01 Mar YOUR GOOD GUT GUIDE
BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW THIS …
There are 10x more bacteria in your body than there are human cells. That means you’re more bacteria than human cells!
The gut has a major impact on your overall well-being and improves digestive issues, mood disorders, weight problems and the immune system!
Over 70% of your immune system resides in your gut…
WHAT IS THE GUT?
In your digestive system resides roughly 100 trillion kinds of bacteria, and this collective is known as your gut. Some of these gut bacteria are good, whilst others are bad. These good and bad bacteria live in symbiosis within your gut and act as the body’s second brain in command, according to advancing medical findings.
With the help of advancing technologies, medical experts have only recently discovered the critical impact the condition of our gut plays on our health. They have found evidence from over 200 independent studies showing how over 170 diseases and human health issues (including depression, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune diseases) are linked to poor gut health.
A poor gut typically refers to when the bad gut bacteria outweigh the good ones, and all our health problems begin. This is because our good gut bacteria are responsible for our healthy digestion, responsive immune systems and effective nutrient production/absorption. It, therefore, keeps all our internal systems functioning happily and harmoniously. The bad bacteria, on the other hand, can cause serious health issues when they are dominant in the gut: causing digestive issues (celiac disease, leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome), mental health disorders (psychological health, behavioural disorders), chronic fatigue, allergies, weight gain … and the list goes on.
HOW TO IDENTIFY A GUT IN NEED
Signs & symptoms of an unhealthy gut. Here are some things to look out for.
Digestive distress
Digestive issues such as gassiness, bloatedness, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, severe stomach pain after eating and constipation are all symptoms of a poor or unhealthy gut.
Mental health issues
Mental disorders including depression, seasonal affective disorder, anxiety, poor memory recall, ADD and OCD can all be linked to poor gut health. The microbes that live in your gut affect your mood and by supporting them you can help reduce anxiety levels, depressive symptoms and mental health disorders.
Weight gain
What you eat shapes your gut flora. By now it is obvious to us all that changes in your diet will impact your body, but changes in your microbiome can also result in ‘unexplained’ weight gain. When your microbiome is out of balance it is not uncommon to gain weight or to experience the inability to lose weight.
“Be good to your gut and your gut will be good to you.”
WHAT THE GUT NEEDS
3 steps to get your gut back into shape
1. Nourish and restore your gut
As important as gut health is, we also know that keeping our body in a state of alkalinity is vital to help prevent diseases. A diet high in acid-producing foods such as processed foods, dairy, and grains promotes inflammation in our bodies which can cause bone and muscle deterioration, kidney stones, hormonal disruptions, and chronic pain. Eating less of these foods will help cleanse the body and restore its alkaline state for better repairing.
EAT LESS
- Trans fats
- Refined sugars
- Refined flours
- Processed dairy
- Processed & modified soy
- Soft drinks, energy drinks & any carbonated sugary drinks
- Artificial sweeteners
- Alcohol
- Ultra-processed foods
Prebiotics vs Probiotics
Both prebiotics and probiotics play an important and unique role in maintaining your gut health – so you need both!
Probiotics are various types of beneficial bacteria that you can easily buy as a supplement from most health stores. They contribute to your own microbiome gut bacteria and help diversify your gut flora. Sometimes our gut might miss certain varieties of bacteria, and by eating probiotics you can reintroduce this type of variety to your gut flora.
Prebiotics, in essence, are a food source for your gut bacteria. They feed your beneficial gut flora to keep the bad bacteria under control and to maintain a healthy digestive system that keeps your body’s internal systems balanced and operating smoothly.
Cultured foods
Are foods that have been through a process of lactofermentation, in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. This process preserves the food and the probiotics found inside are beneficial enzymes that help to break the food down to a more digestible form. Furthermore, when these special microbes break down the foods they enhance the absorption of the nutrients, with increased vitamins and minerals while reducing harmful pesticides and chemicals.
The most common forms of healthy fermented foods:
Activated Raw Foods
You can activate certain foods to break down their hard-to-digest compounds that are tough on sensitive digestive systems. By activating nuts, seeds or legumes the enzyme inhibitors, like phytic acid, are washed away leaving the seeds and nuts easier to digest with more bioavailable nutrients for easy absorption.
2. Maintain your gut health
Feed your gut prebiotics and fibre and stabilise your blood sugar levels to rejuvenate en envigorate your gut flora for fast, effective improved gut results.
Prebiotics feed probiotics!
