Eczema, rosacea, acne, dandruff – these aren’t just skin issues, they’re signs that your gut is trying to tell you something. Besides, your skin isn’t the only way your gut communicates with you. Regular bloating, fatigue, anxiety, foggy headedness and mood swings are all warning signals. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you need to listen up!
That’s what we did. Everyone at the Qiyorro team had a condition they identified with.
A week of symptom noting, diet tracking and sleep monitoring later, we knew a gut reset was in order.
The team cleanse
1. Immediate fixes: To begin with, we stopped any intake of gluten, dairy, beans, soy and nightshades. No added sugar meant we couldn’t eat anything that was packaged and came with an ingredient list. Sodas and cocktails were replaced with coconut water, lemon, mint & ginger infusions and loose-leaf tea. We also became primarily vegetarian.
Pros: The most restful sleep, regular bowel movement and no more bloat!
Cons: Aside from the end of our social lives, it took a lot of experimentation to reintroduce foods that our guts could tolerate.
2. Changes for good: Aside from supplements, we consumed a lot of fermented foods like kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut, and miso that are all natural probiotics (a.k.a. good bacteria). We also added prebiotics like asparagus, bananas, garlic, onions and whole grains to our diet to help beneficial bacteria multiply in the gut (food for the microbiome). Some of us had a daily shot of apple cider vinegar diluted in water, 30 minutes before a meal. Plus, anti-inflammatories like curcumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne made their way into our systems as supplements and curries!
Pros: These were easy changes to make and sustain. We love Korean hot pot anyway.
Cons: Errmm have you ever tasted apple cider vinegar?
3. Reducing Stress: Unfortunately, a 10-day break in the Bahamas was not an option, so instead we took up meditation, exercising regularly, and sleeping early. Three weeks in and we can confirm that there were no signs of dark circles at the Qiyorro office.
Pros: These feel-good exercises are so sustainable, especially when you see the effects on your skin.
Cons: Meditating is much harder than it seems!
4. Hydration: Mornings blurred into afternoons and before we knew it, it was sundown, yet most of us would have barely had a glass of water through the workday. It’s almost embarrassing to admit that we set an alarm reminding us to drink water every hour. But this was really the simplest and most effective game-changer.
Pros: Who needs hyaluronic acid when you drink a gallon of water?
Cons: Way too many bathroom breaks.
Three months later, we’re happy to report that a lot of our symptoms have eased up.
But we also realized that denying ourselves certain foods was making some of us quite depressed, some exercises were more stressful than beneficial for others; and sometimes, even the most nutritious food didn’t agree with one’s body. At the end of the day, your body, like you, is unique. Gut health is a personal journey and you should only stay on the road that makes you happy and brings positive change.
Having said that, we hope you can benefit from our tips. Try it and don’t forget to write in telling us how it’s going.