The Gut Health Protocol

September 10, 2024 13 min read

Disclaimer: Neither this Protocol, nor any article in the Gut Health Guide, makes any claims as to diagnosis, treatment or cure of any disease or illness. This information, guide, and protocol exist only to help raise the overall health of our gut through nutritional means.

This is the Gut Health Protocol for the 30-Day Challenge to raise overall Gut Health.

Here we go through the full protocol so you understand exactly what you will be doing and why, and then we break it down into a very short, very simple little schedule you can print out.

You can find an index to the entire series at the bottom of this article.

WHAT WE’RE DOING ON THE GUT HEALTH PROTOCOL

Our digestive tract is very important for our overall health.

When it’s running smoothly we have good digestion without discomfort where the foods we eat are fully broken down into useable nutrients for our body.

Our stomach kills off most harmful microbes entering it, and if they aren’t killed off there, then they are in our small intestine where 80% of our immune system exists for this exact reason.

Once any of these microbes are neutralized, our intestine opens what are called tight junctions to let the nutrients from our food through and into our bloodstream.

Further down we have our colon, where trillions of bacteria live, consuming left over food and producing vitamins, amino acids, and neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin which are then absorbed through the wall of our colon and sent to our brain or elsewhere. This is our microbiome.

And how well our digestive tract is doing, our gut, parallels fairly closely how well we are doing, both physically and mentally.

However, if harmful microbes do make it in and take root, evading our immune cells, along with toxins, these can cause real trouble.

They can cause gas and bloating, heart burn, indigestion, and IBS.

They affect our mood, our energy levels, our hormones, our sleep, and even our cardiovascular system.

And they can start to deteriorate the walls of our intestine, allowing them and other toxins to make it through into our body where they can cause more harm.

They can even land on healthy cells and corrupt them, leading to our immune system mistaking our cells for harmful microbes and so attacking them.

This protocol aims to address these harmful microbes, ridding our digestive tract of them, while at the same time building all aspects of our digestive tract back up to optimal levels.

We cannot say how far this will take you or how long, to be truthful.

If a digestive tract is generally healthy, results can come swiftly.

But if it’s not, or if it’s quite unhealthy, with various microbes having taken root for some time, along with heartburn, bloating and even IBS, it can take longer.

But after 30 days, if you follow this protocol exactly, or to the very best of your ability, you will experience significant and noticeable improvement in all areas, and carrying on this will continue to get better and better.

And I recommend you do. Because the results truly are worth it.

THE DIET FOR THE GUT HEALTH PROTOCOL

While one part of the protocol is designed to kill off harmful microbes, the other part is designed to both cut off their food source and to help repair the damage they’ve done over the years or even decades.

If we continue to feed them the foods they thrive on, then no amount of work on this protocol will remove them completely, because they’ll just come back each time.

We need to cut them off.

At the same time, we need to get the cells of our stomach and intestinal lining the nutrients they need to start repairing themselves, and we need to give the beneficial bacteria in our colon the nutrients they need in order to thrive.

Therefore the diet will be most similar to a Paleo-type diet, with high protein, higher healthy fats, and low carbs, as these microbes thrive on sugars the most.

It will also not include certain foods that could cause trouble or trigger unwanted reactions during this.

Some, whose digestive tracts are not in poor shape, may be able to sneak in some of the items on the “No" list below. But for anyone truly needing a full gut address, I recommend sticking to the below foods as closely as you can.

It’s not that it’s a “good idea” to do, it really is necessary. A day or two of binging on sugary foods can undo the work of the previous couple weeks.

And the end result is more than worth it.

FOODS TO EAT:

There is no calorie counting on this protocol. Some days you may want to eat more and some days less. This is fine. We just need you keeping to certain foods and away from others.

Proteins: We need a lot of protein. This is both to provide essential amino acids to help repair the damage done and help build up immune cells which we need working at full capacity.

It’s also necessary for the beneficial bacteria in our microbiome which feed on the essential amino acids.

These proteins should be grass-fed and organic. We don't need to give the harmful bacteria any help in the way of food for them or more toxins that stress out the immune system more when it’s already overloaded.

PerfectAmino will also have a role in this, as covered below. Due to its form, even a weak digestive tract can receive the amino acids in it to help repair damage done to our stomach and intestinal lining.

But there are no protein powders. The majority of these are more than 80% converted into sugars that feed these bacteria, and are partially indigestible for many.

Healthy Fats: Healthy fats are very important. They make up half of the structure of each one of our cells and so are needed in building new cells for repair. And some, such as coconut oil and others in Gut Defense, help in addressing SIBO and candida.

These need to be non-processed fats: olive oil, avocados, butter, fatty fish, fatty meats, Omega 3 fats, etc.

No seed oils as these can trigger immune responses.

Vegetables & Fruits: Vegetables are a must, at least at dinner and best if at lunch as well. Especially cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens.

While these provide a very good source of fiber, which we need to keep or get things moving, they do much more and are quite vital.

