Your microbiome consists of all the tiny microbes in your gut (and on your skin & vaginal cavity), which includes a mixture of bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa. Sounds pretty bad, right?! But actually, the balance and health of these microbes regulates our entire immune system, helps regulate body weight, produces neurotransmitters, and alters our cravings for certain foods. So it’s important to support these little critters. This is where prebiotic and probiotic foods come in. Prebiotic foods can be thought of as ‘fertilizer’: they help our existing good bacteria flourish. Whilst probiotic foods help recolonize by adding microbes to your system. Both are essential to our wellbeing. A variety of foods in the diet is ideal for greatest exposure to different microbes. Below is a list of some great pre and probiotics. But beyond this, ensuring we each consume at least 30 different types of plant foods each week, as a minimum, will go along way in nourishing our gut.
Similarly, there are some foods best avoided to support good gut health. These include alcohol, sugar, & artificial sweeteners. Limit processed foods as much as possible too. Ultimately, if you stick to wholefoods as much as possible, you will set yourself up for good long-term gut health. But if your gut is more severely distressed, it’s important you seek assistance from a nutritionist in order to get to the bottom of your concerns (pun possibly intended).
Want more personalised advice on what to eat to support YOUR health? Get in touch with us today and book a nutritional medicine appointment.
