Did you know that most of our body's immune system is in the gut?
I didn't either, but it changes how I think about both my gut and my immune system. Let me share how.
Research has established that our immune system is mostly in our gut, in the lining and walls of our intestines. (See the bottom of this blog for specific references.)
When we eat foods that our body doesn’t recognize, such as ultra processed foods or foods with additives, there is a lot of wear and tear in our intestines, according to Dr. Sears, which can lead to several illnesses such as:
Indigestion - heartburn
Constipation
Malabsorption
Irritation - IBS
Rejection - Gluten intolerance
Inflammation - Colitis
A term that gets tossed around quite a lot today in the news is" leaky gut". It is still a pretty new area that is being researched but the theory is that these so-called “fake foods” poke holes in our intestinal lining letting chemicals and germs get through the lining of the intestines into our tissues triggering inflammation (Sears, 2015).
As our intestines get more inflamed the spaces between the cells of the lining get wider letting even more toxins and food molecules seep through. The immune system reacts to this by wanting to “kick them out” which can lead to chronic inflammation and IBS.
This does not sound appealing so I decided to try to implement some gut healthy changes to my lifestyle to protect both my stomach and my body from inflammation. Can't hurt right?
Here are my top three favorite ways to help both my gut and my immune system.
Tip #1 - Eat Real Food
What seems clear after reading and learning a lot about gut health is that we should try to avoid highly processed foods with lots of additives as much as possible. One of the first blog posts I wrote was about choosing real foods because to me it is the corner stone of a healthy lifestyle.
You may wonder if not all food is real. Well, not really and what I mean by real food is food that comes from nature or straight from the farm to your table and that hasn't been ultra processed by having a lot of chemicals and additives added to it. As a rule of thumb, look for foods that have no more than 10 ingredients and only contain ingredients that you recognize and can pronounce.
Tip #2 - Prebiotic Foods
Look for prebiotics in your real food.
You may have heard of probiotics which are commonly found in for example yoghurts and are known to be good for your gut. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that keep the balance between the good and bad bacteria in your body.
Prebiotics are different from probiotics. They are foods rich in fermentable fiber. That is fiber that your body cannot digest so it makes it in to our lower digestive area where it helps the good bacteria grow.
Prebiotic foods include include onions, garlic, leeks, tomatoes, bananas, plums, apples, cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, kale, cabbage), blueberries, and legumes.
Add naturally probiotic foods to your diet as well such as fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh and soy sauce.
Tip #3 - Slow It Down
Lastly, I have had to learn to slow it down. I tend to be a bit impatient and am often the first one to finish my meals. That is not great for my gut so I have implemented two of Dr. Sears' rules for healthy eating into my habits.
The first is Dr. Sears' Rule of Two's which means eating half as much, twice as often, and chewing twice as long.
By eating this way you give your brain a chance to let your gut know that food is incoming, you chew your food completely helping ease your digestion and it lets your gut tell your brain when you are actually full. Did you know it takes 20 minutes from when you have eaten until your brain registers that you are full?
Secondly I enjoy Dr. Sears' sipping solution. I often make a healthy smoothie and sip on it for breakfast or make an even bigger one and sip on it for breakfast and lunch.
The benefits of the sipping solution are that:
-It fills you up: It is filled with fiber, protein and healthy fats.
-Improves absorption: As we age the absorption of vitamins and minerals diminishes. By liquefying the produce more nutrients can get absorbed by the body.
-Lessens heartburn: Because we are sipping, the food enters the stomach slowly and exits quickly.
-Natural laxative: Lots of fiber in the liquid which is a natural laxative.
-Boosts immunity: The smoothie is made with lots of phytonutrient rich foods; red, green, blue and yellow foods that are loaded with antioxidants.
-Stabilizes blood sugar: Make sure your smoothie is high in fiber, protein and some fat which helps the sugar to be absorbed slowly. That in turn helps keep your blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
-Shapes tastes: Adding vegetables to the smoothie will gradually help you develop a taste for them. Good tip for children who may not want to eat their kale or spinach.
-Get comfortably satisfied: Dr. Sears says that after 3-5 weeks you will notice how you are comfortably satisfied with smaller meals. When you feel hungry you will take some sips which will never leave you famished, which in turn means you will not overeat.
-Synergy: When you eat lots of nutrients from different sources together it helps the nutrients become more biochemically beneficial to your body. “Each antioxidant increases the effect of the other,” writes Dr. Sears.
Would you like to learn more?
If you would like to learn more about gut health or implement a healthy habit or two please reach out to me at linda@simplynordichealth.com. I regularly hold online presentations on gut health soon so please contact me or look on my website for more information and to register.
Also, check out my latest breakfast blog fo my go to quick and easy smoothie recipe.
If you would like to learn more please see the resources below that I used when preparing this blog.
Sources
Sears, William (2015). The Inflammation Solution. When Everything Works and Nothing Hurts.
Sears, William (2010). Prime-Time Health. A Scientifically Proven Plan For Feeling Young and Living Longer.
Bengmark, Stig (2022). Anti-Inflammatory Diet Solution. Heal Your Immune System, Boost Your Brain. Strengthen Your Heart.
Stig Bengmark's Website: https://stigbengmark.com/en/
Food Pharmacy Blog: https://foodpharmacyco.com/
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