Have you always suffered from bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or stomach pain? Or have your recently contracted what’s called a traveler’s diarrhea and have had trouble recovering fully? You might need detox support that will target the infection and restore your digestive health, and overall vitality.

Your digestive system is home to trillions of good bacteria, among other organisms. If your gut is healthy, these organisms coexist and create a balanced environment. However, when infectious organisms infect and invade your system, they disrupt the whole system, causing the symptoms that you are experiencing. These organisms could be food-borne bacteria such as salmonella and e.coli, or parasites such as threadworm. It could also be an overgrowth of certain intestinal bacteria, known as SIBO. If this is left untreated, the digestive tract lining could get damaged, causing a “leaky gut“. When this happens, your digestive system becomes inflamed and will ultimately cause further imbalance in the guts, and symptoms worsening.

Herbs for Detox

Some herbs are known to support detoxing gut problems, removing parasites and overgrowth of fungi and bacteria in your system. They are:

• Pomegranate — it has antifungal, antibacterial, as well as antiprotozoal (parasite) properties. It is used to aid in digestion, relieving flatulence and other digestive issues, and cramps.
• Myrrh — it is an age-old remedy from tree gums, and it eliminates worms, bad bacteria, and parasites, soothing digestive issues.
• Nigella — it is a traditional Ayurvedic herb that also eliminates worms and parasites from the body. It promotes a healthy gut microbiome, and relieves indigestion, diarrhea, and other digestive discomforts.
• Qing Hao — it is an ancient Chinese medicine that is given to patients who have SIBO for its potent antimicrobial actions. Actually it is also a preferred herb for malaria by the WHO

Diet for Detox

Your diet plays a huge role in detoxing. It is recommended that you eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits, spices, wholegrains, legumes, seeds, and nuts. They contain the fibre and antioxidants that are able to promote a healthy gut, and regular bowel movement.

How much of the herbs should you take? What food should you eat and avoid?

There is no “one size fits all” detox because each one’s health condition is different from others’. It’s more often than not a hit-and-miss. In order to get the best results, and stop wasting money and time on programs that may only treat some of the symptoms, if any, speaking with a functional medicine practitioner is highly advised. This way, you are sure that you will get the detox program that is specific to your needs.