Happy Monday 👋 

Every week, I go deep into the roots of health in search of the best ingredients to prepare a delicious and nutritious menu for you!

On today’s menu I’ve got: Gut Health

I hope you are hungry, but before you get served…

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Starter 🥗 

The Second Brain

Have you ever followed your gut? Felt those butterflies before a big moment, or experienced your stomach twisting in an uncomfortable situation?

It's as if your brain stepped aside and your gut took charge for a moment, right?

Guess what? It did!

Our gut is responsible for much more than solely digesting our food. It’s our “second brain” that can affect our mood, energy levels, immune system, and even our mental state. 🧬 

With that said, let’s dive deep into the gut and uncover why taking care of it could be the key to feeling your best on the inside and out!

Main 🥙 

Healthy Gut, Happy Gut

Gut health refers to the healthy balance inside the digestive tract, which is home to trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, collectively known as the gut microbiome. 🦠

The gut microbiome is composed of both beneficial and harmful microorganisms that are essential for overall health.

With millions of nerves connecting it to the brain, the gut produces the majority of the body's seratonin and helps with the control of information transmission.

Next to digesting food and controlling blood sugar and the immune system, the gut microbiome can help you keep the brain and heart healthy. 💓 

Good gut health is essential for overall health. Therefore, a healthy gut is a happy gut 😉.

However, what if you have an unhealthy gut? Having an unhealthy gut may lead to…

• bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. 💩 

• higher levels of inflammation. 📈 

• unintentional weight changes.

• shorter sleep durations. 📉 

• an increased risk for autoimmune diseases.

• feeling overly full. 🤰 

• an increased risk of mental health conditions. 🧠 

👨‍🍳 Tip: You are what you eat! If you consume trash (processed food that is high in sugar), you will feel like trash. However, you can easily enhance your gut health by consuming high-fiber, prebiotic, and probiotic foods.

Dessert 🍰 

How to Improve Gut Health

Bloating, nausea, constipation, and stomachaches. We've all had gut issues, and I think we can all agree that they're very unpleasant! 

Therefore, I've created a checklist on how to avoid gut issues and improve overall gut health:

• 🥗 eat a diverse range of foods (unprocessed and colorful)

• 🥛 eat fermented foods (kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, and kefir)

• 🧘 lower your stress levels (as much as possible)

• 💤 get enough sleep (consistent and high quality)

• 🚰 stay hydrated (with water and electrolytes)

• 🥜 eat enough fiber-rich foods (nuts, legumes, and veggies)

• 🏃 get enough movement (a minimum of 30 minutes a day)

• 🍬 avoid refined sugar and sweeteners

• ⏲️ eat slowly (enjoy the meal)

My tip: Start low and go slow! Avoid trying to integrate everything at once. Instead, try to gradually adopt these changes into your life in order to make them sustainable.