GUT HEALTH AND THE MICROBIOME
As an endurance athlete you know full well to get enough food and fuel into your body to support your athletic energy requirements, but what many athletes fail to focus on is the quality of what they consume and also how well the foods that they do consume are absorbed and utilized.
Digestion is key and it all starts with the actual foods you eat and whether or not YOU can tolerate what you choose to consume. Starting in the mouth, chewing is step one in your digestive process. Other articles of mine focus on the what, how and when of eating but this one is all about your gut microbiome.
When it comes to the health of your gut (and ultimately your body and brain), the diversity of your gut microbiome is what equals resilience.
It’s all about the variety and quantity of species that you host, with more being better. This diversity is what will affect the way you process and absorb food and your immune systems response to the food’s that you consume. In this regard, everyone is unique and everyone requires a custom diet and gut microbiome to suit their unique make-up.
Here are a list of foods to help “feed your microbiome”.
1. Fermented Foods such as Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi & miso. These are rich in beneficial probiotics that help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, supporting digestion and immune function.
2. Polyphenol-Rich Plants such as berries, olive oil, dark chocolate, coffee and red wine. These plant compounds act as prebiotics, feeding beneficial gut bacteria and promoting a diverse and balanced microbiome.
3. Legumes and Pulses such as Lentils, chickpeas and black beans. These are high in fiber and resistant starch, which serve as prebiotics that nourish beneficial gut bacteria and support a healthy digestive system.
4. Nuts and Seeds such as walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds and almonds. These are rich in fiber, healthy fats, and polyphenols that support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and contribute to overall gut health.
5. Cruciferous Vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, which contain fiber and sulfur-containing compounds that feed beneficial bacteria and help reduce inflammation in the gut.
6. Whole Grains like Steel-cut oats, barley and quinoa which are rich in soluble fiber and prebiotics, which promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
The goal is to aim for 1 serving PER DAY from the above 6 categories.
Furthermore, look to eliminate processed and packaged foods and especially avoid the low-fat, sugar-free snacks that are frequently just empty, nutritionally void calories