You may have heard that most of our immune system sits in our gut…
We all like to eat, go out and enjoy ourselves, however, sometimes it may negatively affect the delicate bacteria in our small intestine.
Imagine a beautiful rainforest where billions and billions (more accurately 100,000 billion) of microorganisms live together in harmony.
Well, I don’t know about harmony, but they live together. (They are called the gut microbiota, or our microbiome)
The food we choose is often affected by what THEY want to eat rather than by what WE want to eat. And guess what? Once the “bad bacteria” take over, we get the urge to eat simple carbs and refined sugars rather than dark leafy greens and lean meats or nuts and seeds.
These organisms found inside our gut and all over our body comprises 99% of our being. There is only 1 human cell for every 99 other cells in our body… we really DON’T make the call…
In order for our body, which is a huge vehicle for all those organisms to work well and stay healthy, it is important that we feed those organisms the right way.
In order to create a better balance inside our gut, we must feed the “good bacteria” (also known as “probiotic) and starve the “bad bacteria”.
Once balance is restored, you will have less cravings, you will have less bloating and you will instantly feel your mood start to improve as well. They don’t just say that your gut is your second brain…
The way to reach that healthy balance is to start by integrating more whole foods into your diet and less processed foods, and in addition eat more prebiotic food.
Prebiotics are compounds in food that induce the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.
Here are some recommendations:
- Raw asparagus (throw it in your salad)
- Raw or cooked onions
- Leeks
- Garlic
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Fermented foods such as:
Sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, tempeh, miso, natto and more.
You can also supplement with probiotics to help balance out your gut bacteria in your favor...Check out the variety we carry here at Zion Market.
Want to make your own pickles?
Click here for my demonstration.
