What I am doing to keep our Microbes happy
Did you know that up to 70% of our immune system lies in our gut.
Our microbes fed on some type of fibre called prebiotics therefore to have a strong immune system it is important to nourish them on a daily basis.
Great sources of fibre include : Fruits and vegetables , wholegrains, nuts seeds, herbs and spices. legumes : Lentils, chickpeas, beans. The main fibre that our microbes like is called SOLUBLE FIBRE, most of the above foods contain a a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibre.
POLYPHENOLS : are a type of phytochemicals and around 90% of them are malaborbed by the small intestine and when they reach the Gut microbiome that lives in the large intestine the microbes there will help to transform them into beneficial chemicals that have been linked to better health outcome. Good sources are : red wine, green tea, extra virgin olive oil, flaxseeds, berrries, apple, olives, red onion, black and white beans, all herbs and spices such as oregano, basil, cinnamon.
With everybody at home during the pnademic and not beeing able to get to the shop so often a little bit of planning is probably a good idea. Here is what I will be doing to ensure that we LOOK AFTER OUR MICROBES.
MY PLANNING :
I will be using the slow cooker daily as oppose to the week-ends only and cook more to have left over for lunch the following day or freeze.
One of the advantage of slow cooking is that it does keep better the nutrients in food rather than steaming or boiling. It also make the meat and protein more digestible so might be a good option if you have digestive issues.
We are not only what we eat but also what we absorb.
Examples of what I will be making:
Chickpea tagine
Meatballs
Chicken Curry
I bought my slow cooker from Lakeland: https://www.lakeland.co.uk/12921/Lakeland-3-5L-Slow-Cooker
What I currently have in my cupboard
For Breakfast:
Lizzies low sugar granola
Porridge oat to make porridge but also flapjack for snacks
Nuts and seeds
Ground flaxseeds, this is a natural fertiliser for your gut
Chia seeds – easy to digest and also good and soothing for the digestive tract
Lunch /dinner:
Protein: eggs, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, live yogurt , nut butter, canned slamon and sardines.
Carbohydrates : root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and potatoes, brown rice, pouches of brown rice and lentils, flour to make pizza and bread if I have to.
Fruits and vegetables : Delivery from Minskip Farm shop if you live near the Knaresborough area https://minskipfarmshop.com/veg-boxes/
OTHERS :
Canned tomato, coconut milk , tomato paste, pitted dates and dried apricots, dark chocolate, olive oil.
Herbs : I have planted some fresh herbs in the garden, easy to do and so lovely
Spices: cinnamon, ground turmeric, smoked paprika, tom, ginger, gourd coriander, ground cumin chili powder to make curries.
Onions and garlic
PROBIOTICS : This is the term used to describe microbes that are beneficial for our health.
Good sources that I have in our house : Kimchi, Sauerkraut and coconut kefir – daily in small amount is enough and also live yogurt. If you are local you can get it from Natural choice in Knaresborough https://www.facebook.com/NaturaChoice1 or online
I bought a yogurt maker a few weeks ago so will also be making my own yogurt soon.!