Whole Body Health

 

In our last blog on the digestive tract we discussed how important our gut health is in relationship to our skin. So lets take it a step further and discuss a few steps to creating an environment for good gut bacteria to flourish by giving our digestive tract the ammunition is needs to defend itself ~ supporting us internally as well as externally.  

Gut health is systemic to whole body health because we all know that our body systems all work together as one mean machine. A great example is we can eat good, healthy foods, but if our digestive tract is not working properly or is lacking in health, we are not assimilating the nutrients from our foods and therefore not getting much from our efforts to eat well. 

Here are 5-steps to encourage good gut bacteria so that your body can absorb those important nutrients from the foods you eat.

1. Increase You Intake of High Alkaline Foods
   • Up Your Intake of Fresh Green Vegetables…kale, spinach, swiss chard and turnip greens are packed full of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and fiber. All of which improve your digestive tract and is why your body loves you back when you eat them! Toting a pH of 9 ~ you don’t want to miss out on adding them to your salads, smoothies or juices.
   • Drink alkaline or filtered water…chlorine is hard on intestinal health and can disrupt the micro biome. Alkaline water is a great way to support the gut in reaching a non-acidic state and keeping inflammation down. Also, please, let go of drinking out of plastic bottles, choose reusable bottles made from glass or stainless steel.
   • Eat more Lemons ~ although lemons are acidic, because of their low sugar content once they are processed by your body they become extremely alkaline. With a pH of 9 a slice of lemon added to a glass of water is a great boost and cleansing to your kidneys too! Or squeeze this beauty over your leafy greens or throw them into your smoothie. Lemon heaven.
   • Avocado Daily ~ did you know that the Avocado is technically a fruit? And this high alkaline fruit is packed with much more than good fat. It has a serious amount nutrients that contain anti-inflammatory and anti cancer benefits. Incorporating this little dynamo into your daily diet is a win-win and so delicious.
   • Cucumbers ~ hydrating beauties…these are one of my favorite snacks and vegetables to juice. I love the variety of antioxidants they contain not to mention the minerals: calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, selenium, copper, manganese, iron and zinc! These juicy treats will keep you hydrated with their 95% water content.
     
     
     
     
2. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that can fuel healthy gut bacteria. Here are my two favorite probiotic rich foods to incorporate in my diet:
   • Kimchi ~ today you can find so many varieties of these beautiful fermented vegetables. I love to add them to a meal as a side dish or with rice wrapped in seaweed.
   • Sauerkraut ~ I love sauerkraut with my salad, as a side dish or in a sandwich. Be sure to get the real thing and not sauerkraut soaked in vinegar!).
   • Pickles ~ did you know this is one of the most basic and beloved probiotics! Many of us grew up with pickles in our diet, but to get the real benefits remember to choose brined pickles that have been refrigerated. If you are adventurous making your own sauerkraut or kimchi is a great way to add the ingredients you love!
     
     
     
3. Prebiotic's are also fuel for the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut and are known to enhance mineral absorption. You can find probiotics in raw garlic, leeks, jicama and raw onions. I love a combination of freshly made cashew butter, raw garlic, squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of Tamari or Braggs. A great dip for cucumbers!
4. Breathe like a baby breathes Contrary to what many people do the best way to breathe is to make your belly bigger on the inhale and pull your stomach in on the exhale. Many people pull the belly in when inhaling and this confuses your vagus nerve (the nerve that plays walkie talkie with the brain), which is responsible for calming anxiety and regulating gut health. A good example of good breathing is to watch how a baby breathes.  Here is a video you can watch.
5. Up your Glutathione levels ~ great for your digestive tract, immune system and nervous system. A few ways to increase your levels are by incorporating Milk Thistle and Turmeric (curcumin) in your diet.
   • Milk thistle seed powder is a great addition to your smoothie. Milk thistle is wonderful for the skin and liver as well by removing toxins and free radicals.
     
     
     
     
   • Tumeric, in my opinion, is good in just about everything! Add it to your stir-fry, breakfast eggs, salad dressings, nut milk and so much more. The best way to get the benefits of this power packed spice is to be sure to use it with black pepper so that you enhance the bioavailability of the curcumin. 

I am loving my gut right now and hope you are too. I will be sharing more on cleansing the gut in the coming weeks as we move through spring and into summer. 

xx Debra

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