WEEK 5 Find some balance
Starting to feel less bloated? Perhaps you’ve noticed a flatter tummy? These things are fantastic, but the gut does much more than just digest food – it also plays a major role in how we feel. Try the following for a feelgood boost:
STOCK UP ON SEROTONIN
Up to 90% of mood-regulating chemical serotonin is now thought to be produced in the gut when we eat protein-rich foods containing the amino acid tryptophan. Tuck into tryptophan-rich foods including lean meat, seafood, spinach and watercress.
CUT INFLAMMATION & ANXIETY
Inflammation can be triggered by stress, sugary and fried foods and hydrogenated fats, and low-grade gut inflammation has been found to cause anxiety-like behaviour in animals. Caffeine can exacerbate anxiety, so try to limit yourself to one cup of caffeinated drink a day. Turmeric and ginger are two of the best anti-inflammatories in the spice world.
. . . AND RELAX
The more stressed you are, the more likely you’ll want to grab something sugary, so try keeping some healthy snacks to hand such as nuts or houmous and crudités. Slow down and savour meals. Before eating, take five long, deep breaths to calm your body. Chew slowly (25 times before you swallow), so your stomach has less work to do when the food arrives.
BALANCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR
Sugar is also a culprit when it comes to poor gut health and, as a consequence, low mood. A hit of refined sugar causes our blood sugar to rise rapidly – which is followed by a slump in energy. Balancing blood sugar helps alleviate not only everyday anxiety but also panic attacks. Slow-releaSe carbS Choose brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat. If you really fancy potato crisps, eat them with an avocado dip, or a healthy, fat-filled tahini-based houmous (only if your digestion can tolerate chickpeas). eat protein with carbS Combining sweet or carb-rich foods with protein helps lessen the blood sugar spike. Eat chicken, fish or eggs with rice or potatoes, and have meat or fish with pasta. A good way to get a nice balance of flavours, including a little hit of sweetness, is to add dried fruits to a savoury dish, such as apricots in a lamb tagine. Or eat fruits with nuts and some cheese. This is preferable to eating a handful of dried fruit on its own. a raw chocolate treat If you’re craving chocolate, buy a tub of raw cacao. Put a tablespoon or two, depending on how chocolatey you want it, into 500ml of almond milk along with a tablespoon of coconut oil, or half an avocado. Blitz this up. You can also gently heat it up to drink instead of coffee.
BOOST YOUR FIBRE
We absolutely need fibre to stay healthy. Some types are fermented in the lower intestine by all those good bugs that use it for energy and to create other healthy by-products. So although it’s fashionable to eat a diet high in protein and fat, don’t cut out fibre. Soluble Fibre This creates a gel-like texture when it mixes with liquid in the GI tract. It helps slow down digestion and makes us feel fuller for longer. Find it in oats, barley and rye, bananas, apples, beans and other pulses, and root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes. inSoluble Fibre This fibre doesn’t dissolve, so if you’re suffering from constipation, it will help move things along nicely. Find it in oats, wholegrains, raw fruits and vegetables, potatoes with their skin on, brown rice, wheat bran, nuts, seeds and, of course, prunes.