Your Blueprint to: Rebuild, Restore, and Reignite Your Health from the Inside Out

You just got back from vacation feeling… off.

The food was incredible — but your body isn’t exactly sending you thank-you cards. You’re bloated, energy’s dragging, digestion’s all over the place, and you can’t seem to get back into any kind of rhythm.

-Ya’lls personal stories prompted this article. So thanks for sharing (even the … details)!

Sound familiar?

Here’s what most people don’t realize: your gut can fall out of balance faster than you think. A few days of processed food, disrupted sleep, exposure to new bacteria, or a few too many cocktails — and your microbiome starts shifting in measurable ways.

Research shows that even one week of a typical “Western” diet — loaded with processed foods and basically zero fiber — can tank your beneficial bacterial diversity while ramping up inflammatory gut species. Add stress, time zone changes, or antibiotics from a recent illness, and it’s no wonder so many people come home needing a complete internal reset.

But here’s the encouraging part: your gut regenerates incredibly fast. Your intestinal lining renews itself roughly every three to five days. That means what you do starting right now has immediate impact.

This isn’t about some trendy cleanse or quick fix. We’re talking about a systematic rebuild designed to restore balance, reduce inflammation, and reignite optimal function from the inside out.

Why Your Gut Falls Apart

Before we rebuild, let’s understand what breaks it down in the first place.

What Breaks Down a Healthy Gut (and Why It Happens So Fast)

Processed Foods and Refined Sugars – These are essentially fertilizer for harmful microbes. Studies show that diets high in refined carbohydrates can reduce beneficial bacterial species within just 3–7 days and increase growth of endotoxin-producing strains like Clostridium and Enterobacteriaceae. The result is a perfect storm of dysbiosis, fermentation, and inflammation. One clinical study even found that switching from a whole-food diet to a processed, low-fiber “Western” diet reduced microbial diversity by up to 40% in under two weeks.

Seed Oils and Fried Foods – The average American now consumes nearly 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids, a ratio strongly linked to gut inflammation and altered microbiome composition. When these industrial oils are heated, they produce oxidized linoleic acid metabolites that damage the phospholipid membranes of intestinal cells. In other words, your gut lining literally takes a chemical beating every time you eat fried food.

Gluten and Dairy – Even if you don’t have celiac disease, gluten can trigger the release of zonulin, a protein that increases intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”). Research from the University of Maryland found that gluten exposure raised zonulin levels in every individual tested, not just those with celiac disease. Dairy proteins — particularly A1 casein found in most conventional cow’s milk — can activate immune pathways and amplify gut inflammation in those with compromised intestinal barriers. This combination sets the stage for food sensitivities and chronic immune activation.

Alcohol and Artificial Sweeteners – Alcohol is a direct gut irritant. It increases intestinal permeability, disrupts the mucosal barrier, and decreases beneficial Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species — even at moderate doses. Artificial sweeteners aren’t much better. In one study published in Nature, consuming sucralose or aspartame for just one week significantly altered glucose metabolism and microbiome balance, favoring inflammatory bacterial strains. These compounds confuse both your gut microbes and your metabolism.

Stress and Poor Sleep – Your gut feels your stress — literally. Elevated cortisol alters gut motility and slows digestion, while simultaneously reducing secretory IgA, your intestinal immune system’s first line of defense. In a 2021 Frontiers in Immunology review, chronic stress was shown to thin the gut mucus layer and increase intestinal permeability, making it easier for toxins and pathogens to cross into circulation. Poor sleep only amplifies this cycle, as gut bacteria have circadian rhythms of their own.

Antibiotics and Medications – Antibiotics are sometimes necessary, but they can reduce microbial diversity by up to 90%, with some strains never fully recovering. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and NSAIDs also disrupt gut integrity, promoting bacterial overgrowth and inflammation. After just one antibiotic course, beneficial species like Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus acidophilus can remain suppressed for months, leaving room for opportunistic pathogens such as Candida albicans or Clostridium difficile to take over.

The end result? A weakened intestinal barrier, reduced nutrient absorption, low stomach acid, and a gut ecosystem that’s actively working against you.

Time to change that.

---

Phase 1: REMOVE — Clear Out What’s Driving Inflammation

For the first 10–14 days, your job is simple: eliminate interference.

Get rid of:

• Processed foods, sugars, alcohol, and refined grains
• Industrial oils (canola, soybean, safflower, sunflower)
• Gluten and dairy (even temporarily — give your gut a break)
• Artificial sweeteners, colors, and emulsifiers

Support the process with:

MaxLiving GI Remove – formulated with antimicrobial botanicals like berberine, oregano oil, garlic, and caprylic acid to help rebalance intestinal flora and clear unwanted overgrowths.

Activated charcoal or bentonite clay (1–2x/week) – binds toxins and microbial byproducts during this removal phase.

Biohack Tip: Use a 12–14 hour overnight fast. This allows your gut’s “housekeeping wave” (migrating motor complex) to function. Think of it as your gut’s self-cleaning cycle — but it only works when you’re not eating.

Phase 2: REPAIR — Rebuild the Gut Lining and Lower Inflammation

Once the irritants are out, it’s time to repair the terrain. Your gut lining is made of epithelial cells that depend on specific nutrients to heal properly.

Key foods to focus on:

Bone broth and collagen – packed with glycine, proline, and glutamine, which are literally the building blocks your intestinal lining needs.

Wild-caught salmon, sardines, and flaxseeds – omega-3s that counterbalance inflammation at the cellular level.

Cooked vegetables like carrots, zucchini, and spinach — easier on digestion while still providing antioxidants.

