Laura's 5-Day Gut Reset Protocol
Written by Laura Woodley, Qualified Naturopath | Health Sense Clinic Founder
This is the protocol I developed and refined over seven years of clinical practice. It's the foundation I gave to clients who came to me with gut issues, persistent fatigue, and a sense that something in their body just wasn't right. I'm sharing it here in full, because everyone deserves access to a clear, practical starting point.
Before you begin, a note: this protocol is supportive, not diagnostic. If you have a serious health condition, please work with a qualified practitioner alongside any supplementation.
The principle behind a gut reset
A gut reset isn't a crash diet or a dramatic intervention. It's a structured, targeted window where you remove the things that burden your gut, add in what supports it, and give your body the space to recalibrate. Five days is enough to see meaningful change and break entrenched patterns.
Days 1–2: Remove and support
Remove: Sugar, alcohol, processed foods, gluten (for this 5-day window), dairy. These are the most common gut irritants and removing them — even briefly — gives your gut lining a chance to recover.
Add: Begin Para-Detox if you haven't already. This is the phase where clearing the gut environment is the priority. Take as directed. Add a magnesium supplement in the evening — magnesium supports intestinal motility and helps ensure effective clearance.
Focus on: Warm lemon water in the morning, bone broth or vegetable broth, cooked vegetables (easier to digest than raw at this stage), and good hydration throughout the day.
Days 3–4: Rebuild and replenish
Continue: Para-Detox and Magnesium Citrate. By day 3, you should be noticing less bloating and more regularity.
Add: Probiotic-rich foods — quality yoghurt (if you tolerate dairy), kefir, sauerkraut, or a probiotic supplement. This is when we start reintroducing beneficial bacteria to the newly cleansed environment.
Focus on: Increasing fibre from vegetables and legumes, reducing stress (cortisol directly affects gut permeability), and prioritising sleep. Magnesium Citrate taken 30 minutes before bed supports both sleep quality and continued gut motility.
Day 5: Reflect and sustain
Continue: Para-Detox and Magnesium Citrate. Note how you feel — energy, digestion, sleep, skin. Most people report meaningful improvement by day 5.
Introduce: If you want to extend the cellular benefits, consider adding our Anti-Ageing formula (NAD+ support) from day 5 onwards for ongoing cellular energy and repair.
Plan: Decide which habits from this week you'll keep. The gut reset only holds its benefits if some of the foundations remain — less sugar, better hydration, regular magnesium, and supporting your gut environment on an ongoing basis.
After the reset
Many of my clients found that a quarterly gut reset — combined with daily magnesium — was the routine that kept them feeling consistently well. The 5 days is a reset; the maintenance is what makes it last.
