Reboot the gut!

01/14/2026

Low FODMAP diet reboots the gut in IBS but what about everyone else? From years of clinical practice, as well as observing my own family and personal health journeys, I can't recall many patients ever being advised to try a Low FODMAP diet when presenting with IBS symptoms. Yet for many individuals, this can be one of the most effective ways of calming the gut.

If you suffer with IBS, following the Low FODMAP protocol for 6–8 weeks may help to "reboot" the gut. After completing the elimination phase, FODMAP reintroduction allows you to identify specific triggers, and in many cases, previously intolerant foods can be tolerated again once the gut has settled. It is a worthwhile approach to consider. Speak to your GP or healthcare provider first to ensure this is appropriate for you. See my low FODMAP guide page.


Rebooting the Gut for all?

Even for individuals without IBS, there is increasing interest in how we can reset, calm or "reboot" the gut. Our modern microbiome is not operating in the same environment as our ancestors. Over centuries — and particularly over recent decades — diets have shifted dramatically toward ultra-processed foods, emulsifiers, additives, shelf-stable products, refined sugars, altered fats, and reduced fibre intake. These changes have altered microbial diversity, gut barrier integrity, and inflammatory pathways in ways we are only just beginning to understand.

Rebooting the gut does not always require complex protocols. Often, one of the most powerful interventions is simply cleaning up the diet:

✔ Removing ultra-processed foods

✔ Eating 30 plants per week and increasing plant diversity

✔ Eating more prebiotic and probiotic foods

✔ Reducing refined carbohydrates & sugars

✔ Switching to wholegrains

✔ Eliminating seed oils

✔ Adding fermented foods

✔ Increasing fibre & polyphenols from plants

✔ Including healthy fats (olive oil, omega-3, grass-fed butter)

✔ choosing grass-fed or minimally processed protein sources

✔ Addressing insluin resistance ( cut down snacks, increase time between meals and intermittent fasting)

On my pages, I will explore different dietary approaches to gut repair in more detail.

Fasting & the Gut Reset

Another important component of gut health is fasting. Periods of fasting allow the gut to rest, support autophagy, reduce gut inflammation, and promote microbial shifts. Not all fasting methods are equal, and certain fasts appear particularly beneficial for the gut–immune axis.

This includes:

✔ Intermittent fasting (often 14–16 hour windows) - this is the most scientifically backed up.
✔ 24-hour fasts (weekly or fortnightly)
✔ 36-hour "gut reset" fasts (occasional)

These approaches may support:

  • microbial diversity

  • intestinal barrier function

  • reduced bloating & dysbiosis

  • improved insulin sensitivity hence improve insulin resistance

  • reduced glucose spikes which helps improve insulin resistance

  • better energy & appetite regulation

There will be more on this topic across my pages — including how to tailor fasting for women, how menopause influences fasting response, and how fasting integrates with microbiome and metabolic health.

Rebuilding a Stronger Microbiome

The ultimate aim of rebooting the gut is not just symptom control, but restoration of microbial balance. This may involve everything in my checklist in the first section, especially:

✔ fermented foods
✔ polyphenol-rich plants
✔ fibre diversity
✔ omega-3
✔ probiotics & prebiotics
✔ correcting nutrient deficiencies
✔ minimising metabolic stress

Our ancestors consumed 100% unprocessed diets, naturally fermented foods, and seasonal fibre-rich plants — all of which shaped microbiome diversity. In comparison, modern diets can be hostile to microbes that support immune function, metabolism, mood and inflammation regulation.

Rebooting the gut is not about perfection — it is about returning to what the body recognises as food, rhythm and balance. It is this balance that may help us fix our gut health, our metabolic health and may help us tackle the epidemic of diseases we face today!

More on this on my pages. If you are interested in healthy recipes follow my instagram channel (link in the footer below).


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