Let’s talk about your Guts and Microbiome.
A lot it’s been said about this topic, but once again, so much information can be confusing.
Your gut microbiome is an extremely important part of you and is key to many aspects of health — digestion, immune function, even cognition and mood.
According to the Harvard Chan School of Public Health: “ The microbiome consists of microbes that are both helpful and potentially harmful… pathogenic and symbiotic microbiota coexist without problems. But if there is a disturbance in that balance—brought on by infectious illnesses, certain diets, or the prolonged use of antibiotics or other bacteria-destroying medications—dysbiosis occurs, stopping these normal interactions. As a result, the body may become more susceptible to disease.”
Modern life has been hard on our microbiome. We tend to have fewer beneficial microbes and more problematic ones. Which means it’s harder to keep our guts healthy and harder to maintain a well-functioning immune system.
Our modern obsession with cleanliness and fear of germs ends up in total eradication, with many household products and sanitizers promising to wipe out 99.99% of all bacteria, viruses, and so on. The problem with this is that nature dislikes a vacuum. And sterile environments are basically unclaimed territory ripe for exploitation by whatever new bug comes along.
Also, by overprescribing antibiotics, our medical system artificially selects for the mutations that don’t respond to antibiotics — the so-called “antibiotic-resistant” strains. After decades of miracles from antibiotics, we’ve reached the point where stronger and stronger drugs are providing fewer and fewer benefits against these “superbugs.”
But there’s one area that’s degrading our microbiomes where you do have control: THE FOOD YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH.
The tiny critters inside your tummy and intestines help you digest your food and absorb the nutrients your body needs. So it’s crucial to feed them the right foods, so they can thrive — as well as protect them from foods that can harm them. Together, you’ll optimize your nutrition, your mood, and your health.
The most gut-friendly nutrient is FIBER which comes in two basic forms, soluble and insoluble. Both are crucial for happy beneficial microbes.
Your best bets for fiber-filled, gut-healing foods are whole plants. While all of them will give you a fiber boost, look especially for those that contain prebiotic fiber that you can’t digest, but your microbes can. Some rich sources include jicama, bananas, legumes, allium vegetables (the onion/garlic clan), and leafy greens.
PROBIOTIC FOODS and DRINKS including fermented dishes such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurts, kefirs and kombucha will also add microbiotic diversity to your guts.
Lasts but not least, RESISTANT STARCHES will also help you to strengthen your gut microbiome. Some starches in foods are not digested in our stomachs or small intestines, and instead, pass through to the large intestines where they provide a feast for our gut bacteria. Sources of resistant starch include: WHOLE GRAINS, SEEDS, GRAINS, LEGUMES and POTATOES.
Finally, each person has an entirely unique network of microbiota that is originally determined by one’s DNA so what works for one person might not work for the other, but these are the basic foods that will help you improve your gut microbiome and therefore your immune system.
How many of these foods do you eat on a daily basis?
Please share with us in the comment below.
