News — gut health

Instead of a list of foods to avoid, we’ve put together a list of amazing nutritionally-dense foods that you should be eating (unless you have specific intolerances/allergies or are on a low FODMAP diet). Eat from this list daily, and your challenge, should you choose to accept it is to create as many of your meals with these foods in them as you can.

Here are our top 20 healthiest foods to add to your day:

1. Berries especially blueberries and blackberries. High in antioxidants like polyphenols and despite being a fruit they aren’t going to spike your blood sugar terribly.
2. Lemon: squeeze it into water, over meat, over salads, over avocado
3. Coconut: eat the flesh, drink the water, use the oil (cold pressed)
4. Sardines (in a can): high in omega 3, without the mercury, and because they contain the bones they are also high in calcium.
5. Fresh herbs like basil, mint, coriander, rosemary and thyme don’t just add flavour to meals, they have great health qualities too.
6. Sugar snap peas… yummy crunchy, green and full of B vitamins, fibre, protein and yumminess.
7. Broccoli and cauliflower (preferably organic): there is so much goodness in cruciferous veg!  Wonderful cancer fighters.
8. Tahini (sesame seed paste) high in calcium…and yummy in dips or dressings
9. Apples (organic and washed!) – full of gut-friendly prebiotics
10. Chilli or Harissa
11. Cinnamon (this is a spice, not a food, but it can actually help you manage your blood sugar levels so eat it with foods like pumpkin, oats, apple)
12. Olives
13. Pistachios (one of the best nuts to eat for a number of reasons!)
14. Walnuts: bursting with ALA, the omega 3 fatty acid and super-antioxidant that works to scavenge free-radicals and repair and protect cell membranes in the brain.
15. Sauerkraut or Kimchi (fermented foods are great for gut health)
16. Ancient grains: quinoa, millet, amaranth, buckwheat (all wheat free and naturally gluten free, so these grains are not going to irritate your gut like other gliadin grains tend to, they are also high in essential amino acids)
17. Leafy greens especially watercress, Chinese cabbage, beet greens, dandelion greens, spinach and kale (which are great “liver cleansers”)
18. Ginger and Turmeric (cook with them, add them to stir fries, rice, casseroles…so good! Read all about the healing properties of turmeric in our blog post here.
19. Sprouted legumes or beans – bursting with B vitamins!
20. Great quality cocoa – full of antioxidants!

Some other tips: garlic is amazing, any veg especially mushrooms, artichoke hearts, asparagus, spaghetti squash, tomatoes.  If you are going to eat potatoes opt for purple or red skin new (small) potatoes or sweet potatoes.

If you are going to eat meat, go for organic where possible and always grass fed, same applies for chicken. Game meats and bone broth are great and full of goodness too.

Organic soya beans or tofu have amazing health benefits, are rich in B vitamins and have actually been found to be protective against cancer.

Of course, this list of healthy foods can go on for ages, but these are some of our favourites that we love using in the Wholesomeness kitchen 🖤

References:

Harvard Health

Aha Journals

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that there are certain things we can do to prevent contracting the virus, for example social distancing, wearing our mask and washing our hands frequently. But keeping our immune system strong and robust is also a crucial element to ensuring that we stay healthy during this time.

The role of the immune system is to protect us against pathogenic organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Defence against these pathogens requires a well-functioning immune system. As you can see in Figure 1 below, there are many factors that can influence the health of our immune system, including unmodifiable factors (e.g. genetics and age) and modifiable factors (e.g. nutrition, gut health, stress).  

Nutrition is one factor that helps to determine the immune response. Poor nutrition may not provide the immune system with the adequate nutrients it needs to function properly, leading to poor defence against pathogens and increased susceptibility to infection. That’s why a balanced, healthy diet is an important aspect of a strong immune system, which helps to reduce the risk of contracting viruses (including COVID-19) and helps to protect us if we do contract them with usually milder symptoms and a faster recovery time.

We’ve listed below some important nutrients and vitamins that play key roles in supporting the immune system:

VITAMIN D: important for moderating the immune system and the best part is, you can get this vitamin for free from daily sunshine! Cod liver oil is another great source of vitamin D, and also contains vitamin A, which is an excellent antioxidant immune-boosting vitamin. Recent studies have reported an association between low vitamin D levels and increased risk and severity of COVID-19. See our previous interesting post: Can Mushrooms Create Vitamin D from Sunlight?

VITAMIN A: great sources of vitamin A come from apricots, carrots, green leafy vegetables and egg yolks.

VITAMIN C: a good water soluble vitamin that helps the immune system function effectively and protects against oxidative and inflammatory stress. Citrus fruits are famous for their high vitamin C content, but there are actually lots more foods that are bursting with this vitamin, including broccoli, raw cabbage, pineapple, strawberries and even parsley.

