LOVE LOCAL Go with
Jade Ellis, a Nutritional Therapist, suffered with IBS for several years, and lead her to discover the power of nutrition and a passion for helping others on their own health journeys.
S
he believes in the premise that everyone is individual in their needs of optimum nutrition, and we should be treating the whole person, not only an isolated set of
symptoms. Here we speak to her a bit more about her work and how we can all improve our own gut health.
Can you tell us what ‘gut health’ actually means? Gut health actually refers to the balance of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. Our gut flora can become damaged by high sugar or intolerances to gluten in the diet, high consumption of processed foods, antibiotic use or chronic stress.
How can we feed our good bacteria and avoid dysbiosis? Dysbiosis occurs when the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract goes out of balance, leading to a wide range of symptoms of digestive disturbance. Te most important way in which we can feed our beneficial gut bacteria, is by consuming a wide range of brightly coloured vegetables and fruits, which contain polyphenols – special plant compounds contained in the skin of plants. Tese bright colours generously feed good bacteria in your gut. Make sure to choose vegetables and fruits with deep, dark red, purple and green colours!
What are the best foods and nutrients we can include in our diet to promote good gut health? Including various probiotic-rich foods in your
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diet will contribute to good gut health. You can add in kimchi or sauerkraut to your salads, or consume fermented soy products like miso and tempeh. Consuming adequate fibre is also imperative
for a healthy gut. A good tip is to make sure at least half of your plate is vegetables. A serving of legumes such as chickpeas, black beans or lentils can act to feed the good bacteria in your gut and are incredibly rich in zinc, magnesium and iron. Magnesium is an important mineral for the
gut, as it has been known to assist in relaxing the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract, therefore promotes healthy bowel movements. To increase magnesium in your diet, include dietary sources such as chickpeas, soybeans, tofu, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, cocoa and dark leafy greens.
What are the differences between pro and prebiotic foods? While probiotics and prebiotics sound very similar, they actually have very different roles within the gut. Prebiotics are types of dietary fibre and can alter the composition of organisms in the gut microbiome, feeding your friendly gut bacteria. Prebiotic fibre exists in foods such as bananas, onion, garlic, leeks, asparagus, oats, apples, flaxseeds and artichokes. Probiotics are beneficial live bacteria,
which are naturally created by the process of fermentation in foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and yoghurt. Probiotics are also taken as supplements that are supposed to colonise your gut with health-boosting
microorganisms. According to various studies, the gut actually contains as many as 1,000 different types!
How can our gut affect the rest of our body? Our gut health is the foundation of our overall health. It allows us to extract and absorb nutrients, houses the majority of our immunity, fights infection and gets rid of toxins. Te gut helps build and boost the body’s
immune system, and around 70% of our immune function is actually located in the gut! Approximately 95% of our ‘feel good’
neurotransmitter serotonin, is located within the gut. Te gut, has even been called a ‘second brain’, and researchers are finding evidence that irritation in the gastrointestinal system may send signals to the central nervous system that trigger mood changes.
What are some of the best mood boosting foods? Tere are many various types of mood boosting foods. Most importantly, Omega 3 fatty acids which are primarily in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Tey contain fatty acids called DHA and EPA, which are known to be very beneficial for brain function. However, they can also be found within algae oil, derived from seaweed, which is a vegan alternative to fish oil. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, as
our bodies cannot make it on their own. It is converted to 5-HTP, which is used to make serotonin, and then produces melatonin, the sleep hormone. Tryptophan rich foods consist of turkey, eggs, salmon, spinach and dairy products. Research has shown that anxiety, tension and feelings of nervousness were higher when the participants had low tryptophan levels.
Finally, what’s a quick and easy food swap you’d give to someone who is just starting to think about their gut health? To begin to boost your gut health, a quick and easy food swap is to switch the white refined carbohydrates for whole grains, legumes, squash and sweet potatoes. Te variety will benefit the gut microbiota and boost the friendly bacteria within the gut. Adding in legumes, will boost your fibre, protein and provide phytonutrients, resulting in a high nutrient dense diet and a happier and healthier gut!
Words & photography and recipe below by Jade Lauren Ellis, Nutritional Terapist, NT DipCNM, mBANT, rCNHC www.
jadelaurenellis.co.uk
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