Superfoods for the Gut

Your gut health is everything and it can often speak louder than your symptoms. I always ask my clients about their digestive health. In fact, even on the intake forms, I have so many questions from all different angles pertaining to gut health just so I can ensure that I have been thorough in understanding the state of their gut health.

I still keep an eye on my kid’s bowel movements. Did you know that according to Ayurveda one of the causes of mouth sores is poor digestive health? And if you are prone to constipation you are more likely to get them? The reason being that there is build up of unhealthy bacteria with poor digestive health and remember, digestive process begins in the mouth. Our mouth is also filled with healthy and unhealthy bacterium, hence oral hygiene is so important.

Anyhow, today, I wanted to share with you the top superfoods for optimal gut health.

• Turmeric – its a spice that is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also an amazing antioxidant, so with these powerful properties it plays an important role in the digestion process. What makes turmeric so great is that it doesn’t involve revamping your entire diet. By adding it daily, you can get all the vitamins and minerals you need which will result in acid production and nutrient absorption to keep things moving like they should. You can just add a little turmeric into your favorite recipes, including soups, sauces, whole grains and legumes.
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• Fermented Foods – there are 100 trillion bacteria in your gut and the foods you eat will determine what kinds of bacteria you introduce to your body and gut. In order to maintain a healthy gut, you want to be consuming as much good bacteria as possible. Fermented foods provide good bacteria for the gut. There are some other fermented foods that can boost the number of probiotics found in your gut. Some may sound familiar and some you may not have ever heard of. Here are some examples: yogurt, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and tempeh.
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• Coconut Oil/Butter – Coconut oil and butter are healthy fats that have antimicrobial properties that prevent bad bacteria and fungal infections, which can cause gut inflammation and poor digestion. Coconut oil can be used for cooking, frying, and baking. Coconut butter can be used just as you would regular butter; spread it on toast, muffins, potatoes, or however you normally would use it. 
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• Ginger – Ginger is known to reduce bloating, symptoms of IBS, and poor digestion as it stimulates digestive acids and secretions. Ginger is also a strong antibacterial and can reduce certain infections in the stomach. One of my favourite reasons to reach for ginger is it’s also an anti-inflammatory which is great to reduce leaky gut symptoms and keep out bacteria from entering areas of the body where it doesn’t belong. Ginger can be used in soups, smoothies, stir frys, curries, and tea. When you feel nauseous, bloated, or have any stomach discomfort, I highly recommend having ginger on hand. 

Do you already include some or all of these in your daily diet? The one I perhaps use the most is ginger, but all of these can be found in my kitchen.

One of my areas of specialty is gut or digestive health. So if you are suffering from chronic constipation, diarrhoea, IBS, acid reflux, chronic bloating or generally feeling unwell within your gut health, then why not get in touch? Simply reply to this email and we can arrange to have a no obligation chat about how a 1 to 1 nutrition consultation can help you achieve your health and wellness goals. Every client gets a personalised diet and lifestyle plan with each consultation.

Even with my weight loss clients or those with chronic skin conditions such as adult acne or eczema, gut health is at the root of the work I do. As I say, you can have the best diet in the world but if you cannot digest it well, then it does you no good. You have to be able to digest and metabolise the foods you eat.

You can learn more about my nutrition consultations by clicking here. 

As always, I love to hear from my readers, so feel free to comment below and I do personally respond to every comment.

Health and Happiness,

Varsha