My Favorite Gut Healthy Foods
What we put on our plate is essential to keeping colds, the flu, and other illnesses at bay during this season. The body is a web of intricate intelligent and interconnected systems. The daily habits you practice, including diet, exercise, sleep, hydration, and stress management, are the keys to keeping the immune system healthy. Eighty percent of our immunity lives in and around the gastrointestinal tract, reflecting the importance of how our diet keeps our bodies healthy and happy.
Immune health and gut health are intimately connected. A healthy gut equals a healthy body.
A Few of my Favorite Foods for Immune and Gut Health
Bone broth: Gelatin, which comes directly from the bones, can calm and soothe by reducing inflammation caused by gut-related disease and food sensitivities and boosting the immune system. Bone Broth is packed with nutrients, easy to digest, rich in flavor, and loaded with therapeutic amino acids and minerals.
Wild-caught salmon: Salmon contains lots of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are great for reducing inflammation. Salmon, in particular, is rich in the fatty acids DHA and EPA, which are known to keep cells functioning correctly and will promote normal inflammatory responses. Include Wild Caught Salmon in your diet at least once a week.
Kiwifruit:** Did you know Kiwi is excellent for constipation as it contains insoluble and soluble fibers. It is abundant with Vitamin C (185%DV in 1 cup) to support the immune system and its cellular functions. I will add Kiwi to my smoothies, coconut yogurt, or on a salad.
Coconut Yogurt *** Coconut yogurt improves immunity, rejuvenates the skin, and promotes hair growth. Yogurt contains probiotics that help to provide beneficial bacteria your gut needs for balance.
Fermented Foods: Fermented vegetables - sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and pickles. They provide trillions of beneficial bacteria that benefit the ecosystem of the gut (microbiome). Ferments help to lower irritable bowel syndrome symptoms like gas, bloating, heartburn, and indigestion. I eat 1-2 Tablespoons daily. Add as a side to any meal, plus they enhance the absorption of other nutrients that you eat.
Vegetables: Think of cucumber, zucchini, cabbage, artichokes, jicama, brussels sprouts, and more. There are some bacteria in your gut that thrive on fiber-rich vegetables. More beneficial bacteria is a happier gut.
More For Gut & Immune Health
Hydration w/Electrolytes - Staying properly hydrated helps your body naturally eliminate toxins and other bacteria, which leads to illness. Proper hydration requires electrolytes. Contrary to popular belief, most people who eat a whole foods diet are deficient in sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These essential minerals serve as an electric charge for regulating fluid and acid-base balance, allowing muscles to contract and relax, conduction of nerve impulses, and thousands of other cellular functions. Add a dash of real salt or Celtic Sea Salt* to your glass of water.
Grounding - Walking or standing with bare feet on the ground is beneficial to decrease stress, pain, inflammation, and improve sleep, positively impacting gut and immune health. We live in times where EMFs constantly surround us, and getting outside, putting your feet on the ground, taking in a few breaths, staring at the sun will do more for your immune system than you can imagine. Try it - yes, even when it is cold outside.
Gastrointestinal Healing Practitioner
I recently completed an intensive Gastrointestinal Healing Practitioner Course. In my practice, I am now offering functional lab testing to get a complete view of your gastrointestinal microbiome and other cells. The testing provides information on markers that give us information about digestive health—in addition, testing to look at specific food sensitivities (not allergies) and their effects on your immune and gut health.
Want to know more about your gut health or struggle with digestive issues? Give me a call, and let's talk about it.
For the heck of it, here is a recipe I made last week that was a big hit - Enjoy!