Foods For Good Gut Health
Vincent M. Pedre, M.D. has a great article on what to eat and to avoid. Read the whole article but here are the ones to avoid:
1. Dairy.
2. Gluten.
3. Soy.
4. Corn.
5. Lectins and phytates.
6. Eggs.
7. Nightshades.
8. Sugar.
Your Gut and Disease
‘Unhealthy’ Microbiomes Could Promote Metabolic Disease and Multiple Sclerosis might be a Metabolic Disease. But even if it is not, inflammation affects are there.
The foods we eat are thought to give competitive advantages to certain species of microbes in our gut, especially those that digest complex carbohydrates, according to UCSF microbiologist Peter Turnbaugh, PhD
UCSF Symposium Explores Vulnerability and Malleability of Microbes in Human Gut
Dairy-free Ice Cream
Ingredients
Vanilla Banana Ice Cream:
3 large ripe bananas, peeled
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Banana Ice Cream:
3 large ripe bananas, peeled
3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
Strawberry Banana Ice Cream:
2 large ripe bananas, peeled
1 cup frozen strawberries
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Special equipment: an 8-by-5-inch loaf pan
For the vanilla banana ice cream: Cut each banana into 6 chunks and freeze until rock solid, preferably overnight.
Put the banana chunks and vanilla bean seeds in a food processor and process. Hang on, your food processor may jolt in the very beginning! The bananas will look crumbly at first, then gooey and eventually light and creamy- just like ice cream. Stop the food processor frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl and break up any clumps. Transfer to a bowl and put in the freezer.
For the chocolate banana ice cream: Cut each banana into 6 chunks and freeze until rock solid, preferably overnight.
Put the banana chunks, cocoa powder and coconut oil in a food processor and process. Stop the food processor frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl and break up any clumps. Transfer to a bowl and put in the freezer.
For the strawberry banana ice cream: Cut each banana into 6 chunks and freeze until rock solid, preferably overnight.
Put the banana chunks and strawberries in a food processor and process. Stop the food processor frequently to scrape down the sides of the bowl and break up any clumps.
To assemble the Neapolitan banana ice cream: Scrape the vanilla-banana ice cream into 1 end of an 8-by-5-inch loaf pan so it fills about 1/3 of the length of the pan. Use a rubber spatula to push it back a bit if you need to before adding the chocolate-banana ice cream next to it, filling the middle third of the pan (it’s ok if they run together a bit). Scrape the strawberry-banana ice cream into the other end of the pan. Serve right away or freeze until ready to serve. To serve, run an ice cream scoop down the loaf pan to make 3-flavored scoops.
Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/neapolitan-banana-ice-cream.html
Foods That Cause Inflammation
There has been a resurgence lately about foods that cause inflammation that is worthy to highlight. I very much still recommend that you have your blood tested for what your specific triggers are like I did, but there are some general ones to watch for like:
- Refined carbohydrates
- Saturated fats
- Vegetable oils
- Partly hydrogenated oils
- Sugars and simple carbs
- Processed meats
Inflammation can occur in response to many triggers. Some of these we can’t do much about, such as pollution, injury or sickness. However, you have much more control over the foods and beverages you choose to eat and drink. To stay as healthy as possible, keep inflammation down by minimizing your consumption of foods that trigger it.
For me, my quintessential bad food is a grilled cheese sandwich, which I vow to never eat again. It has simple carbohydrates, refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, partly hydrogenated, and dairy. All of which is really bad for me!
Four Reasons To Eat Salads
1. Eat Salads for the Fiber
This fiber is for good colon health as well as a healthy microbiome that we are just learning how it benefits overall health in every part of the body.
2. Eat Salads for the Antioxidants and Vitamins
There are vitamins and antioxidants we can’t really get any other way, plus there may be other nutrients we have not yet learned about. A healthy variety of greens and vegetables.
3. Eat Salads to Lower Calories
There are fewer calories and you can bulk up by eating more.
4. Eat Salads for Good Fats
You can add fruit to your salad like avocados or at seeds and nuts or olive oil based dressing to make it nutritious and interesting.
Just do it!
Prebiotics – What are they? Why take them?
Prebiotics are non-digestible fibre that feed your microbiome.
Take them if you do not eat enough vegetables in your diet. Which is most of us!
I am using oligofructose-enriched inulin.
Preliminary research has demonstrated potential effects on calcium and other mineral absorption, immune system effectiveness, bowel acidity, reduction of colorectal cancer risk, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) hypertension and defecation frequency. Prebiotics may be effective in decreasing the number of infectious episodes needing antibiotics and the total number of infections in children aged 0–24 months. ref Wikipeadia It is also showing to help patients with multiple sclerosis.
Taking Your Fish Oil?
They avoided simple carbs, gluten and processed foods. They increased their fish intake, took yoga and meditated. They were instructed to take melatonin, get adequate sleep, incorporate vitamin B-12, vitamin D-3 and fish oil.
NON-DRUG TREATMENT MAY REVERSE ALZHEIMER’S
Ref: http://abc7news.com/health/non-drug-treatment-may-reverse-alzheimers/336963/
Gut Microbiome & MS
This is showing up this week in reports and journals everywhere. Here are excerpts from 3 articles today:
Beyond its role in digestion, the gut microbiome has a profound impact on health and disease; in particular, researchers have established a link between the gut microbiome and multiple sclerosis. Our gut microbiome helps to calibrate our immune systems, and a growing body of evidence suggests that disturbances in gut microbiome balance can affect the behaviour of immune cells and trigger inflammation, in turn leading to the development of MS in genetically susceptible individuals.
“Clearly,” the study reads, “even a single antibiotic treatment in healthy individuals contributes to the risk of resistance development and leads to long-lasting detrimental shifts in the gut microbiome.”
They found that the proinflammatory bacterium Methanobrevibacteriaceae was found in a higher proportion in the gut of people living with MS, whereas the Butyricimonas bacteria, which produce a compound that generally suppresses the immune system, was found to be relatively lower compared to healthy individuals.
Omega-3’s To The Rescue!
Dr Oz makes it sound like Omega-3’s are a wonder food. Are his comments over-stated? Maybe, maybe not. I am not sure.
I did not realize flax seeds were so high in Omega-3. This chart is interesting.
This Harvard article, Omega-3 Fatty Acids: An Essential Contribution, explains a bit of the value of Omega-3’s.
What do you think? How much do you take each day?
Probiotics For Overall Health
Probiotics important for health as featured at this website http://mshope.com/
Fecal Transplant, Anyone?
Inside our intestines, there’s an entire ecosystem – our own “inner rainforest” – made up of microorganisms so small that millions could fit into the eye of a needle. And everyone’s is different. And some of the damage we do to our intestine is irreversable except for fecal transplants!
Learn to trust your gut!