Prebiotics are non-digestible compounds (which cannot be digested by the human body) which serve as food for probiotics (living healthy microorganisms in our body). Since our bodies can’t digest them, they pass through our digestive systems and reach the colon where they are prepared by our gut microflora and turned into a food source for probiotics.
Plants are fibre rich foods!
Your gut bacteria live off of fibre so eat more plants and fibre-rich superfoods. Unlike supplements superfoods contain all the essential co-factors to help the gut digest and absorb the healthy nutrients along with its gut-feeding fibre.
“Superfoods are a major focal point of nutrition because they not only help nourish the brain, bones, muscles, skin, hair, nails, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, reproductive system, pancreas, and immune system, they also, over the long term, correct imbalances and help to guide us towards a more natural and aboriginal diet.”
– David Wolfe, Superfoods
THE BEST SUPERFOODS TO RESTORE GUT BALANCE
BAOBAB
A prebiotic superfood that feeds your gut flora
Insights
- Pectin in baobab is a prebiotic fibre that makes probiotics stronger
- Contains alkalising minerals for supporting improved health
- High in natural, elemental calcium which is easily absorbed and used by the body for stronger bones and teeth, as well as brain health
- Rich source of Vitamin C which is important for supporting your immune system
- Baobab oil is also excellent for skin health and taming frizzy hair
How to use
Baobab has a tart, sherberty flavour. It’s simplest to add to your smoothies, especially green, but goes well in sweeter ones too. One of our favourites is to make Bao Mayo which is delicious on salads, burgers, sweet potato chips, tacos, crackers and potatoes.
CHIA
Chia is one of the highest plant-based sources of Omega-3 EFA, even more so than flaxseed. They have double the amount of protein found in other seeds & 5 times the amount of calcium in milk.
Insights
- Omega-3 EFA is essential for immune support, joint & brain health
- Plant-based DHA for improved brain function & protection against Alzheimer’s & dementia
- Antioxidants reduce inflammation & transform free radicals to minimise damageSoluble, fibre-rich gel soothes & cleans the colon, & stabilises blood sugar levels
How to use
Add to smoothies, make chia pudding & crackers (always add to liquid before consuming)
3. Stabilise blood sugar levels
You can maintain stable blood sugar levels by increasing your healthy fat & whole protein intake
- spirulina & chlorella
- hemp seeds
- chia
- greens/grasses
SPIRULINA
Spirulina is a prehistoric organism & has emerged as one of the most spectacular foods on earth because of its remarkable ability to convert sun energy into chlorophyll-rich protein
Insights
- An incredibly rich source of easily digestible protein
- 4 times more calcium than milk; 50 times more than spinach
- Rich source of all the B-vitamins your body needs for energy
- Lowers the body’s pH levels for a more balanced system
- Rich in chlorophyll for plant-based detoxing
- High in gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which is anti-inflammatory
- Natural appetite suppressant to assist weight loss efforts
- Packed with nutritional elements for holistic health
- Rich the blue pigment, phycocyanin, for increased stem cell production to boost immunity
How to use
Spirulina has a unique, salty taste. Take tablets with water. Blend powder into fresh juice or smoothies. It combines well with citrus fruits such as pineapple, orange, lemon as well as mint. Also, sprinkle on salads & rice, or blend into salad dressing. Make spirulina dessert & chocolates!
HEMP SEEDS
Hemp seeds are harvested from the hemp plant – they are raw & contain 0.0035mg THC per 5g so cannot get you high.
Insights
- At 30% digestible protein it contains all 20 known amino acids to build muscle & repair tissue
- 65% of the easily digestible protein in globulin protein, edestin, the most potent of any plant source – it is the backbone of the cell’s DNA & helps the body produce antibodies.
- 35% of the protein is albumin which supports liver & kidney health
- Free of trypsin inhibitors that block protein absorption
- Powerful antifungal & contains cannabinoids which dissolve cancer cells
- Alkalising to support digestion & assimilation of minerals
- Rich in fibre to bulk up meals, assist with cleaning out the digestive tract & balance blood sugar
- High in Omega-3 & -6 in near perfect ratio for the human body for antioxidant protection from free radical damage, & helps with skin regeneration & elasticity.
- Contains GLA which is the precursor for the products on prostaglandin PGE1 for hormone balance
- Contains lecithin which is brain building & supports the liver
How to use
Add to smoothies, sprinkle over breakfast bowls, salads & savoury meals, make sauces
(Source: Soaring Free Superfoods)
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