Patriot Health Digest
The big question for those with any kind of gut problem: “What should I eat?”
While there’s not a complete list of foods everyone with gut problems should be buying hand over fist, there are some foods that stand out among my favorites for excellent gut health.
1 – Bone Broth
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones along with spices, vegetables and herbs, as desired, for additional flavor and incredible nutrients.
It is rich in collagen, the top protein in your body, as well as other minerals and amino acids. The practice of simmering bones brings out these ingredients and ends as easily digestible bone broth.
One recent study on bone broth looked at its healing potential for mucosal ulceration, and the collagen was found to significantly down-regulate inflammatory reactions. In fact, the collagen worked better than common gut medication like mesalamine.
Probiotics are good bacteria that live in your intestinal tract and help you to regulate your bodily responses, support a healthy immune system, and much more.
With gut problems, inflammation might cause gut bacteria to become immunogenic, meaning they will cause an immune response. This can make the cycle that happens with gut problems even worse, including causing chronic inflammation and leading to an unstable intestinal system.
Probiotics might help reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are proteins that are partly responsible for triggering inflammation.
Some top picks for fermented foods are:
- sauerkraut
- kimchi
- kefir
- kombucha
- fermented pickles
- yogurt
3 – Oily fish
Fish, especially oily fish such as trout, salmon, sardines, and mackerel, are filled with omega-3 fatty acids, which may offer some inflammation-fighting and gut-helping benefits.
Adding fish into your meals is a perfect way to start consuming more omega-3 fats. The good thing about consuming fish instead of taking a supplement is that fish comes with more beneficial minerals, protein and vitamins.
Blueberries should be called nature’s candy. Their sweet taste and health-promoting benefits are unlike anything else.
Blueberries have also been discovered to help lower insulin, which leads to less cortisol being produced and in turn, less inflammation.
If you are not already consuming these gut-healing foods, try using them one per day and see how they make you feel. I guarantee they will do more than almost any supplement could.
