Ever wonder why some days your pain is worse than others even though you didn’t do any of the normal aggravating activities? According to research, it could be something you ate.
Recent scientific research is starting to explore the relationship between some forms of pain and the gut microbiome. Our gut bugs are in charge of a lot more than we previously gave them credit for and when they don’t get fed the right foods they can get angry! At least that’s how it feels some days. There is no doubt that further study is still needed however according to several doctors/authors (their books are cited below) there is no reason we can’t start looking to our diets and making some positive changes to see if it helps! (please note it is always best to consult a doctor, dietitian, naturopath or nutritionist before making major changes to your diet)
Here’s some foods I have been trying lately, some successfully and some not so successfully. Some of these foods gave me bloating and gas, so be warned that not all these foods will necessarily work for everyone, make sure you start off with small amounts and see how your body reacts. Some foods that at first didn’t agree, I tried again a week later and they worked great!
Raw Sauerkraut
You can get this in the fridge section at organic produce stores and health food stores. I used The Fermentary’s raw kraut, very yummy! I have ready to try in my fridge a broccoli version and a beetroot version too!
Kefir (yoghurt, milk, non-dairy milk, water)
I have tried organic dairy yoghurt and coconut yoghurt so far. I am in the process of getting some of Kefir Grains to be able to make my own! Again this is available in selected grocery stores, supermarkets and organic produce stores. If you have any dairy trouble check with your health care practitioner if kefir grains or starter cultures might be okay for you to use in a non-dairy liquid such as coconut milk, juice or water.
Kombucha Tea
This was sooo yummy! Around our house our beverages are pretty bland, mostly water! So this was a real treat! The one I got was made using tea and was infused with ginger, seriously delicious. Again this is something that you will most likely find at organic produce stores. I am doing a workshop at the end of the month on how to make my own, very exciting!
Other Probiotics
You can buy probiotic supplements from health food stores but I would consult with a health care professional on this as they are not all made of equal value. For example you need to look for live mixed strains of probiotics and the number of CFUs (colony-forming units) is also important. There is also Kim-Chi, old fashioned cultured cheese and yoghurts with high CFU counts just to name a few.
Asparagus
A great prebiotic food which basically means gut bug food. According to the books I read (listed below) it’s like a little garden in our stomach’s, we need to occasionally weed the bad bugs, put new good bugs in and then we need to feed the good bugs! Asparagus is a great prebiotic food.
Other prebiotics
Most vegetables, fruits and nuts have prebiotic properties. Broccolli, Cauliflower, Almonds, Berries and so on. You can also get green banana starch and potato starch which you stir into some water or juice and drink. I haven’t been game enough to try this yet, but I will, just working up to it!
Foods to avoid
According to the books, it is also important to avoid foods that promote an imbalance of the gut flora. These foods are mostly food we consider ‘junk’ food that comes in packets or from fast food restaurants and are full of sugar and poor quality fats.
Check out the books listed in the resources section for more details or go and have a chat with a doctor, dietitian, naturopath or nutritionist who knows about the benefits of pre and probiotics!
Stay tuned – next week my blueberry bread recipe, good for you gut, good for your taste buds!
Resources
The Gut Balance Revolution by Gerard E. Mullin, M.D.
Brain Maker by Dr. David Perlmutter (also the author of Grain Brain)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24192039
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26521745