Have you seen it yet? Your favorite influencer blending up a concoction of stuff in their kitchen to make their “newest fave gut shot!” Maybe your friend sent it to you because they tried it or thought you’d like it…
And a simple google search for "gut shot recipes" will result in hundreds of variations of the same generic rule of thumb- let’s combines fiery, pungent herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, cayenne, and black pepper, with an acidic liquid like lemon, lime, orange, or ACV.
Now before you go running to your kitchen and making this part of your daily gut regimen, you may want to ask yourself – “Are these ingredients right for ME?”
While many mainstream wellness professionals are quick to throw out eye-catching one-size-fits-all remedies that promise you the world, ancient indigenous medicines would never do so so haphazardly. According to Ayurveda, one of the oldest systems of preventative and curative medicine, every single item on earth can be used as either a medicine or a poison… and it all comes down to the person taking it.
Because, well…. the truth is, what works for that friend or influencer may not actually work for you… and in most cases, it usually doesn’t! According to Vedic Philosophy, there are three doshas, or energies, that rule the universe, including our appearances, personalities, and tendencies toward ill-health. They are Vata (the wind), Pitta (the sun), and Kapha (the moon).
All three of these doshas combine in a unique combination to create who you are, which is called your “Prakriti.” By using Ayurveda and its Prakriti theory as an additional lens to weed through every new health trend that comes your way, you can easily determine what works for YOU as a unique person with a unique history and way of living.
Now, before I got off on yet another rant about the beautiful science of Ayurveda (you can find those in the archives of our blog), let’s get back to what this means for the internet’s beloved gut shot.
Will the Viral Gut shot recipe work for you?
If you have been feeling heavy or easily nauseated after meals, have a very thick WHITE coating on your tongue every morning, or have a lot of wet congestion, then you may have some Kapha problems going on! If that’s the case, then you might actually experience some improvements in your health from the shot in its original form. The fiery, pungency of the ingredients can help stimulate your digestive capacity (aka “Agni” in Ayurveda) in order to better digest the foods they are eating, making you feel lighter afterwards.
For a lot of people, however, like those with Pitta problems, you may start to experience more irritibility, acidity, reflux, inflammation, diarrhea, fever blisters, and skin rashes. You might also notice you’re hangrier than usual and finding yourself going #2 more frequently and urgently.
If you have a bit more Vata in you, however, it can actually lead to the complete opposite scenario! These people may start to notice they are feeling more bloated, gassy, and constipated, and not going #2 easily or everyday,. They may also notice they are feeling more aches, pains, and cramps in their day-to-day lives.
In the long run, this sort of drink as it is ... is really only tolerated by VERY few types of people!
Let's Ayurvedify this...
While ginger is often hailed as a tonic for the gut (and for good reason, I use it VERY often with many clients!) … there are SO MANY other options that can be far more beneficial for you. In the following recipes, the star of the show is actually going to be – ALOE VERA GEL!
Aloe Vera (aka Kumari in Ayurvedic Medicine) has Been used for thousands of years as a potent medicine that works on every level of the body- digestion, circulation, blood, reproductive health … you name it.
In both Eastern and Western medicine, Aloe Vera has proven beneficial in cases of:
Weak appetite and digestive capacity
Insatiable appetite and urgent bowels
Accumulated toxins, metals, pollutants, etc
Sluggish spleen and liver
Irritated GI tract (IBS, Crohns, Ulcers, Colitis, etc)
Weak immunity and oxidative stress
Constipation, Hemmorhoids, Fissures, etc.
Poor reproductive health in Men and Women
And so much more!
According to Western Nutrition, Aloe Vera is a good source of vitamins A, B12, C, and E, as well as, iron, potassium, calcium, protein, folic acid, chromium, magnesium, zinc, essential fatty acids, and amino acids.
Between it being a great source of essential vitamins/minerals and having ability to both protect, improve, and physically heal the GI tract and regulate bodily functions… it’s really a huge surprise to me that Aloe Vera hasn’t become the next superfood yet! (And when it inevitably does… you heard it here first ;)
So.. now you’re probably wondering- HOW THE H(#K DO I TAKE ALOE VERA THEN?!
Well, keep on scrolling down for not one, not two, but THREE different gut shot recipes for each of the three Prakritis of Ayurveda, along with why each one may or may not be for you.
Kapha-friendly Gut Shot
While Kapha-dominant people are most likely to benefit from the Viral recipe due to their cold, wet, and heavy natures. The acidity in the citrus and heaviness in the fresh ginger will contribute to their ongoing struggles with heaviness, water retention, and gut health in the long term.
This recipe may be for you if:
You have been feeling extra heavy lately
Are easily nauseated after your meals
Continue to gain weight
Do not suffer from urgent or multiple bowel movements
It may NOT be for you if:
You struggle with hyperacidity, reflux, inflammation
THE RECIPE
Blend together the following ingredients:
2 tb Strong Mint Tea
1 tb Aloe Vera Gel
1 tsp Raw Honey
½ tsp Dry Ginger Powder
Pinch black pepper (optional for heaviness)
Can add 1-2tb grape juice in beginning if unable to tolerate pungency then reduce overtime
Other ingredients to play with: Beets,
Pitta-friendly Gut Shot
Pitta-dominant people are least likely to benefit from the Viral recipe due to their already fiery natures and would do much better with a combination that can soothe and cool them from the inside out.
This recipe may be for you if struggle with:
Hyperacidity, acid reflux, or belching
Inflammation, redness, rashes
Anger, irritability, impatience, overheating
Bowel movements are urgent, soft/diarrhea, and multiple times a day
It may NOT be for you if:
You struggle with weight gain, heaviness
Poor or low digestive capacity
THE RECIPE
Blend together the following ingredients:
2 tb Grape Juice
1 tb Dandelion Leaf Tea
1 tb Aloe Vera Gel
¼ Cucumber* do not include if digestion is weak
Other ingredients to play with: Cilantro, Coconut water/meat, ,
Vata-friendly Gut Shot
Vata-dominant people could go either way with Viral recipe due to their airy and unpredictable natures. While it could help boost their digestive capacity, it also has the potential to dry them out. The following recipe is far more suitable for a Vata!
This recipe may be for you if struggle with:
Gas, Bloating, Cramping
Irregular and unpredictable appetite/digestion
Sensitive stomach
It may NOT be for you if:
You struggle with weight gain or water retention
You have acidity issues
THE RECIPE
Blend together the following ingredients
2 tb Cumin Seed Tea (brewed strong)
1 tb Grape Juice
1 tb Aloe Vera Gel
1 tb Raisins or Dates, soaked in water
1/2 tb Ghee, Sesame Oil, or Coconut oil
Juice of ½ Lime
Pinch of salt
Other ingredients to play with: Fresh Ginger, Castor Oil
Castor Oil can be used to encourage a bowel movement- please note this is a powerful laxative and should not be used daily. I highly recommend consulting with a practitioner before use.
which gut shot are you trying first?
0%Vata-balancing
0%Pitta-balancing
0%Kapha-balancing
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