Trust Your Gut

There’s much discussion these days about one’s gut health. Among medical practioniers of all ilks. Much of it gyrates about glutton and gluten, words that share letter sequences. Hm-m-nn.

I have to admit that I Align better with this discussion of this new health wrinkle than a discussion of one’s ills and pills. But, I swear that glutenophobes have one-upped germophobes for irrationality, an over-response that’s becoming cult.

Apparently 100 trillion bacteria call your gut home…no wonder your gut bulges, making zipping last year’s pre-Thanksgiving and Christmas jeans a chore, you glutton! Yes, me. But, as usual I digress –

Here’s a list of what to do to maintain a healthy gut:

1. Eat to beat disease: citrus fruit, fibre-rich foods, leafy greens and yellow vegetables

2. Help the good bugs: yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, bananas, garlic, asparagus, onions

You can improve the ratio of good to bad bacteria by eating foods that contain probiotics (various types of healthy bacteria). Probiotics, which include lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, keep the lining of the colon healthy and may improve gut motility and sensation. Helping digested food slide out of the poop chute – such a goal!

While we traveled in Korea last fall, our Korean tour guide proudly stated the health prowess of Kim Chi as a staple of good health – because it makes it through the gastric stomach acids to the important region below? We didn’t question further, but we did sample Kim Chi during the scheduled lunch. By its taste, I could almost guarantee that my guess is as good as most.

3. Choose foods that soothe: caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, fennel, ginger, mint, nutmeg, oatmeal.  Raid that spice cabinet…

4. Eat foods to flatten your tummy: avocado, brown rice, dark chocolate, nuts, oatmeal, olive oil, seeds

It’s that Mediterranean diet again. I wrote about it https://www.pjcolando.com/anti-inflammatory-diet/

Or you can read what Mayo Clinic physicians say:   http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801.

Let’s return to the Mediterranean, specifically Greece. Vacation is always good for one’s health. Santorini is calling….

The Greek word for compassion is Splanchonizomai, a word which shares a root with the study of the gut: Splanchnology.

Get it?  “Trust your gut” is derivationally related to compassion, another element of healthy life.

Especially when it’s compassion for your self: “trust your gut” Take care of your heart and soul.