PROBIOTICS: our gut is our first line of defence with our immune system. It is lined with different types of immune and defence cells that will pick up different viruses and bacteria that come through the gut. Having a healthy gut requires having healthy microbiome (read our previous post on tips for restoring & strengthening your gut microbiome). Probiotics support both the immune system and the gut so that they can both do their job effectively.

ZINC: zinc is a powerful worker bee in the body. It’s important for so many different functions in the immune system, activates over 200 different enzymes in the body and helps to control oxidative stress and inflammation. Food sources of zinc include beef, beans, cashews, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, oysters and nutritional yeast. Recent studies have reported an association between low zinc status and increased risk and severity of COVID-19.

IRON: iron transports oxygen around the body to all of our cells. Without oxygen our cells cannot function effectively, so making sure that we have proper iron stores is important.

HERBS: for example, anti-viral herbs (which help to stop viruses in their track and improve response to infection – elderberry is a good example - helps to mitigate inflammation, swelling, soreness and mucus production). Anti-bacterial herbs (e.g. garlic, oregano, thyme, green tea). Adaptogens (herbs that help our body adapt to stress) and immune stimulants (e.g. Echinacea).

Other lifestyle factors to consider:

STRESS: Stress dampens and weakens our immune system, affects our mood and our mental health. Find ways that work for you to alleviate stress. Get good sleep to allow your body to heal and regenerate (7-9 hours per night), laughter, connection, do things that you love (this helps our adrenals which strengthens our immune system).

EXERCISE: Daily exercise helps our cardiovascular system and our lymphatic system (which is also part of our immune system). When we move our body our skeletal muscles help to pump lymphatic fluid, which helps to flush out viruses and bacteria from our system. Exercise is also amazing for our mood, endorphins and our mental health!

Some of our previous posts on the immune system that you may find interesting:

• Immune Boosters You Need Now: Going Back to Basics
• 3 Surprising Signs of a Weakened Immune System
• Home Remedies for Clearing or Preventing Phlegm and Mucus Caused by Respiratory Viruses

 

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021

References:

The FEBS Journal

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Redox Biology

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

 

 

 

When we talk about “gut microbiome”, we’re referring to the millions of microorganisms that inhabit our gut, or our gastrointestinal tract. Interestingly, each microbiome is unique and contributes to different health benefits and that’s why a rich and diverse gut microbiome is incredibly important for overall health. However, there are different factors that can influence the diversity and density of our gut bacteria, including stress, lifestyle and environmental factors, excessive alcohol consumption, food allergies, antibiotic usage and artificial sweeteners.

The health of our gut is deeply connected to our hormone levels, brain health, skin health, metabolism, body weight, immune system and mood. In fact, researchers continue to find remarkable links between a diverse gut microbiome and certain illnesses and diseases, including cancer, heart disease, liver disease, asthma, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome and depression.

Although we know that diet is not the only factor that contributes to good gut health, research has shown that it is incredibly important. The more diverse your diet, the more diverse the nutrient supply is to your gut microbiomes.

Happy and well-fed gut microbiomes = a happier and healthier gut!

Here are a few key things you can do every day to optimize your gut microbiome:

👉 Incorporate prebiotics (apples, almonds, chicory root, asparagus, legumes, onions, raw garlic, cabbage).

Prebiotics promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and discourage dysbiotic growth (pathogenic bacteria). 

👉 Incorporate probiotics (yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, kefir, tempeh)

👉 Eat the rainbow

Have as many different varieties and colours of fruits and veggies that you love over the course of the day.

👉 Eat foods rich in polyphenols (blueberries, green tea, broccoli, grapes, olive oil)

👉 Drink teas that are good for your gut (e.g. liquorice root tea, fennel tea, green tea)

👉 Avoid GMOs

👉 Plan your meals ahead of time, or stock your freezer with healthy prepared meals. Click here to order.  

👉 Avoid endocrine disruptors

Some endocrine disrupters include air pollutants, BPA’s, pesticides, parabens, mercury and phthalates. Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals has been shown to disrupt the gut microbiome, which may result in dysbiosis.

👉 Minimise unnecessary antibiotics

👉 Decrease stress and have good sleep hygiene

 

Responsible health advice: There is no one size fits all approach to nutrition or the healing properties of food.  If you are unwell please seek professional advice.

References:

Gálvez-Ontiveros, Y., Páez, S., Monteagudo, C., & Rivas, A. (2020). Endocrine Disruptors in Food: Impact on Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Diseases. Nutrients, 12(4), 1158. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12041158

 

 

 

Author:
Lisa Cutforth
B.Sc Nutrition with Psychology (Dual Degree)
Consulting Clinical Nutritionist to The Banyans Wellness Retreat
Owner and Managing Director of Wholesomeness