Microbiome Health - The single most impactful move…
The single most impactful move you can make today to shift your nutrition intake to a new level of support for a healthy microbiome (gut) is…
Remove all processed foods.
Simple right! Well maybe not that simple. This requires label reading and (the more obvious) staying away from fast food joints, watching condiments and drink additives, etc. It can feel overwhelming to be so simple.
Disclaimers: There is no one size fits all nutrition plan! You are responsible for your own health and well-being. If you are under the care of a physician, you may want to check with them first. I am not dissing any food brand or company. I am absolutely dissing some ingredients! If you are a grammar and typo policing type, you may want to move on. This blog and the accompanying video is rough. I hope it gives you some encouragement and momentum!
link to YouTube video https://youtu.be/232H1i9j4f8
Now for the reasons: If you have known me for long, you have heard me talk about the mind-blowing life improving changes that paying attention to and encouraging optimal gut (microbiome) health has had in my life. I won’t bore you here with it. You can search for symptoms of bad gut flora and/or leaky gut symptoms to see a huge list. I noticed that despite maintaining a fair weight for my body type, height, and age, I am having many of those symptoms again. Bad news! SO now I go back to the nutrition plan I follow and getting it nailed down again. I use the book written by Dr. Kellman (I mispronounce his name in the video, apologies Dr. Kellman) The Microbiome Diet Microbiome Diet: The Scientifically Proven Way to Restore Your Gut Health and Achieve Permanent Weight Loss (Microbiome Medicine Library) - Kindle edition by Kellman, Raphael. Health, Fitness & Dieting Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com. I highly recommend this book. Please read the book for full details!!
Yes, improving nutrition intake to optimize microbiome (gut) health involves more shifts than just this one. AND, I believe this one move is the most impactful. This move sets the stage correctly for the other steps while providing immediate impact. As soon as possible add fresh microbiome encouraging foods, probiotics from a good source, prebiotics from fresh food, and intermittent fasting (when appropriate).
Comfort foods, convenience foods, sugary, floury, preservative laden gut destroying bombs, all of them need to go. Start in your own kitchen. Take a radical approach. Read labels and toss highly processed items from your pantry and frig. Replace them with fresh produce, fermented vegetables and dairy, wild yeast homemade sourdough bread, nuts and seeds, butter (real butter) and other good fats, pastured meats and eggs, and small amount apple cider vinegar daily.
If you are suffering from symptoms of leaky gut like brain fog, acid reflux, allergies and other inflammatory reactions, it's a good idea to also remove possible allergens and reactive foods like lectins (gluten, nightshade vegetables, legumes including peanuts, dairy and eggs) for 21 days. After 21 days you can add back one item at a time to see if your body tolerates them well. Never add back peanuts.
Tips for pantry and refrigerator cleanout ingredient list (read the book for full list:
High fructose corn syrup
Natural sweeteners (there is no way to know what these really are)
Natural flavorings (again, no way to know)
Preservatives
Gluten
Sugar
Artificial Sweeteners
Trans fats and hydrogenated fats
Corn (any type if grown in the US for 1st 21 days)
White potatoes
Note: In the video I mention natural mold inhibitors in the corn tortillas. That one ingredient might be okay after a little research it could be a number of things. When avoiding wheat, you may need to steer clear especially in the first 21 days. One natural mold inhibitor is fermented flour. The other ingredients in the tortillas from my fridge rule them out anyway.
Tips for grocery shopping:
Make your own salad dressing and condiments. Read labels to see why.
Shop the outside walls of the grocery store. Avoid middle isles that lack fresh foods.
Save the canned foods for emergency preparedness. Eat fresh on the daily!
Don't be taken in by "healthy" prepackaged foods. Read labels!
Organic is not always the way to go. Most organic produce from outside US is sprayed on its way in.
DO try to find local, organic, seasonal, unprocessed produce and pasture raised meats and eggs.
Add one to two table \-spoons of Apple Cider Vinegar daily. You can add to fruit/food or drink.
Good Luck out there and let me know if I can help.
Julie McPherson, Certified Nutrition CoachSpirit Liberation (squarespace.com)