Aloe vera juice and slippery elm – natural demulcents that soothe irritation and support mucous membrane healing.

Fermented foods (start slow) – sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir. If you’re still bloating, hold off and add these later.

Supplement strategy:

GI Replenish – provides L-glutamine (the main fuel source for intestinal cells), zinc carnosine, and quercetin to tighten the gut barrier and calm inflammation.

GI Replace – adds targeted probiotics and mucosal support to repopulate beneficial flora and encourage long-term stability.

Digestive Enzymes + HCl Support – this is one of the most overlooked pieces. Low stomach acid leads to inadequate breakdown of food, which creates fermentation and bacterial overgrowth downstream. Fix this early.

Biohack Tip: Try red light therapy (10–15 minutes over the abdomen) to enhance mitochondrial repair in intestinal cells. Research shows it helps modulate inflammation and accelerates mucosal healing.

Phase 3: REINOCULATE — Rebuild a Resilient Microbiome

Here’s the thing: it’s not just about adding probiotics. It’s about creating the right environment for them to actually thrive.

Best practices:

Eat 25–30g of fiber daily from a variety of vegetables, chia seeds, flax, and resistant starches (like cooked-and-cooled sweet potatoes or green bananas).

Include polyphenol-rich foods — blueberries, green tea, cacao, olive oil. These act as prebiotics and feed beneficial bacteria.

Supplement with a broad-spectrum probiotic or spore-based option for better survivability through stomach acid.

Biohack Tip: Spend time grounding outdoors. Research shows exposure to soil microbes and natural environments actually enhances microbial diversity. Even simple activities like gardening, walking barefoot on grass, or just being in nature have measurable benefits on immune modulation and microbiota composition.

Supplements referenced: https://store.maxliving.com/collections/gut-health

Phase 4: REBALANCE — Integrate Lifestyle and Nervous System Health

Your gut doesn’t operate in isolation. It’s intimately connected to your brain and spinal nervous system through the vagus nerve — the master regulator of digestion, mood, and inflammation.

Daily practices that matter:

Chiropractic adjustments – restore spinal alignment, enhance vagal tone, and improve gut motility. Your nervous system controls your digestive function. When there’s interference, everything downstream suffers.

Deep breathing or prayer before meals – activates the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) state, improving enzyme secretion and nutrient absorption. You literally digest better when you’re calm.

Movement – daily exercise boosts microbial diversity and intestinal blood flow. Even a 20-minute walk makes a difference.

Sleep optimization – aim for 7–8 hours. Your gut bacteria follow circadian rhythms too. Mess with your sleep, mess with your microbiome.

Biohack Tip: Contrast therapy — alternating sauna and cold exposure — enhances circulation, supports detoxification, and activates beneficial stress responses that positively influence gut integrity and immune signaling.

Putting It All Together: A One-Day Gut Reset Blueprint

Morning

• Warm lemon water + pinch of sea salt
• Bone broth or GI Replenish shake
• 5–10 minutes sunlight exposure to set circadian rhythm

Midday

• Meal: Wild-caught fish or pastured protein + steamed vegetables + avocado or olive oil
• Short walk after eating to aid digestion

Afternoon

• Herbal tea with ginger or licorice root
• Deep breathing session or 10-minute meditation

Evening

• GI Replace before dinner
• Meal: Bone broth soup with sweet potato, spinach, and turmeric
• Light stretching or red light session
• Sleep before 10:30 p.m. for optimal repair

The Big Picture

Gut healing is one of the most profound investments you can make in your health. It influences everything — from your immune system and metabolism to your focus, skin, and energy levels.

When you rebuild the gut, you’re not just improving digestion. You’re restoring communication between your body and brain, reducing systemic inflammation, and literally changing your biology from the inside out.

If you’re ready to begin this process, our clinic carries a complete set of MaxLiving gut health formulas — including GI Remove, GI Replenish, GI Replace, and Digestion & Detox — that fit seamlessly into each phase of this reset.

We can help you design a plan tailored to your body’s specific needs, starting right where you are.

Because your gut health isn’t just about digestion — it’s about restoring your entire foundation for life and longevity.

---

You’re designed to heal. Remove interference, restore function, and let your body do what it was created to do.

---

We’re Here to Help

At Minnetonka Family Chiropractic, we specialize in getting to the root cause of your health issues — not just masking symptoms. Whether you’re dealing with digestive problems, chronic pain, headaches, low energy, or hormonal imbalances, we take a comprehensive approach that addresses your spine, nervous system, nutrition, and lifestyle.

Gut health is foundational to everything else. When your digestive system isn’t functioning properly, it affects your immune system, brain function, energy levels, mood, and overall vitality. We’ve helped countless patients resolve issues like IBS, bloating, food sensitivities, chronic inflammation, and autoimmune conditions by addressing the underlying dysfunction — not just giving them another pill to take.

Our approach combines:

• Specific chiropractic adjustments to optimize nervous system function and improve gut-brain communication
• Comprehensive nutritional guidance tailored to your body’s unique needs
• Functional assessments including digital X-rays to identify structural interference
• Targeted supplementation using clinical-grade formulas like the MaxLiving gut health protocol
• Lifestyle coaching to help you implement sustainable changes that actually stick

We don’t just treat you and send you on your way. We educate, empower, and equip you with the tools you need to take control of your health for the long term.

If you’re frustrated with conventional approaches that haven’t worked, or you’re tired of being told your symptoms are “just normal,” let’s chat. Your body has an incredible ability to heal when given the right support.

Ready to start your journey back to real health?
Visit drjustinlee.com or call 612-716-7669 to schedule your consultation.

Let’s get you feeling like yourself again — or better than you ever have.