Nourish Your Microbiome! (2024)

Week 4 is here! Everyone has hopefully been making somesignificant changes in their eating patterns. By now the 9 cups of water perday are apart of your routine, and vegetables are taking up ½ of your plate ormore at your meals. You have come a long way and you should be proud of that!!Taking those steps alone will make a huge impact on your health and overallwellbeing. However, now that baseline eating patterns have been met, I am goingto start highlighting ways to spruce up your healthy plates for more specificbenefits. Therefore, now we are going to move into nourishing your GUT!

Listen to your “GUT FEELING”……

Did you know that your gut is considered your second brain?And that the emotions you feel throughout your day can impact the way youdigest and absorb the foods you eat? Also, vice versa, the foods you eat candirectly impact your emotional status! WOW! That is why supporting your guthealth, is vital in helping to restore imbalances throughout your body, whetherthey are mental or physical. Now there is a true meaning to having a “GUTFEELING”. For instance, if the gut becomes inflamed, it can show itself in moreways than just diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating. Other signs ofimbalance include mental fog, depression, decreased immunity, bacterial oryeast overgrowth, as well as food allergies and intolerances. If the gut is inflamed, its ability to digestand absorb all the wonderful nutrients within your food greatly diminishes,leading to a further decrease in health. In order to obtain all the nutrientsneeded for optimal health we must have a healthy gut that can properly digestand absorb the foods we eat, and a vital part of a happy and healthy gut, ishaving a healthy gut flora!

The human micrbiome is considered to be all of the bacteriathat share our outer body space, including our skin and our entiregastrointestinal tract, including the mouth, the stomach, and small and largeintestines. The gut flora on the other hand, are specifically the bacteria thatco-inhabit our intestines, mainly our colon, and can weigh up to 4 pounds! Interestingly,every microbiome is unique to each individual, and is affected directly bydiet, stress, and environmental factors. There is growing evidence that an imbalance,or otherwise known as dysbiosis, of our gut flora can be associated withdisease, including inflammation, obesity, and irritable bowel syndrome.

However, luckily we can influence what types of bacteriareside in our gut through diet and lifestyle modification. Research has foundthat dietary changes can quickly change the types of bacteria that call yourgut home. By promoting the growth of “friendly” bacteria you can simultaneouslyweed out the “bad” and consequently increase health. Therefore, taking thesteps to nurture your own microbiome will naturally enhance your quality oflife as well as your mood!

By reducing refined foods, sugar, and alcohol, and byincreasing fruits, vegetables, fiber rich whole grains, beans, and legumes, youcan support the growth of your friendly gut bacteria. By simply replacing a Western diet with onethat is high in plant based foods and fiber, can start you off in the right direction.However, long-term compliance to a plant-based diet is required to grow,establish, and nourish your gut microbiome.Below you will find great examples of foods to incorporate into your daily routine.

Now that you are trained master gardeners, lets startcultivating, growing, and nourishing your gut microbiome. Here is your next challenge. Take it by thehorns and make it yours!

Remember to print, download, and track on theREfreshME!Challenge Trackerto keep yourself accountable and motivated. Share your recipe inspirations, challenges, success with me@poppiesandpapayasand#refreshme2015.

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Weekly Recipe Inspiration:

SuperGreen Chia Pudding

Making this chia pudding is a great way to kickstart your day and nourish your "friendly" bacteria. With plain greek yogurt, chia seeds, banana, and berries, this pudding has all the prebiotics, probiotics, and other goodies inside to keep your belly happy. And yes, with a couple handfuls of spinach, there is a serving of vegetables inside. I love to make a batch, put it in two mason jars, and have it ready to go for the early morning work days. Then all you have to do in the morning is add the granola and fresh berries.

Makes 2 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 medium banana
1 cup plain organic Greek yogurt (I used 2%)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any unsweetened milk)
2 handfuls baby spinach
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt
5 tablespoons chia seeds
1/4 cup of your favorite granola
Fresh berries ( I used raspberries)

DIRECTIONS

Place the banana, yogurt, almond milk, baby spinach, maple syrup, and sea salt into a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Pour the mixture into a glass bowl and stir in the chia seeds. Cover the bowl and place into the refrigerator. Let the mixture sit for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Spoon the mixture evenly into two mason jars, or serving glasses, and top with your favorite granola and fresh berries. Enjoy!

Optional: If you like your pudding a little less thick, just add in a bit more almond milk. You can also drizzle some coconut cream over the berries for added flavor.
Variation: I am guessing a steamed and peeled beet would taste delicious as well in place of the spinach.

Recipe Links:

• Steel Cut Oats with Cardamom Cashew Cream
• Happy Belly Porridge
• Power Bread
• Creamy Avocado Dip
• Spring Asparagus Salad