Give Your Gut Love
Studies show a direct relationship between gut health and autoimmune disease. The hallmark symptom of autoimmune conditions is sustained inflammation within the body that’s often linked to an imbalance of all the microorganisms in your intestines!
The trillions of bacteria and fungi inside your gastrointestinal tract, known as your gut microbiome, play a key role in your digestion and your body’s ability to fight infections. Nearly 70% of your immune system thrives in your gut so it’s crucial to keep a balanced, diverse microbiome to stay healthy. By feeding your gut bacteria and fungi the right nutrients they need to flourish, you can support your immune system and lower inflammation.
Some ways you can start taking care of your gut health:
Incorporate both prebiotic (the fuel for good bacteria) and probiotic foods into your meals. Here are some examples:
Prebiotic: Sulfur-rich veggies like cabbage, onion, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes aka sunchokes, asparagus
Probiotic: yogurt, kombucha, miso paste (fermented soybean), kimchi, sauerkraut
Eat a diverse range of fruits and vegetables
Eat the rainbow! The more colors of veg and fruit you incorporate, the more you benefit from all of their phytonutrients (plant chemicals that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties)
Eat high quality protein (grass-fed meats and wild caught seafood - the smaller the fish the better!) and gut healing nutrients like amino acid in bone broth
Limit the amount of processed foods and sugar
Other ways to support the gut:
Avoid taking acid blockers too frequently; studies show that they can cause gut dysbiosis AND block the proper absorption of the nutrients you need. Instead, consider limiting foods that can trigger your reflux and eat a balanced meal.
Talk to your doctor about taking a probiotic supplement to introduce more healthy bacteria to the gut
Side note: some anti-inflammatory super stars are foods with omega-3 fatty acids (some examples are mackerel, salmon, anchovies, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds). Turmeric and ginger are fantastic for lowering inflammation.
And now, for the fun part…
One of my go-to comfort foods is my mom’s miso soup. The probiotic properties in the fermented miso paste do wonders for the body by offering support to the gut, immune system and digestion!
Ingredients:
4 cups of water
2 small packets of shaved bonito fish flakes (you can find these at any Asian grocer, Thrive Market and Amazon)
3 tbps of organic miso paste (I like Hikari which you can find at major grocery stores and on Amazon too)
1 stalk of scallion, thinly sliced
3 or 4 shiitake mushroom caps, sliced into small pieces
Alternatively you can use 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth if you’re not digging the homemade fish broth!
Bring the water to a boil and turn off the heat. Pour the bonito flakes in and let soak for five minutes. Strain the broth into another saucepan and turn the heat back on low heat. Slowly stir in the miso, making sure that every bit of the paste dissolves into the broth. Add the shiitake mushrooms, then remove the pan from the stove. Garnish with the sliced scallions and serve hot!
Other ways you can use miso:
Use it as a dip for your crudités! Mix a few tablespoons of miso with some olive oil, chop up some cucumbers, carrots and radishes and you’ve got the perfect gut-friendly snack platter with a little Japanese spin!
Make a little miso ginger dressing to up your salad game: mix 1/2 tbps of miso paste, 1 little nub of ginger (grated), half a medium-sized carrot (grated), 3 tbps of olive oil, 1 tbps of rice vinegar, salt/pepper and a dash of sesame oil to taste.
Show your gut a little love with these tips!
Hope you’re staying well.
xo
Yoko
*Some common signs of chronic inflammation can include persistent skin conditions/acne, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome and joint pain.