For people with food sensitivities and chronic digestive disorders, the holiday season can be tough. Invitations to indulge in forbidden foods are everywhere—from checkout lines and television ads to office parties and family gatherings. For many, resisting temptation may be an insurmountable challenge.

Sometimes, the visceral presence or memory of how a particular savory dish or sweet treat made one feel in the past is enough to cause one to forget (or simply not care) how that food will make one feel in the present. Which is to say: lousy. Bloated, flatulent, running to the toilet, or in pain. The aftermath of a holiday feast can leave anybody feeling a little sluggish the next day, but those with a medical reason to avoid certain foods might need extra support to recover.

A “3-Day Gut Reset” incorporating a full elemental diet is probably the quickest way to restore digestive function and comfort following such dietary indiscretions. This brief, modified, protein-sparing fast is easy to implement with a product such as Elemental Select™, Moss Nutrition’s tasty, vanilla flavored meal replacement powder.

Elemental Select™ contains all the essential vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients needed for proper physiologic function, in their “elemental” predigested forms. When mixed with water, this complete, easy-to-absorb nutritional shake can be consumed throughout the day without putting any strain on the digestive organs, enabling rapid intestinal healing and repair over the brief course of a three-day period.

Both full and partial elemental diets are recognized as important management strategies for people with digestive disorders. A full elemental diet, for example, was recently shown to prevent surgical recurrence of severe inflammatory bowel disease at a dose of 1200 calories per day. Decreasing intestinal inflammation, reversing leaky gut syndrome and intestinal permeability, rebalancing the microbiome, and improving digestive health are among the clinically researched benefits of elemental diet therapies.

Typically, elemental diets are employed over a period of two to six weeks. But shorter, intensive applications can help with rapid recovery from a relapse, such as may occur when patients with compromised digestion indulge in a holiday spree. A few days of full elemental diet protocol can make a significant difference in helping these folks get back on track and quickly feel their best.

One 30-serving container of Elemental Select™ is sufficient to complete an entire 3-Day Gut Reset. The patient simply consumes ten scoops of the product per day, and nothing else. (Each scoop contains 150 calories of bioavailable nutrition; therefore, ten scoops provide 1500 calories, enough energy for most people to function normally.)

The ten daily scoops may be divided in various ways, depending entirely on individual patient preferences. The most popular method is as follows: In a blender, combine two scoops of Elemental Select™ with 8 to 10 ounces of water. Consume five times per day, at regular intervals. 

While two scoops, five times a day is ideal for most people doing a 3-Day Gut Reset, some may prefer to mix a single scoop in 8 ounces of water, and repeat ten times per day, generally on the hour.

Others may opt to divide their daily ten scoops into three or four equal servings, and replicate a “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” routine, with optional snack. (In this latter case, at least 16 ounces of water should be used to blend each “meal,” since several scoops of powder will be taken at once.) All these dosing options are absolutely fine.

Whatever schedule is chosen, it is critical to remember that Elemental Select™ is an extremely nutrient dense formula. Its nutrient density requires that Elemental Select™ must always be sipped slowly, never gulped. Using a straw may be helpful in ensuring this aim is met. If the product is consumed too quickly, stomach upset may occur. A good guideline is to allow 30 minutes for every 8 ounce serving. Using a timer may be helpful.

During the 3-Day Gut Reset, no other food or caloric substances should be consumed. Water and simple herbal teas, such as ginger, hibiscus, or peppermint tea, may be enjoyed liberally. If there is no citrus allergy, lemon juice is acceptable. Coffee should be avoided, but if caffeine withdrawal headaches are a concern, consider green tea, which is gentler on the system.

Along with all the known essential vitamins and minerals, Elemental Select™ features methylated B vitamins to optimize energy production and nervous system function.

Protein precursors are provided as free-form amino acids featuring L-carnitine, L-glutamine, and Reginator®, a proprietary blend of hypoallergenic essential aminos plus gut-friendly L-arginine. Reginator® has been shown to help increase and preserve muscle mass, even without exercise.

Two scoops of Elemental Select™ contain 3.6 grams of Reginator®, providing the muscle protein synthesis equivalent of 15-20 grams of whey or pea protein, to support lean body mass retention and optimization during the 3-Day Gut Reset.

Be sure to discuss the elemental diet and using Elemental Select with your doctor or healthcare provider.

Shinozaki M, Yokoyama T, et al. Elemental diet therapy plays a significant role in preventing surgical recurrence of Crohn’s disease in the era of biologics. Surg Today. 2021 Feb;51(2):250-257.