Harvard, Stanford trained gastroenterologist says avoid ‘daily fasting with no structure’; rates 20 gut health trends

Gastroenterologist Dr Sethi evaluates gut health trends, promoting healthy habits and cautioning against harmful ones like soup diets and unstructured fasting.

There are several gut health trends doing the rounds online that do more harm than good. So, how do we separate the good from the bad?

In an August 11 Instagram post, Dr Saurabh Sethi, MD, MPH, board-certified gastroenterologist, hepatologist, and interventional endoscopist trained at AIIMS, Harvard and Stanford, shared 10 popular gut health trends and reviewed them on the basis of how well they work for us. “Stanford-trained doctor reviews 10 more popular health trends (part 4)– skip or add,” he wrote.

10 popular gut health trends reviewed by a gastroenterologist

Dr Sethi suggests avoiding daily fasting with no structure, including natural herbs in meals, avoiding soup diets, skipping enemas as they can do more harm than good, and more. Let's find out what he has to say about some of the popular gut health trends:

1. Daily fasting with no structure: Skip
2. Turmeric, ginger, and fennel for digestion: The gastroenterologist said that he would add these spices to his diet.
3. Natural herbs in meals: Add.
4. Cabbage soup diet: Skip.
5. Listening to your body cues: Add.
6. Alkaline water resets your gut: Skip.
7. Raw eggs for gut lining: Skip.
8. Food diversity equals gut strength: Definitely add.
9. Never eating legumes: Skip.
10. Flax or chia seeds: Add.

In an earlier Instagram post, shared on August 10, the gastroenterologist reviewed 10 more gut health trends, including avoiding distracted eating, and more. Here's what he said:

1. Avoiding distracted eating: Add.
2. Apple cider vinegar shots straight: Skip.
3. Fennel seeds after meals: Add.
4. Green tea or matcha: Add.
5. Hydration with plain water: Add.
6. Cutting nightshades with no reason: Skip.
7. Mindful eating habits: Add.
8. Coffee enema for gut healing: Skip.
9. Daily enemas for detox: Skip.
10. Probiotic gummies fix everything: Skip.

Best morning habits for gut health

Dr Sethi often shares his insights on liver and gut health on Instagram. In an August 8 Instagram post, he recommended healthy morning habits for gut health. He recommends starting with warm water before coffee to help stimulate digestion and bowel movements, getting some morning sun exposure, considering taking psyllium if you're constipated, and prioritising a daily 'poop check' to ensure regular bowel movements. Learn more tips here.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.