Last Updated on December 7, 2023 by Cathy
If adding probiotics is all you need to get healthier. Then why aren’t you getting better? Unfortunately, you may be sabotaging your gut health with the wrong “healthy” choices.
Sound confusing? It isn’t, with some simple changes, you can heal your gut and get MS into remission. Start today so you can begin your healing process as soon as possible.
Here are 6 healthy choices to fix your gut health:
1 – Yogurt
Growing up, the only thing I knew about gut health was eating yogurt and that was thanks to commercials. I didn’t like the taste until they started adding fruit on the bottom and other goodies. I especially liked frozen yogurt.
What I didn’t realize was the sugar and many other additives included in the ingredients. Most yogurts sold in grocery stores have very few, if any, live bacteria in them.
The milk they use is from cows fed grains and injected with antibiotics and growth hormones. Many countries like Canada and Japan have banned the use of growth hormones.
Bad bacteria and Candida, a yeast overgrowth, feed off sugar. They both contribute to an unhealthy gut. Since store-bought yogurt is full of sugar and made with milk, it’s best to make your own using full-fat coconut milk. Check Pinterest for lots of recipes.
2 – Fermented Foods
Eating a diverse range of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices is beneficial for overall health and well-being. While fermented foods can contribute to a healthy gut microbiome by providing probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria, a balanced diet that includes a variety of plant-based foods offers numerous advantages for your health. Here are some reasons why consuming fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices is essential:
Here are some reasons why consuming fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices is essential:
- Fruits and vegetables are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
- Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary fiber.
- Plant foods are packed with antioxidants, which help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body.
- Fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices contain phytochemicals, which are natural compounds that have many health benefits.
- While fermented foods contribute probiotics to the gut, fruits and vegetables provide prebiotics, which are substances that nourish and support the growth of beneficial bacteria.
- A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with weight management and lower calorie intake.
- Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Some fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in antioxidants like berries and leafy greens, have been associated with cognitive function and a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline.
3 – Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented drink with live bacteria that’s good for your gut. You can buy it at the store or make it at home to save money. More and more grocery stores carry it making it easier to find.
It’s made with black or green tea including a scoby (bacteria and yeast), then fermented. As it ferments it becomes carbonated and sometimes explosive if shaken. It contains that live bacteria your gut desperately needs. Kombucha is considered healthy. However, it contains wild yeast, and Ann Boroch, author of Healing Multiple Sclerosis, recommends avoiding it.
4 – Raw Vegetables
There are a lot of websites saying you should be eating raw vegetables for gut health. There’s even a raw vegetable diet. However, for some people loading up on raw vegetables may not be a good idea.
Vegetables have many vitamins and can help reduce inflammation. But too many raw vegetables can hurt when you’re dealing with a severe leaky gut. The tough fiber found in raw vegetables is hard on the gut lining.
When dealing with a leaky gut it’s probably not producing the enzymes needed to break down food. Food particles pass the gut lining into the bloodstream allowing bacteria to grow.
It’s best to steam or slow-cook your vegetables when you start healing your gut. Make sure you eat slowly to break down the vegetables into small pieces.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride recommends eating the softer parts of lettuce and peeled cucumbers. When tolerated add other raw vegetables. To learn more read her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome
Eventually, add more raw vegetables as digestion improves. In the end, you should be eating nine cups of vegetables per day. Including dark leafy greens, colored, and sulfur vegetables.
5 – Grazing
When you’re dealing with a leaky gut it needs time to heal. If you’re grazing all day, your gut is always irritated. The best thing you can do for your leaky gut is to fast and let your gut heal.
I’m not talking about a three-day fast, although that wouldn’t hurt. I’m talking about a twelve-hour fast every day. This will give your gut time to calm down and repair some of the damage. The best time to do this is when you’re sleeping.
If you stop eating at 7 pm then you can eat again at 7 am. There’s you’re twelve hours and it wasn’t hard at all. Don’t you think?
6 – Natural Sugars
It’s hard not to miss those sugar-filled processed goodies. Lots of people try to make up for it by substituting it with natural sugars. There are lots of recipes on the internet for cookies, cakes, and even doughnuts.
The problem is, bad bacteria and Candida don’t care where the sugar comes from. It’s still sugar and you’re feeding it. You need to stop the sugar addiction no matter what type of sugar it is.
Believe me, I know all too well how hard that can be. I never ate lots of candy or cookies, I even hated eating the frosting on the cake. But I ate processed foods and they have hidden sugar in just about everything. And I loved eating foods with refined carbohydrates.
When I first cleaned up my diet and avoided processed foods. I craved sugar, I ate lots of fruit, honey, and maple syrup. Then I realized I had Candida and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). I was feeding it!
Take Care Of Your Gut Health
You are the best person to know what’s working and what’s not. Pay close attention to your body and remove anything that is causing any kind of issue. Even if it’s an “allowed” food item.
Emotional or physical stress plays a huge factor in leaky gut and bad bacteria. Learn how to reduce as much stress as possible. Try deep breathing, meditation, soaking in a bath, or laughing. These can all lower your stress levels.
Remember, a healthy gut requires a healthy gut lining. Drink lots of bone broth and heal your gut!
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