We see clients in our clinic for a wide range of clinical conditions, but also for gut health optimisation advice, but what does that mean?
Gut health, namely the health of the trillions of bacteria and yeast living in our gut, is a very interesting area at the moment with studies linking a diverse gut microbiome with lower risk of many diseases such as cancer, heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, asthma, depression and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
The more diversity in your diet, the more diverse the nutrient supply for your gut microbes. Well-fed, happy gut microbes = a happier healthier gut!
There are a few key steps we can take to optimise our gut health, and therefore our overall and immune health, for example:
- Eating as many varieties of plant-based foods as possible, have as many different types and colours of fruit and vegetables over the course of a week (aim for 30)
- Increase your fibre intake – as a population, we are consistently below the recommended level of 30g per day with our fibre intakes. We can increase this by choosing wholegrain carbohydrates, lots of fruit & vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds
- Choose as many whole and natural foods as possible, limiting how often you have processed and pre-made foods
- Add interest to your foods by experimenting with herbs and spices (they count towards your 30)
- Incorporate pulses (beans and legumes) into your meals – this will bulk them up and provide all-important fibre and prebiotics
- Try some fermented foods e.g. kefir, kombucha, pickled vegetables, miso, tofu
If you’re struggling to know where to start or feel overwhelmed by the thought of adding diversity into your diet, come and see us in the clinic and we can provide you with bespoke advice.
