Your inner Eco system by Claire Thomas

So, If I could tell you that you are home to your own "Eco System" right now which is home to hundreds of thousands of different microbes (little living organisms) you'd probably be quite shocked!! This is the very topic which I dig deep with in all my new client consultations. Not only in general is it important to watch what you fuel your body with, it's also important to ensure your inner "Eco System" (your gut) is being helped along the way  so that the microbes can work in unison with you to digest, absorb and function correctly. Your gut affects your skin, mood, fertility, stress levels, sleep, histamine levels and much more. If you are experiencing any issues with these I'd strongly suggest to spend some time looking into and nourishing your gut health. If you have recently had gastronitus or E-Coli it is very important you spend the next few months working on restoring your gut's health.  Anti biotics are there to be used when you really need them, however they can destroy the microbes that are vital in creating and promoting a healthy gut so taking care of your "Eco Sysem" is critical to prevent future bouts of such illnesses. There is still limited knowledge out there on the different microbes within the gut, however evidence has proven that you can take steps to improve gut health and wellbeing now. Here are my simple steps to get you and your Inner "Eco System" feel in tip top:

• Fermented Veggies - What are they I hear you say? Sauerkraut and any vegetable that has been fermented is great for your gut. Every piece of fermented vegetable will have different microbes in them and you need diversity of these to balance your gut. In some countries the juice of fermented veggies are give to babies to aid colic.... this just shows there is method to what may sound like madness. Although colicky babies are a whole different conversation!!
• Remove all flour products from your diet!! Think back to when you were a child making home made glue with flour and water. Do you remember the consistency it formed? Well that's what's passing through your gut when you consume flour products... a sticky glupey paste. Your gut DOES NOT like this!!
• Remove all dairy products from your diet. Remember we are the only mammal who drinks another mammals milk 😖. If you have a leaky gut consuming dairy will add to the upset and inflammation. Research has shown that people who live in "Blue Zone" countries who consume little or no dairy products have been reported to live up to 125 years old!! Thats proof in the pudding right there!! However you can eventually add a small amount of dairy back into your diet, I'd recommend adding 1 spoonful of Kefir (Fermented milk) each day to start with then increase. This allows your microbes to understand what this new food is (it's like a learning curve for them)
• Sugar... Need I say more. It destroys the good microbes in your gut.. remove!
•  Relax.. When consuming your daily meals try and eat in a stress free environment. As soon as our bodies are put under stress through anxiety, work stress, kids stress whatever it is our gut shuts down. It goes into storing energy and kicks into fight or flight mode!! Try and create a calm environment when you eat. Whether it's eating lunch at the park, away from that moaning colleague or removing electronics 15 minutes from the kids before you sit down to eat to avoid that "Five more minutes mum, I'm going to loose the game if I finish now" chat!!

All of the above are basic steps into managing your Inner Eco System better. Many of my clients have questioned whether they should take a test to determine their gut problems. This can be an expensive route to go down and as your food and gut digestion changes daily it's hard to get any clear vision as to what is going on in there. I'd recommend you start taking note of what happens when you eat certain food. Follow the steps above and stay in tune with how following the above makes you think and feel as a first port of call. It's a safe experiment to try on yourself!!

Wishing you a happy healthy gut tastic Week

Claire from Feast Beast