The Pillars of Health: A Series

A holistic approach to achieving healthy living.

Food. Exercise. Mindfulness. Hydration & Sleep.

No. 1 Food

The gut is commonly referred to as our second brain, with its ability to influence our emotions; if we feel happy or sad, calm, or anxious. Facilitating the break down and absorption of many crucial vitamins that are important to physiological functions within the human body.

Contrary to the “common knowledge” of diets that claim to work for all, gut health is extremely individualised, and should be addressed as such. The foods we eat feed the bacteria within our gut, our gut microbiota, and these little superstars produce neurotransmitters and metabolites, like butyrate. Circulating to the brain, and some being small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier, they are influential to our overall wellbeing, where having a compromised gut microbiome can also increase the chances of developing intestinal diseases such as IBS and IBD.

Taking this into consideration, a beneficial practice to put in to play is the implementation of consuming 30+ plants a week. Fruits and vegetables are packed with ‘phytochemicals’ (disease-fighting antioxidants found in plants that protect our cells from damage). The colour of fruit and vegetables is dependent on the unique types of phytochemicals they contain. So, eat a range of your fruit and veg to get an array of different phytochemicals. Now I know this sounds like an extreme amount, but people often forget that plants include nuts, seeds, wholegrains and so forth. When looking at it this way, understanding it is not just fruit and vegetables, it really is more realistic and achievable than first thought.

Some simple tricks to make this practice a little less daunting include; adding in a can of chickpeas when you bake your root vegetables, creating a seed mix of a variety of seeds to sprinkle over salads and into cereal, adding ground nuts/seeds into smoothies and grating vegetables into dishes.

Aiming for a plant predominant diet: noting here that predominant is different to exclusive, meaning some animal products can be included in moderation, with a large focus on variety. Consider eating more seafood and fish, and ever so often red meats where needed. When considering the longevity of life across the world, those living in the Mediterranean regions, consuming predominantly fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes, healthy fats (EVOO), seafood and wine have the greatest lifespan.

Find some simple recipe ideas below:

SIMPLE: pat dry, season with S&P, pan fry in EVOO & pair with steamed greens and a thick slice of sourdough bread grated with fresh garlic... [think snapper, red emperor, salmon]

SAUCY: low and slow oven bake in a bath of butter, capers, lemon wedges & zest; on a bed of mashed sweet potato & grilled asparagus... [perfect for salmon and snapper]

SPICY: Marinade and pan fry in a mix of smoked paprika, cumin & chilli flakes, w/ a vibrant crunchy salad and a zingy lemony, yoghurt, dill dressing. [marinara mix, crab/bug or salmon]

STICKY: marinade and bake in a mix of tamari/soy, garlic & ginger, squeeze of lemon, a dash of honey and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, served w/ root veg and brown rice or quinoa. [salmon]

Eat more plants, focus on wholefoods, volume foods and creating delicious meals through simplistic cooking.

With love,

-Ange xx