Take a bee-line for your gut.
One of the first things we learn in nutrition school is the gut is the epicenter for much of our health. Like most of nutrition training, it just makes sense. All of our nutrition and hydration – good and bad – goes in and through our digestive system. The gut then sends it out to your organs and other parts of your body. Ipso facto – your gut is central to your health.
OK, Good To Know. Now What?
The topline answer to getting the most health benefits from your gut is to keep it clean and toned. Just like brushing your teeth, if you miss a brush it’s not long before you can feel the furry feeling on your choppers.
That’s the plaque and bacteria building-up from the food and drinks you’re consuming. It’s the same with your digestive system – all food and drink go past it as well! Many of us can hold onto 500g to 3kilos of undiscarded waste and bad bacteria in our guts.
1. Go Gently
Don’t go at cleaning your gut like a bull at a gate. Take your time. It’s taken quite a while for the plaque, waste, and bacteria to build-up. In a way, your system gets used to it being there (even though it affects its ability to process and disperse nutrients).
That’s why we recommend against harsh detox regimes. They can strip more from your gut than just the waste and affect its intestinal permeability. Far better, to chip away at the build-up over weeks or months.
2. Detox Response
In our experience, some people tell us they get symptoms from the cleaning process. Much like abstaining from alcohol, sugar, or caffeine, it can be a shock to the system. Your gut is working now to rid itself (and yourself) from the waste. It a way it’s shaking things up in there so little wonder your body may feel it.
However, it usually abates as quickly as it came, especially if you increase your water intake and take care of yourself by relaxing and getting a few more winks of sleep. If symptoms persist please see a medical expert.
3. Clean Without Chemicals
For many people, they don’t need to take medication to get their gut healthy. Good old food and liquids will do the job. (Also, if you are on medication, for gut or other issues, a good clean diet will accelerate the medication’s effect by increasing absorption).
The food we eat and the drinks we drink are often the cause of gut and health issues. Of course, there are other causes like environmental, hormonal, stress, and genetics. It follows that food and liquids will also be a way to help our guts and ourselves.
The good news is that cleaning your gut is quite easy and something you can take your time doing (so no trying to fast-track it by swallowing a kitchen scourer! haha). Eating a healthy amount of natural fiber is a must.
Certain types of fiber may also promote weight loss, lower blood sugar levels and fight constipation. Try including a good source of fiber in every main meal. The recommended daily intake is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
4. Prebiotic Rich Foods
Like you, your gut has its food favs. Foods loaded with probiotics are loved by your gut’s good bacteria. They eat it all up and ask, “please sir, may I have some more?”
There are many somewhat obscure prebiotic foods like chicory and dandelion greens. Let’s focus on the more readily edible ones. Garlic acts as a prebiotic by helping the growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria. It also helps prevents disease-promoting bacteria from flourishing.
- Onions! Onions are rich in inulin and FOS (fructooligosaccharides). In shorthand, these prebiotics help boost your immune system, provide fuel for your gut, and fast-track your digestion. And who doesn’t want all that?!?
- Go bananas
Bananas are loaded with fiber. They’re also great at supporting healthy gut bacteria and reducing bloating. - Wild Oats!
Oats are the unsung superfood (do we still use the term ‘superfood’?).So versatile and filling. Good old porridge is a staple but think about oats in cereals, muesli, added to your smoothies.
Whole oats are rich in beta-glucan fiber. These increase healthy gut bacteria, improve blood sugar management, and may reduce the risk of cancer.
- How’d You Like These Apples!?
The pectin in apples accounts for approximately 50% of an apple’s total fiber. Pectin increases butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that feeds the friendly gut bacteria and reduces the population of harmful bacteria. Grab an apple today.
- Dandelion Tea
We all need to drink more water. It’s hard though for many of us. So when you like a hydrating tea that also gives you prebiotic benefits jump on it. Try dandelion tea. It may take some getting used to but it’s a grower! Plus it’s a good source of the good stuff (without the caffeine). - See (More) Weed
OK, maybe not so readily available but seaweed should be in your diet. 50–85% of seaweed’s fiber content comes from water-soluble fiber. And that’s a good thing. Seaweed can increase the population of friendly bacteria, thwart the growth of harmful bacteria and enhance your immune function. - H2Ohhhh!