Some low-glycemic fruit, such as an apple, is okay in the morning. However, the fewer carbs you can have on this diet, the better. If you need to slowly wean off carbs because it’s too much all at once, do it with apples.

But if you do consume all the healthy fats and proteins you can, this will go far in satiating you.

And other aspects of the protocol below will help lower those sugar cravings.

Nuts and Seeds: Raw almonds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and caraway are especially good on a candida or SIBO diet.

Hydration is also key: During microbial die-off, which we’ll be intentionally causing, bio-toxins and toxins can be released. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water to help flush these out of your system.

There may also be times when you have diarrhea early on and will need more water to replace what is lost.

If you need to take electrolytes during this, make sure you have some handy.

FOODS NOT TO EAT:

No dairy except organic butter: For many, dairy is a mild immune trigger. While cream in coffee isn’t too bad for some, for others it causes more troubles than they know. For the best results on this protocol, dairy should be cut out completely or kept to a minimum. The only exception is organic butter.

No grains: These not only feed the harmful bacteria, but the proteins in different types of wheat (glutenin and gliadin) trigger reactions in some that can last days, and are also a contributing factor in leaky gut, as you'll see. So, while you may transition back onto them afterwards, it is best to cut them out during the protocol for best results.

Absolutely no processed or packaged foods: No processed foods and no processed sugars. These directly feed, and for many are the cause of, the microorganisms we’re trying to kill off.

This is the main place this protocol can fail, so this is important. Feeding these microbes sugar can cause them to repopulate, slowing or reversing our progress.

No nightshade vegetables: These can cause reactions for many.

You may already have some in your diet and not notice any trouble from them.

However, we will be putting a large load on your immune system for the first two weeks and something that normally gave it little trouble in the past can suddenly become quite a burden to it when it’s overloaded. So no nightshade vegetables.

Examples of these are: Tomatoes, Eggplants, Potatoes, Bell peppers, Chile peppers and Tomatillos.

No Sodas: Last is sodas. Our stomach must become very acidic to fully digest foods and kill off harmful bacteria. In fact, it’s actually a lack of stomach acid that causes heartburn, not too much.

Sodas neutralize this acid to a large degree, making our stomach less acidic and so decreasing our digestive ability, lowering the amount of nutrition we get from food, and making it easier for new microorganisms to slip through.

So no sodas during this protocol.

THE GUT HEALTH PROTOCOL SUPPLEMENTS:

There are several different supplements for this protocol.

Some of these are involved in improving digestion and addressing heartburn, some for ensuring proper bowel movements, some for killing off harmful microorganisms, some to feed the beneficial bacteria in our microbiome, some to help repair the damage that has been done, and even some to help calm any detox reactions that may occur.

But while many are very helpful, others are a must.

We’re going to first go through them so you know what they are, what they do, and you can decide whether you need them or not.

And then we’ll do a recap at the end so you have something easy to refer to.

THE MUSTS:

1. GUT RESTORE:

Gut Restore addresses Bloating, IBS, Candida, C. Diff, H. Pylori, Aflatoxins, Leaky Gut, Gluten and Wheat Reactions, and much more.

It’s quite powerful.

It also works to repair and maintain our intestinal lining, increase nutrient absorption and utilization, and increase the size of our beneficial bacteria population.

And if we have any gluten reactions, it helps to calm them down. We can just take a scoop right then and skip the next 2-3 days of bloating from it.

But it’s necessary to address the harmful microbes above.

If you don’t feel any current gut issues and are just doing this to improve overall gut health, take one scoop of Gut Restore, mixed with water, before bed.

If you do currently have gut issues, you will need to take two servings instead of one. These can be together before bed or one can be mid morning, away from food.

We want our stomach fairly empty when we take it for best results.

2. GUT DEFENSE:

Gut Defense serves two functions. It helps kill off harmful bacteria. And it helps break down the bio-films these bacteria and other microbes create to protect themselves.

This is necessary as these bio-films are a chief reason our immune system has not been able to get to them to kill them off already. Gut Defense and Gut Restore work together here, each addressing different aspects of the same overall problem.

This is also where you may feel reactions, if any, so we need to do this gradually.

Follow this sequence for the best results (remember, we're explaining everything now, but have a very short, easy to follow schedule of everything at the end, so you don't need to remember all of this):

Phase One: Start with one per day, before lunch, not dinner. You want to take it about 20-30 minutes before a meal.

If you experience reactions, that’s fine, these will go away, and taking five capsules of Relief will help.

Continue at one per day until you have taken it daily for approximately a week or until you’re experiencing no reactions. This could be more or less than a week.

Phase Two: Take two per day: take one 20-30 minutes before lunch and one 20-30 minutes before dinner.

If heavy reactions occur, then only take one the next day. Then, on the following day, raise it back to two. Do this as many times as needed. And take 5 capsules of Relief as needed. It will help a lot.

Continue this way until no significant reactions have occurred for a few days.

Phase Three: Increase to three per day: one 20-30 minutes before breakfast, one 20-30 minutes before lunch, and one 20-30 minutes before dinner.

