What happens if i ignore the basics?

BY JOEL GRACE

When speaking with clients in the clinic, we always discuss a few gut-health basics to follow for optimal wellbeing. These basics might sound simple, but they’re often easy to forget when life gets busy. These are the foundations we should all follow each day, because every little thing you do now to preserve and maintain your health really makes an impact later in life.

What if I…..don’t drink enough?

water? The minimum daily water requirement is 2.25 litres for women and 2.5 litres for men to properly flush cellular waste from your system. Sure, you can get by on less water each day, but when you find out what happens to your body, you’re going to think it’s pretty gross. To make up for any deficit in water intake, your body looks for water to re-use. The first place it draws water from is the waste in your colon. So when you don’t drink enough, you’re basically recycling poo water back into your bloodstream! And make no mistake, this isn’t pure filtered water – it’s filled with the toxins from your poop that you should be eliminating. Pretty disgusting thought, hey!

What if I…..eat too much meat?

Did you know that eating more than 700g of red meat per week increases your chance of bowel cancer? And the cancer risk increases by 1.18 times for every 50 grams of processed meat you consume per day? But when we consume too much meat, the first issue you’ll probably come across is chronic constipation. Animal protein is quite difficult for your body to digest, and it can take a good 3-4 days to leave your body – even longer if your fibre intake is inadequate. Remember, fibre is the broom that sweeps the non-fibre foods, like meat, out of your colon. Adults should aim for a fibre intake of about 25-30 grams per day. I like to suggest keeping animal protein to no more than 10% of your daily intake, and adding extra fresh produce to keep your gut happy.

What if I…..don’t eat 5 serves of veggies and 2 serves of fruit daily?

Speaking about fibre, we all know that fresh produce is one of the best sources. But what happens if you don’t eat your recommended 5 & 2 each day? Well, constipation for starters! These recommendations are made for a reason – to ensure you get enough bulk in your stool to prevent blockages. A lot of the fruit & veg we eat is also a fantastic source of prebiotics. Yes, the fresh food we eat is also the food your good bacteria want to eat, adding life to your microbiome. Fresh produce is also packed with essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals that your gut will love.

www.sunshinecolonics.com.au

EVERYDAY SUPERFOODS

BY BROOKE HUGHES BHSc at

There is a lot of buzz around superfoods, but what makes one food more super than another? While perhaps the term “superfood” is more of a marketing strategy than anything else, they do inspire us to take a look at our diet and use food to support health. The aim of a superfood is to be nutrient-dense (lower caloric intake containing a larger number of nutrients) rather than energy-dense (higher caloric intake with fewer nutrients). Going off this, a number of common, everyday foods such as vegetables, nuts and seeds, qualify as super too! Each superfood presents us with a different nutrient profile and therefore, can support different areas of health. So perhaps rather than focusing on adding one exotic berry to your diet as a cure-all, our time, energy and finances may be better spent creating a diet full of variety. Here are my top three everyday superfoods: 1.Eggs (Free range organic of course) Recent research shows that consuming eggs promotes health. Eggs are an easily digestible source of protein. In clinical practice, I often find that many people lack good quality protein in their diet. Protein is such a vital macronutrient for so many different bodily functions, in particular, immune function, neurotransmitter production (mental health), blood sugar control and hormonal health. Eggs also contain a number of vitamins and minerals including vitamin D, A, B12, zinc, selenium, as well as, choline which is a brain boosting nutrient. Eggs have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Consuming 1-2 eggs per day is super!

2. Brassica Vegetables

Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, tunis, brussels sprouts - all of these are a part of the brassica vegetable family. Not only are brassica veggies high in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, E, folate, and calcium, they are rich in phytonutrients, such as sulforaphane, that have been shown to be antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic. Brassica veggies can enhance phase II liver detoxification, which is why (along with its fibre content) I use these vegetables as a hormone balancing strategy in clinical practice all the time. Plus, who doesn’t need a little bit of extra liver support these days? Ideally consume about 1cup/day. 3. Garlic Don’t be afraid of garlic-breath! Consuming garlic has an endless list of health benefits. The abundance of vitamins and minerals creating its stellar nutrient profile, along with its active constituent, allicin, makes it a powerful food-as medicine. Garlic can support your gut health (prebiotic: keeping your gut bacteria balanced), cardiovascular health (assisting with blood pressure control) , immune health (it is antimicrobial) and the body’s detoxification processes. Not to mention it is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. So don’t be shy with garlic!