Gut Health 101
With over 95% of serotonin receptors expressed in the gastrointestinal tract, it wouldn’t be so far fetched to think of your gut as your second brain. The gut is responsible for absorbing the nutrients you eat to fuel your body, generate energy and facilitate hormone production.
This is why the quality of your diet is so important. A healthy diet should provide the foundation for diversifying bacteria in your microbiome. The more good bacteria, the better your health and quality of life. The gut can also be quite sensitive to certain foods, supplements and medications, producing an inflammatory response generally characterised by abdominal pain, discomfort and abnormal bowel movements.
So what foods best nourish your gut?
Prebiotics
You would want to start by consuming a wide range of PRE-biotic rich foods. Prebiotics are predominately fibre-based. The advantages of a high-fibre diet are vast but among those are increasing stool bulk, which equates to regular bowel movements, decreased constipation and a clean colon, as well as acting as the fertiliser for your good gut bacteria to feed off.
Prebiotic rich foods include beans, broccoli, bananas, asparagus, grains, oats and berries. In other words, prebiotics are found in all plant foods.
Essential Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids (EFA) significantly affect the intestinal environment, especially in regards to anxiety, depression, general mood and cognitive functioning. Unfortunately, the typical western diet creates an imbalance of omega 6’s to omega 3’s, which can actually contribute to inflammation and gut dysbiosis.
Food sources high in EFA’s include sustainably sourced and low-mercury fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, seaweed, edamame and hemp seeds. Considering the importance of EFA’s, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consider supplementing with a high-quality fish oil or algae oil.
What foods should you avoid?
Ultra-Processed, High Fat Foods
It comes as no surprise that highly processed foods absolutely decimate the gut. They lack dietary fibre and nutrients essential for good health. Further, a diet high in processed foods is correlated with the leading causes of disease and death in Westernised countries.
Highly processed foods include anything from your local fast-food chain, chips, cakes, pizza, burgers, chocolate and so so so much more. The good thing is, you can make healthier alternatives to all these foods by checking out the Recipe section on this website.
Food Intolerances
Food intolerances are quite common and can exhibit effects through skin rashes, poor digestion, migraines, depression, fatigue and so much more. Coeliac disease is growing in prevalence so if you are experiencing gut issues it would be wise to consult with your health professional about cutting out gluten from your diet for at least 3 months to see if the problems resolve. It is important to note, however, that foods containing gluten are extremely healthy and should be consumed in abundance in individuals who are not gluten-sensitive.
Dairy intolerance is also a huge issue, affecting an estimated 70% of the population. It is common to develop a dairy intolerance as you age or as a result of pre-existing conditions. If you regularly experience nausea, cramping, bloating, diarrhoea or even severe acne, consider eliminating dairy from your diet for just 2 weeks and see if symptoms resolve.
Disclaimer: Always consult with your health professional before making any dietary/supplement changes.
Health isn’t achieved overnight and it is important to make incremental steps in the right direction instead of going all-in right away. It’s better for your mental health, motivation and will prevent overstimulating your gut too quickly.
For healthy recipes rich in prebiotic foods, check out the Recipe section here.