If heavy reactions occur, cut back down to two the next day. And on the day after that go back up to three again. Do this as many times as needed. And take 5 capsules of Relief as needed.

Phase Four: Carry on taking three per day. There is no need to increase beyond this level. Reactions should continue to subside more and more if there are still any occurring at this point.

Note: Gut Defense should not be taken before bed as it may keep some people up.

Note: While you will notice most reactions in the first 1-2 weeks, and they should be gone or significantly lessened by the end of this challenge, these harmful microbes do take time to fully address.

This is because of the biofilms they create and hide behind. It takes time to address them fully and if we don’t take it to the end, they can just come back again.

It is highly recommended that you continue on Gut Defense and Gut Restore for a total of four months to ensure all harmful microbes are fully addressed. This could be well after any reactions have ceased to occur.

The first 80% die off quickly, giving much relief, but the last 20% take longer.

3. DIGESTIVE ENZYMES:

These improve digestion in the stomach, both ensuring food and proteins are fully broken down so our body gets the needed nutrition from them, as well as helping to kill off new microorganisms trying to slip through.

This is necessary for this protocol, especially with the high amount of proteins and fats you will be eating.

Most people don't realize how bad their stomach digestion has gotten until they try eating more meats or fatty foods. And for the first while they will need these digestive enzymes to fully digest these foods until the stomach comes back up to par.

Take 1-2 digestive enzymes with each meal, not before and not after unless you forgot. Start with 1 and increase to 2 if needed.

4. PROBIOTIC:

These help to replenish the beneficial bacteria in our gut which affect a multitude of factors related to our overall health, stress levels and much more, as we'll cover.

Take 2 Probiotic along with your Gut Restore as the Humic Acid helps to increase their population growth rate.

5. PERFECT AMINO:

This serves two functions. Both to get our body the amino acids it needs to repair the lining of the stomach and intestine, and to help feed the beneficial bacteria in the microbiome as the essential amino acids are their chief food source.

Take 2-3 servings of PA per day. Take 2 servings in the morning before food and 1 serving mid day or a few hours before bed.

FURTHER SUPPLEMENTS:

Alright, those are the most vital supplements to take for this protocol.

However, there are some others that are quite important and which would be not only very beneficial, but very helpful when it comes to lowering any discomfort from bacterial die-off.

You can take these as you choose.

6. RELIEF AND H2 INFUSE:

Each helps with the effects of bacterial die-off, and from two different angles.

Relief helps calm things down and provides direct relief from these effects, while H2 Infuse helps neutralize key free radicals that microbial die-off can create.

Taking 5 Relief, either during the day or before bed, should help greatly.

And H2 Infuse can be taken at any time of day, but is best not taken on a full stomach.

7. GREENS:

These are wonderful for a plethora of reasons, but the three key to this protocol are its antioxidant effect in fighting free radicals from bacterial die-off, the fact that it’s the other chief food source of the beneficial bacteria in our microbiome, and the fiber it provides.

Greens should be taken at 1 serving per day, morning or mid day.

8. MULTI COMPLETE:

Your body will be going through a lot and needs all the help it can get. Multi Complete provides a full range of the vitamins our bodies need, in the quantities and forms they need them in, to help our cells and immune system rebuild and function properly.

And they are key to the natural detox pathways of our body.

Take 4 tablets per day: 2 tablets with lunch and 2 tablets with dinner.

9. ELIMINATE & BODY CALM:

If you have any constipation during this protocol, or in general, the first thing to do is take Body Calm.

This relaxes our nerves and can help calm detox effects due to this, and it helps get things moving.

But if this doesn’t work, then take Eliminate to help normalize bowel movements as per the directions on the bottle.

10. ELECTROLYTES:

You may experience diarrhea during this protocol, and you will be drinking plenty of water to flush out the bio-toxins created by microbial die-off.

But with this can come electrolyte loss, giving headaches and dehydration. In this case just take a serving of electrolytes and ensure you’re drinking plenty of water.

11. SLEEP:

If you’re having any trouble sleeping during the first week or two of the protocol, just take 3 capsules of sleep about an hour before bed and this should do the trick.

And that's all!

Okay, I know that was a lot.

In the next article we break it down into a very short, very simple schedule which you can print out and keep with you or put on your refrigerator.

I promise. It’s very short and very simple.

Here is your Gut Health Protocol Schedule.

Then we get started shopping.

And if you haven't already, make sure you join our PerfectAmino VIP Group, where you can ask all your health & fitness questions.

Index To The Gut Health Guide:

The Autoimmune Series:

The Gut Health Protocol:

Digestion: Acid Reflux, Bloating, Muscle, Fat Loss & More:

Leaky Gut: SIBO, Toxins, Glyphosate & Gluten:

The Microbiome: Stress, Recovery, Mood & Overall Health:

What Is Candida & How Do We Address It?

What Is Candida & How Do We Address It?

How Gut Health Affects Skin Health:

How Poor Gut Health Causes Poor Skin Health

Where To Go From Here:

The Gut Health Protocol: Where To Go From Here

REFERENCES:

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.