Another A-list gut cleaner is good-old fresh water. When aiming to cleanse your gut (always a long-term goal – not something to rush) up your water intake. Go for 2 liters a day.Mix it up with room temperature water, hot boiled water, non-caffeine herbal teas, juices, and smoothies. Smoothies are also a terrific way to introduce more fiber in your diet. Add an avocado to a smoothie – a good source of fiber and adds a nice texture to the mix.
- Fall In Love
We recommend supercharging your gut health with our Love Your Gut (LYG) powder. It’s 100% highest food-grade diatomaceous earth and is Australia’s number one natural gut health product. It helps to gently ‘brush’ your gut clean – like a toothbrush does for your teeth.As we always say: go gentle with your gut. Avoid harsh, hectic detox regimes and supplements. They can do more harm than good. The gut is a robust instrument but has a delicate side as well. LYG is that gentle cleanse. No quick-fix here. Just a slow, measured and effective cleanse.
- Soft Cell
If LYG powder is like a gentle brush of your digestive system, then Fulvic Humic concentrate (FHC) is like a tiny little, incy wincey, microscopic key. This is a small key! It helps ‘open up’ your gut cells to absorb nutrients. It’s a liquid food product from Supercharged Food.Just 6 drops a day in water or anything really, is all it takes. Many people talk about how they crave the glass of FHC water as their body seems to be crying out for it. We call it our ‘Drops of Jupiter’ because it’s from the heavens (and because we love the song).
5. Pro Antioxidant Foods
Your gut is all for antioxidants. Again, you can source much of what you need through your diet. Supplement if need be or prescribed by your health professional but focus on your diet first and foremost.
As with the prebiotic foods let’s concentrate on the readily available, versatile, and delicious foods rich in antioxidants.
- Berry, berry good
Many berries are a good source. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and snuflerberries (OK, OK snuflerberries don’t actually exist. But if they did! Watch out! They’d be chock-o-block with antioxidants). - Dark chocolate, enough said
Yummy dark chocolate – you don’t need much to feel good. It’s rich in antioxidants and flavor. And if anyone looks at you when you’re reaching for another square (or row) you can just say “I eat it for the antioxidants”.
6. Good Gut Practices
Aside from the food and drinks we consume there are several ways we can take care of our gut. You only need a few simple practices to gain noticeable benefits.
7. Eat Slowly Mindful Eating
Heaven knows your gut has been put through the wringer with the workload of breaking down our foods. Any opportunity to give it an easy run will be greatly appreciated. The more you ‘pre-digest’ your food the less work your gut needs to do.
By pre-digest we mean slow, mindful mastication. Your teeth, jaws, and saliva are your gut’s best buds. They help to breakdown foods before they go into the gut. Digestion starts in the mouth.
8. No Alcohol
Or at least greatly reduce your intake. There’s not much to add but your gut prefers sobriety.
9. You’re Getting Sleepy
Give your whole body a break. Sleep is its mini-break. It takes some effort to readdress bad bedtime habits like watching a screen or eating too late. Ideally, read a good book, listen to a meditation, and deep breathe. Sex is also sleep-inducing…not during but after of course.
10. Process This
Greatly reduce your consumption of processed food. It’s hard at first, there’s so much marketing, convenience, and taste in processed food. They’re literally processed to get you hooked for more. And more.
Sometimes the best advice is what you already know. There’s a good chance you know processed food is not good for you. Equally, we’re fairly sure you know that eating green, whole foods, organic, vegetables, more water, and less meat is the best diet for anybody.
11. Focus On The Why
The best way we’ve found to take heed of that knowledge is to focus on the benefits that healthy eating and a healthy gut will give you. Think of whatever body or health goal you have. Do it now, we’ll wait……
….Now, we guarantee eating healthier, drinking more water, and loving your gut a little will play a major role in reaching that goal and supercharging your gut health. Visit www.superchargeyourgut.com to read more about gut health.