Tag Archives: gut bacteria

Why Shouldn’t I Eat That?

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Choosing healthful foods has not always been so easy for me. I have an intrinsic sweet tooth and intense carbohydrate cravings (which aren’t necessarily bad things if I stick to whole, real foods). Knowledge keeps me on track. I think knowledge helps keep us all on track.

Today, if you don’t already know, I’d like to share briefly with you about why

  • choosing fresh vegetables, including root vegetables, and fruits;
  • avoiding food preservatives found in foods and drinks; and
  • limiting sweeteners and sweetened foods

MATTERS!

In your intestines live trillions of bacteria which are supposed to be there. They are called your “microbiome” and they

  • break down and beneficially use substances in foods that your own body simply cannot.
  • transform toxins (and potential toxins–like any food dyes or pesticides you ingest) that you eat into something the body can get rid of.
  • make substances to inhibit the growth of illness-causing bacteria that you may come in contact with, like Salmonella or stomach viruses.
  • make your own personal nutritional supplements, like B vitamins, vitamin K, and necessary fatty acids.
  • help you regulate blood sugars, obesity, and your moods.

Choosing real, whole foods supports these helpful bacteria. Eating sugar-laden, preservative-laden, boxed foods deprives your body of the  help it needs from these bacteria. Every day, every bite is a choice.  Will I choose to strip my colon of these beneficial bacteria, or will I take the high road?

Will I eat for me? Or for my tongue? Or for the person whose feelings will be hurt if I decline?

I know what makes me feel best day-to-day. I know about the bacteria in there. I know what harms them. I can share my knowledge with my kids and husband in a loving, kind way so that they may also have the knowledge and power to choose.

I can share my knowledge with you that maybe you can go about your life making better choices day in and day out.

Don’t obsess. Don’t fret. There are times to eat cake. There are times of joy and feasting. But day in and day out, I’ve got some bacteria I want to take care of.

How about you?

Terri

PS: I know there is SO much conflicting information out there about what is and isn’t healthy. Meat. No meat. Grains. No grains. Beans. No beans. Carbs. No carbs. Dairy. No dairy. If you are a person who gets lost and confused in all of this, simply focus on making your choices as close to nature as possible. Read EVERY label if there’s a label. Honest and pure is what you want. Just like your honey’s heart.

Questions (and comments) always welcomed on this safe spot. And as always, don’t use my blog information as medical guidance.

How About Some True Preventative Health Knowledge?

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Agar_plate_with_coloniesEvery time I get back to reading scientific studies on gut bacteria, I just get so inspired to eat whole, fresh foods (cook them if you want to!) and to pass that enthusiasm on to you.

In our guts, we have tons of bacteria (don’t blame them completely for the scale readings, though 🙂 . . .) which help us digest our food, make wonderful chemicals which help our blood sugar and mood, and which keep infections from crossing from the gut to our blood.  Plus so much more.  Tending these bacteria properly is TRUE PREVENTATIVE HEALTH.

We Don’t Deserve These Guys

What they do–it is absolutely astounding.  ASTOUNDING.  And what’s amazing is that our bodies and our bacteria hang onto our health for as long as they can for us despite the abuse we bombard them with.  Like a co-dependent spouse.  And I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough chocolate chips, white bread, and vegetable oil in my life to not deserve these poor little critters.

These bacteria really, really, really like plant matter.  Vegetables and fruits.  They like tubers too, like potatoes and sweet potatoes.  They even seem to like whole grains–NOT ground up, processed, and refined flours.

Unstick The Stuck Pin

So, fill yourself up on these plant products.  And if you can’t tolerate them, find a few you can tolerate.  Work on your health some (stress, relationships, sleep, wise supplementation, food sensitivities, sugar load, physical activity, getting some outside time, and making better all-around food choices). Then try to introduce some more!

Promise yourself you won’t stay stuck in life.  Unstick your stuck!  Promise yourself you’ll make the choices to eat more whole, real food (cut how you want, cooked how you want, combined how you like!).  We all have different styles–some dive in with all their heart.  Some move slowly and steadily.  But move to that place you want to be.

No one else will do it for you.

Personify Those Bacteria!

Sometimes, when I’ve been derailed from eating how I feel best, I think something really goofy. As I’m going to the cupboard or fridge, I start thinking about those super beneficial gut bacteria striving to be healthy off of what I eat–thereby keeping me healthy too!  Working SO hard, just struggling to get by.  The grind.

“Ah, I think.  I love those little guys.  They try to be so good to me.”  (Personification at its finest.)  And I ask myself, “Would my helpful little crew like this peanut butter with those chocolate chips?  That gluten-free bread?  Or would they prefer this peanut butter with that apple?”  Apple it is in this moment, then.

I can do this.  One better choice at a time–and I get back to my groove.

You can too.

Have a great day (a great weekend!), and I’m plugging along on a new butyrate post for those who like that kind of stuff.

Terri

PS:  I know not all of you have the luxury of being able to eat all the healthy foods due to various intolerances, but for all you can do, don’t stay stuck.