How to Reduce Inflammation in the Gut

Julie Daniluk has shares ideas on how to reduce inflammation in the gut. 

Nutritionist Julie Daniluk’s first book, Meals that Heal Inflammation, advises on allergy-free foods that both taste great and assist the body in the healing process. She also hosts The Healthy Gourmet on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), a reality cooking show that looks at the ongoing battle between taste and nutrition. Check out more amazing recipes and nutrition tips at www.juliedaniluk.com

Check out Julie on Facebook at Julie Daniluk Nutrition and on Twitter @juliedaniluk

The balance of gut bacteria can influence behavior and even cause depression. According to scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario, your gut bacteria communicate with your brain, and have a profound impact on making you feel happy or sad.

When you are stressed, your body releases lots of stress hormones. When stressed mice were fed a broth containing some Lactobacillus rhamnosus bacteria (a bacteria found in yogurt) they became significantly less anxious and had lower levels of stress hormones in their blood.  The researchers determined that the bacteria were somehow communicating via the vagus nerve.  The vagus nerve is a very important neural two-way highway that connects your brain with all of the organs of your body. The bacteria are able to influence the GABA receptors in the brain that allow you to relax.

Foods that cause gut damage that lead to anxiety:

• Beer and Pop Alcohol and caffeine can irritate the gut wall. Eliminate all processed foods, refined sugars, and refined white flours from the diet.
• Food poisoning caused by contaminated foods contaminated by parasites (pork, chicken, farmed fish). Ingestion of animal products that have been given hormonal and antibiotic treatments, especially red meat and dairy products can cause an overgrowth of yeast in the gut due to the immune suppression that occurs.
• E. coli and salmonella can develop due to poor food handling. Negative bacteria and yeast out crowd good bacteria and cause gut damage.
• Red Candy, MSG Soup, Soy Sauce are example of processed and fermented foods that contain food dyes and preservatives.
• White bread and white sugar or other foods high in refined sugars and other carbohydrates (e.g. candy, cookies, sodas, processed foods and white bread).
• Allergy foods including corn, wheat, dairy, peanuts, potato, eggs, or any food that you are allergic to and continue to eat can cause inflammation and intestinal damage. Remove hard to digest proteins such as gluten and dairy from the diet.

Julie’s 1 day menu with 5 ways to Heal your Gut and Boost your Mood

Breakfast:

It is important to start your day with soothing blood sugar balancing nutrition. If you tolerate dairy well then consider Greek Yogurt with berries and cinnamon. Many people are unaware they have a dairy intolerance so you may want to try a non-dairy shake with added probiotics to get the positive same effect.

1 cup Live cultured Yogurt with berries and cinnamon, or Raspberry sorbet shake with probiotic powder (a non-dairy protein shake with hemp, berries), or The Japanese breakfast of steamed greens, fermented vegetables and fish is by far the fastest way to digestive healing and hormonal balance!

It is critical to re-establish healthy intestinal lining with probiotics. Probiotics help to heal the gut and inhibits the growth of unwelcome bacteria and can also be helpful in treating diarrhea, lactose intolerance, and inflammation in the gut. Take steps to eliminate an overgrowth of candida (a yeast) by avoiding the damaging foods listed above. People tolerant to soy may eat fermented foods such naturally fermented vegetables, yogurt or Kefir, and miso.

10 am snack:

Veggies with bean dip. Try celery, carrots, radishes, red peppers or cucumber.

Lunch:

Cranberry Quinoa Pilaf and Raw Pad Thai with 3 oz chicken breast

Address nutritional deficiencies by focusing on increasing antioxidant intake. Eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruit. These foods contain carotenoids, B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and selenium. They also contain phytonutrients such as quercetin, catechin, hesperidin, rutin and proanthocyanidins, pycnogonals, and plant sterols. Consider getting some testing done for vitamin deficiencies prior to starting a vigorous supplement regimen.

A great example of a healing anti-inflammatory food is cranberries, which is known for preventing bacteria in the digestive tract. H. pylori is the bacterium that is often the cause of disorders of the stomach and intestines and can lead to inflammation and infection and ultimately lead to ulcers. The compounds in cranberry don't allow the H. pylori to live in the gut, and if taken preventively, the bacteria can’t attach itself to the lining of the stomach or intestines. Fruits like berries and veggies like kale contain Vitamin C, which helps reduce allergic reactions as it helps to stabilize mast cells that often trigger the release of histamine and other allergy mediating chemicals.

Afternoon snack:

Pineapple spears with Fun-do dip and a cup of Ginger Tea

Add in digestive enzymes to the diet to aid in proper food breakdown. Betaine hydrochloride from beets, bromelain from pineapple, pepain from papaya are excellent natural sources. Digestive herbs (often called bitters), Slippery Elm, Marshmallow Root, Fennel, fenugreek, coriander, ginger, and turmeric are some of the herbs that are powerfully anti-inflammatory.

Dinner:

• Baked Fish with Lemon
• Vegetarian option: Sheppard’s Pie made with a Lentil base

Increase consumption of essential fatty acids such from fish, hemp, flax and chia seeds. Cold water fish (tuna, salmon and halibut) is one of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids (one of the essential acids our body needs to function but can't produce) and it is necessary in order for the human body to function optimally.