1. Heal your gut.
You may have heard of the saying “you are what you eat”, when in truth it should be “you are what you digest and absorb”. And having a healthy gut is essential to allow your body maximum access to the nutrients you consume. When it comes to gut health, you really can’t beat bone broth. Rich in glutamine, collagen and gelatin, it is essential for facilitating digestion and for cell integrity and healing, especially of the gut wall. If you are vegetarian or vegan, look to a miso-based broth or glutamine in supplemental form.
2. Rebalance your gut.
Choosing nutrient-dense and diverse foods is essential for the health of your microbiome. At the same time, decreasing triggers that contribute to inflammation or leaky gut is essential. The number one culprit is refined sugar which can cause an increase of opportunistic bacteria in the gut, leading to bacterial infections, inflammation of leaky gut. Greek leaf stevia or monk fruit extract are great alternatives to refined sugar and can be used in any of your favourite recipes.
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3. Feed your gut.
The trillions of beneficial bacteria that inhabit your gut must be fed to support their growth and development. These probiotics feed on prebiotic foods such as asparagus, artichokes, leeks and green banana flour, and resistant starch found in cooked and cooled white potato, sweet potato and basmati or white rice. Once you have established this you are ready to also add probiotic foods such as small amounts of sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and kombucha.
4. Eat your greens.
Green vegetables are fantastic sources of both fibre and vitamin C. Fibre acts as food for our beneficial bacteria, allowing them to thrive and produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate. Butyrate has a natural anti-inflammatory effect on the gut, naturally supporting our immune heath. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and strengthens our gut barrier function against potential pathogens. Examples include leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts - these are our key seasonal foods as they provide the extra immune benefits that we need in winter.
5. Add spices.
Two incredible immune-boosting spices are turmeric and garlic. Turmeric is an ancient Ayurvedic spice and curcumin, the key compound in turmeric, has strong strong antibacterial effects. Garlic also offers amazing anti-inflammatory and immune benefits. Garlic is known as nature’s antibiotic and is one of the best natural ways to fight off infections. I personally love to combine them in a beautiful winter soup, such as my Creamy Vegetable Soup.
About Low Carb Healthy Fat Nutrition:
Steph Lowe's new book Low Carb Healthy Fat Nutrition is opposite of a typical "diet + lose weight" mantra. Instead, LCHF is a "real-food-only" lifestyle that Steph has been personally living and transforming the lives of clients for more than 10 years.
