The return of simplifying gut health

What if I told you that the solution to your gut health isn't taking the latest and greatest supplement, super food or changing your diet. Personally, I have tried many different ‘diets’ and ‘superfoods’ to try and heal my gut - all of which have ended up causing more harm or resulted in me not enjoying the food on my plate. 

This is what we want to try and avoid! The point of this blog is to add in rather than takeaway foods and habits around eating. I go through three simple tips on how to create a healthy relationship with your food and enhance digestion.

What is our digestive system

Firstly, it is important to understand what your digestive system is doing for you each and every day. Our digestive system is a group of organs that work together to break down the food we eat, absorb nutrients and eliminate waste. It all starts with the mouth where the food is chewed and mixed with saliva and continues through the oesophagus, stomach and intestines. Along the way, enzymes and acids help to digest the food into smaller molecules that the body uses for energy, growth and repair. Finally, leftover waste is excreted from the body.

Tips to help our digestive system

Mindfulness eating

Stop eating on the go! Take the time to sit down and enjoy your meal. While this might seem challenging, it's important to remember that our bodies don't prioritise digestion when we're stressed or rushing. During these times, the energy and blood flow needed for digestion are redirected to other parts of the body, like the heart, lungs, brain, and muscles.

When you sit down to eat, you can focus more on the taste, texture, and smell of your food. By eating slowly and mindfully, your body becomes more aware of hunger and fullness cues, which can help prevent overeating, reduce emotional eating, and enhance your overall enjoyment of meals.

A simple practice I recommend before starting your meal is to take a deep breath, express gratitude for the food and its sources, and acknowledge your body’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients. Enjoy the smell, and chew each bite thoroughly—aim for about 25 chews per mouthful, this can be a fun game! This mindful approach will make a significant difference in how you experience and benefit from your meals.

Eat a colourful plate

You have probably heard this before but there is a reason for that! A colour plate enhances the variety of nutrients that your body requires for several functions. The diverse range of colours in fruits and vegetables indicates the presence of different vitamins and minerals which is also important for your gut microbiome. 

Our gut is home to trillions of beneficial bacteria, essential for digestion, immune function, and overall health. Foods like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi are rich in probiotics, which help nourish these "good" bacteria in the gut. Prebiotic foods, such as garlic, onions, bananas, and asparagus, contain fibres that serve as food for these beneficial bacteria. A colourful plate filled with prebiotic-rich foods provides the nourishment these bacteria need to thrive, helping to maintain a balanced and healthy gut environment.

So, when you are eating a variety of colourful foods, you're not only getting a broad spectrum of nutrients but you are also supporting a diverse and balanced gut microbiota. Different types of bacteria in your gut thrive on different types of fibre and nutrients so the more variety you have the more diverse and resilient your gut microbiota becomes.

Liquids away from meals

Large amounts of fluids with meals can make your guts unhappy. Small sips of room temperature water are okay but we want to refrain from ‘skulling’ fluids with meals. Large amounts of liquid can dilute your digestive juices and potentially slow down digestion, when you eat your stomach produces hydrochloric acid and certain enzymes to break down food efficiently. So drinking too much liquid during meals can dilute these digestive enzymes making it harder for your body to digest food and absorb the nutrients.

Excessive water intake with meals can also lead to you feeling overly full or bloated as it adds volume to your stomach, try to drink regular small sips throughout the day and around 30 minutes away from meals. 

Finally, try your best not to drink coffee or tea with your meals. These drinks are high in tannins which essentially block the absorption of nutrients from the food. Coffee after food always!