5 points for a healthy gut

The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison.”

– Ann Wigmore

A healthy gut microbiota offers much more than optimal digestion! The gut influences everything from your mood and cognition to your immune function and skin health. When your gut microbiome is in homeostasis (balance), the rest of your body tends to follow.

So let’s see what a gut friendly nutrition would look like with these easy 5 points:

I) DIETARY DIVERSITY: By introducing a variety of plants and plant-based nutrients your microbiome becomes more diverse. By adding polyphenols (e.g. cocoa, berries, spices and coffee), vitamins, and minerals you are feeding your organism with goodness and support your gut to become healthy. Varying the types and colours of fruits and vegetables (“eat the rainbow”) you increase healthy gut bacteria and may improve cognition.

II) HIGH FIBER FOOD:

Fiber-rich foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, beans, root vegetables) provide substrate (prebiotics) that our gut microbes ferment or metabolise into beneficial compounds. Prebiotics can further reduce stress hormones in humans.

III) OMEGA 3 and MONOSATURATED FATS:

Salmon, sardines, walnuts, avocados, and olive oil help support a healthy balance in the gut, help promote a positive intestinal environment increasing good bacteria and reducing the risk of brain disorders.

IV) FERMENTED FOODS:

Some options include sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, and kombucha. Once ingested, nutrients and microorganisms from fermented foods interact with the gut microbiome to provide benefits and alter brain activity.

V) LESS GUT-FRIENDLY foods: Moderate your intake of alcohol, added sugars, sugar substitutes, preservative agents, highly processed foods, and food additives. These sneaky but commonly consumed ingredients can have unfavourable effects on the gut microbiome, especially if consumed often. Same goes for certain medications that can negatively influence this environment.