Clean Gut

Last year I read Clean by Dr. Alejandro Junger.  Recently, Dr. Junger has added another element to his ideas on diet and healthy living and that relates to the gut.  Clean Gut focuses on the digestive track itself and how certain foods affect the digestive track.  Special focus is given to probiotics and foods that contribute to the intestinal flora’s good health.

While I don’t disagree with Dr. Junger, I feel like his diet recommendations for Clean Gut are a bit extreme.  He wants individuals to strip their diet down to the bare-bones: no fruits except for berries, no gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine, and even a limited assortment of vegetables.  This strict is only supposed to last three weeks, but I can’t imagine eating such a limited diet for three weeks.  Granted, the purpose of the diet is supposed to help the dieter to identify dietary triggers, such as gluten sensitivity, levels of lactose intolerance, etc.

I believe it’s very important for us to know how certain foods impact our health, but I also believe in a sustainable diet.  I’m worried that some will take this diet as the “truth” and stay on it, which I don’t believe is going to contribute to their health.  But I’m not a doctor and I don’t play one on tv.

For me, I think that Clean has better health recommendations that are applicable to life and are sustainable.  Since I already know which foods impact my health and well-being, I don’t feel the need to try Clean Gut.  I think what I will do is take what I already know from Clean and add some of his recommended probiotics and vitamins.  If you like to read about health and diet, Clean Gut is an interesting read.