Gut Health by Lynn Adada
We used to think of our intestines to be a simple passageway for food to go through. However, have you ever considered how uncomfortable your day is when you have gas, a stomachache, or indigestion? Licensed Nutritionist and Dietitian, Lynn Adada, will explain why gut health is so important and how to fix a bad gut.
Why is good gut health important?
Numerous studies done over the years have found that gut health is related to overall physical and mental health. Your gut contains tiny organisms called “microbiomes''. A person has about 300 to 500 different species of bacteria in their digestive tract. While some microorganisms are harmful to our health, many are incredibly beneficial and even necessary to a healthy body.
Whenever the ‘bad’ bacteria outnumber the ‘good’ bacteria, this may affect your health negatively. You may suffer from digestive problems, bloating, gases, getting sick more often, and more. The reason why you’re affected negatively is that “70% of your immunity is found in our gut,” says Lynn. “You might also feel down, anxious, or depressed because our gut can influence our brain.”
How to improve my gut health?
What you eat can greatly influence your gut health. Follow a healthy diet rich in probiotics, taken from supplements or whole foods, found in yogurt, kombucha, fermented vegetables, and kimchi. Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for you.
Moreover, try to focus on prebiotic-rich foods. Prebiotics are types of fiber that feed the friendly bacteria in the digestive system. They can be found in onions, garlic, bananas, and asparagus. It’s important also to include bone broth and collagen powder into your diet. We will explain why collagen powder is crucial for gut health in the next parts.
Finally, try to eat more whole grains, seeds, and broccoli to improve your gut health.
What foods to avoid for better gut health?
The food and drink you need to avoid to heal your gut are alcohol, sugary beverages, refined sugar in general, processed foods, refined carbs, and of course, junk food. If you are interested to see firsthand how junk food affects your physical and mental health, make sure to check out the 2004 documentary by director Morgan Spurlock titled “Super Size Me”. It is a social experiment in fast-food gastronomy where we see him attempting to subsist uniquely on food from the McDonald's menu for an entire month.
How can I heal my gut?
The first step in healing a leaky gut is to seal it and strengthen the stomach lining again. This is where bone broth and collagen powder play an important role. Collagen is the glue holding your body together. It is the most abundant group of proteins found in connective tissue, such as skin and cartilages. It helps provide structure to your bones, muscles, joints, and everything else.
Collagen is found in bone broth, but broth does not contain enough collagen to sustain your body’s needs. That’s where supplements come in. You can find collagen supplements in the form of pills, cream, or powder. However, it is best to use collagen powder instead of pills. The powder is absorbed into your system much quicker than any other form of supplement since you ingest it with your food or drink. The powder is mainly made from animal tissue, so vegans should steer clear of collagen.
To heal your gut, you should mix one scoop of marine collagen powder - which is known for its gut-healing properties - with your smoothies, juices, drinks, morning oatmeal bowl, etc. The best time to drink collagen powder is with your morning coffee. The collagen will turn your coffee into a superfood and help you stay energetic for a longer time by balancing the effects of caffeine with protein.
Finally, Lynn insists you take care of your gut to improve your overall physical and mental health. Follow your gut feeling, literally!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the Mint Basil Market team or comment below.