high protein diets can lead to us producing less digestive enzymes, so we won’t absorb all we eat. Also, certain lifestyle habits (alcohol, sweet, sweet alcohol) can really damage your gut flora, and I was quite a heavy drinker in my younger days so I suspect my guts are all fucked up.
So I’ve decided to get my gut sorted. The protocol I am following is of my own devising, but borrows heavily from Berardi, Poliquin and Meadows. Every day I will consume:
-Probiotic and Glutamine (20g) in the morning on an empty stomach
-10g inulin fiber with meals
-Digestive Enzymes with meals
-Psyllium Husk before bed
I am also loading the glutamine at 80g for 5 days before moving to the 20g/day maintenance dose. Poliquin recommends this and Berardi recommends something similar so I figure why not?
I started a couple of days ago, so still got a few more days loading the glutamine. Only thing to report is that since I have started the digestive enzymes I have been on the toilet pretty much constantly. Apparently that’s due to the enzymes breaking down food residue that’s just been sort of gathering dust in your gut, and is to be expected. It’s not nice, and I figure it’ll probably get worse before it gets better, but I will ride it out in the quest for the greater good.
So there we go. I’ll update this thread every now and then so people can see whether or not it’s worked.
Anyone who has done a gut cleanse, gut health protocol or whatever feel free to chime in with their experiences.
I realise this thread is a little gross, but I think it’s worth talking about. Considering 80% of the immune system is found in the gut, it makes sense to get it healthy.