My Gut Health Mini-series continues with PART 2:
Why it is so important to care for those friendly ‘bugs’ in our gut
A short quiz (yes/no) to self assess potential imbalances
Easy steps to help you nurture your gut bacteria to abundance and diversity
Why is the gut microbiome so essential to health?
Throughout evolution, the human body has forged a very special relationship with the trillions of bacteria that live inside us, a relationship of mutual benefit and support.
We rely on this relationship for not only a healthy gastrointestinal system, but also for the optimal function of virtually all other body body systems, including the immune system, detoxification pathways, cardiovascular health, energy metabolism, brain health, and hormonal balance, to name the key ones.
The problem is that modern lifestyle has in many ways disconnected us from nature and the natural sources of ‘good’ bacteria that our ancestors used to hang around with all the time. Not only that, our modern environment tends to damage the delicate balance between friendly and unfriendly bacteria, resulting in compromised levels of beneficial species and overgrowth of pathogenic ones (a state called dysbiosis), with important consequences for our health and vitality.
The main culprits? Pesticides, herbicides, strong detergents, excessive use of antibiotics, food processing, food additives, poor nutrient intake, low fibre intake, poor digestive capacity (see PART 1), as well as chronic stress.
How does dysbiosis manifest? The main symptoms are actually rather frequent across the population (unfortunately!), and may include bloating, abdominal pain, food sensitivity, disrupted bowel movements, joint pains, brain fog, allergies, sinusitis, and inflammation. If ignored, these imbalances can in some cases develop into actual disorders, such as thrush, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth), and increase the risk of autoimmune conditions.
In just a few paragraphs I can’t possibly start to do justice to the very essential nature of the sacred bond we have with our gut microorganisms, but I hope I am giving you an idea of why it is important to support and nourish our own diverse microbiome.
How can we take care of our gut bacteria?
A good start could be to make a quick health assessment based on possible symptoms that you may experience, which point to potential imbalances. Whereas there are much more precise and sophisticated ways of investigating a person’s gut microbiome (stool functional testing that I often employ to support my clients), I believe that taking a little bit of time to consider possible signs and symptoms is an important step.
HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR GUT MICROBIOME?
Here’s a little quiz for you (answer yes or no):
I have used antibiotics many times recently and/or in the past
Symptoms I experience often may include: bloating, flatulence, loose stools, constipation, abdominal pain
All or some of my symptoms began after a trip abroad or an episode of food poisoning
I avoid fibre-rich foods
I have anal itching, thrush, or other fungal infections (e.g. athlete’s foot)
I have been diagnosed (or have family history of): IBS, chronic diarrhoea, chronic constipation, parasitic infection, inflammatory bowel disease
Testing has revealed: yeast overgrowth (e.g. candida), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), overgrowth of pathogenic bacterial strains
If you have answered several 'yes', you might need to rebalance your gut microbiome or, as I prefer to put it, you could start feeling better by introducing some changes to support and nourish your friendly gut bugs.
How?
SIMPLE NUTRITION AND LIFESTYLE HACKS TO REBALANCE YOUR GUT BACTERIA
While acknowledging that we are all different and there may be a variety of reasons why we may be experiencing issues with digestion, I included here simple interventions that can improve the situation in most cases.
The focus here is on nutritional and lifestyle interventions, whereas I intentionally left out dietary supplements, which are very powerful healing tools but as such should be used under the guidance of a professional after assessment of your health history and individual needs.
Focus on three areas:
REBALANCE
NURTURE
DEFEND
Next month our gut health exploration continues, with PART 3: Gut Integrity, and the ways to support it.
If you would like to arrange an exploratory call to talk about your symptoms and how to naturally support your health, feel free to email me at silvia@silviagrisendi.com, or go ‘Contact’ on my website: www.silviagrisendi.com
References
Gut microbiome and health: mechanistic insights. de Vos WM et al. Gut 71:1020-1032 (2022)
The gut microbiome as a modulator of healthy ageing. Ghosh, T.S. et al. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 19, 565–584 (2022)
Recipe: Red Cabbage & Carrot Sauerkraut
To accompany the advice in this article, here is a classic recipe that uses the traditional process of fermentation to produce delicious Red Cabbage & Carrot Sauerkraut, a super tasty source of lactic acid bacteria that are so healing for the gut. One-two tablespoons a day in your salad, or as a side to your dish, is all you need to give your gut a world of goodness.
I confess that, when I first started to experiment with fermentation I was a little insecure, even a bit sceptical. So, if you have never tried it but want to learn and feel confident with the process, I encourage you to dig a little bit deeper (lots of very good courses and videos around the web, or even good old books), and then give this a go, you won’t regret it!
Ingredients:
1 red cabbage
3 carrots (finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
1.5 tsp of unrefined sea salt
Preparation:
Chop the cabbage finely (or use a mandolin), put it in a large glass mixing bowl, and sprinkle it with the salt.
Using your clean hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts softening, you will see that it starts to release some water (it could take around 5-10 minutes for enough water to be released).
Add the carrots and garlic, and continue to massage so that all the ingredients are combined very well (another 5 minutes or so). At this point the liquid should be filling around one third of the bowl.
Next you can transfer the mix into sterilised jars, making sure to press it down very firmly using the back of a spoon, for example. The point is to make sure that enough liquid is present in each jar to cover the vegetables. If the liquid is not enough, add a small amount of filtered water until all is covered.
Now you can put the lids on and put the jars in a warm environment (room temperature will be fine), do not put them in the fridge, as this would delay the fermentation process.
You will need to monitor the fermentation daily, and each time press down the vegetables to make sure the liquid continues to cover them.
The Sauerkraut should be ready in around 7-10 days, you will need to taste and see how tangy you like it, the longer it stays the more intense the flavour.
Once it is ready, keep it in the fridge and it can last for up to 3 months.
Consume small amounts daily, your gut will thank you!
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