| One of the most important things we can do for our overall health is focus on gut health. When we talk about the gut we are referring to our intestines. Maintaining our gut health can help with many aspects of our overall well-being including: immunity, weight stability, and nutrient absorption. It can also help decrease constipation, systemic inflammation, anxiety, and depression. The term “gut microbiome” refers to the microorganisms living in your intestines. You have between 300 and 500 different species living in your gut. The microflora in your gut weigh about 3 to 5 pounds and we have 10 times as microbial cells in our gut than we do cells in our bodies. Pretty amazing, right? Knowing this, I think it makes perfect sense to focus on working towards BALANCING out the good bacteria in our gut. |
| There are certain foods that can calm and heal your gut. It’s important to focus on anti-inflammatory foods that contain nutrients your body can use to repair the gut. These 4 types of food are great way to get you on your way to a healthier gut. Fermented foods– Your digestive tract loves this foundational group of foods. When foods are fermented, beneficial enzymes and probiotics are produced. Therefore, when you eat fermented foods, you’re introducing many different strains of beneficial bacteria into your gut. Fermented foods boost your immunity and help with digestion. Some fermented foods to include in your diet include sauerkraut, kefir, miso, homemade pickles, coconut milk yogurt, kimchi, and kombucha. Resistant Starch- This is a prebiotic that is indigestible but provides food for our probiotic gut bacteria (the good stuff). What this means is our body can’t break it down, but the good news is the bacteria that live in our gut love it!!! Some resistant starch foods to include in your diet include green bananas (yep, green), potatoes, (cooked then cooled) rice, seeds, and legumes. Adding a resistant starch fiber blend (I can suggest some if you need) is another option. Anti-inflammatory foods-Any time gut healing is the goal, anti-inflammatory foods should be the foundation. Dysbiosis (bad bacteria overgrowth), candida, or leaky gut mean your digestive tract is inflamed. When left unchecked, this inflammation becomes systemic which can cause disease and impaired immunity. Some anti-inflammatory foods to include in your diet are blueberries, ginger, turmeric, and omega-3 fatty acid foods (salmon, nuts, or a fish oil supplement). Green tea or matcha are great replacements for coffee, which can be a gut irritant. Collagen Peptides- While bone broth is a great source of collagen, when it comes to gut healing, collagen peptides will give you a bigger bang for your buck. Collagen peptides are easier for your gut to absorb and contain amino acids that provide many gut healing benefits. Some ways you can include collagen peptides into your diet is to add them to your morning smoothie along with blueberries, spirulina, a green banana, and coconut milk. You can also add them to tea or the collagen snack bites I have previously posted on my Instagram feed. |
| Ready to start healing your gut? Why wait any longer?. Head to my website @https://balancehealthandnutrition.com/work-with-julie to schedule a free 30-minute consultation with me to determine how I can help. Talk to you then!! |
