Tag Archive for: gut health

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A Look Inside Shine Brighter Every Day

Shine Brighter Every Day by Danah Mor comes out on May 12th, and today we’re sharing a little peak inside. Read on to hear from nutrition expert and Ayurvedic practitioner Danah about how awesome our bodies are, and get a flavour of the book. 

 

If we knew how amazing our bodies were designed to feel, we wouldn’t think twice about our choices. 

How do you explain to someone driving a car from 1970 that the ride doesn’t have to be uncomfortable, smell like petrol, or constantly break down? It’s likely they’re just happy their car gets them around. And even if it doesn’t cost much to get it fixed, they will take some persuading to change to a newer model! 

Most of us have become accustomed to disease, pain and discomfort in our bodies and minds. We are happy enough to have a body that simply gets us around, rather than making an effort to see how we could improve things for ourselves. Sometimes, even, we don’t want to leave our comfort zone of discomfort and disease; we prefer not to know and just stick with the disease. 

Shine Brighter Every Day is about improving your quality of life, preventing disease, and manifesting the best version of yourself. It unlocks a lifestyle, a way of thinking – a state of being – that is in tune with your body, inspired by the unwritten laws of nature, cutting-edge modern nutrition science, the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic medicine and my own personal experience. I’m urging you to have the courage to be interested and try a few little steps to see how your body responds and thanks you. 

You can only feel as good as you think you can. 

When I was around thirteen, I lost a large portion of my vision, and this has given me a new perspective on life. Ultimately, it has shown me how many things are possible. Life is what you make of it. It’s not what you have – it’s what you make of what you have. I can’t change my condition. But by perceiving my condition in a different way, I was able to overcome bigger barriers than most of us can imagine and as a result build a life that I love living. I did this by not focusing on my problem and what I couldn’t see, but rather focusing on what I could see. And I realized that I actually see much more than many people. I realized just because we have ears, it doesn’t mean we listen, and just because we have eyesight, it doesn’t mean we look. The curiosity to look without projecting an illusion is harder than I ever imagined. Looking without expectation, with courage to see the truth, is one of the hardest things I have come to learn. Your willingness is your biggest asset; wanting to be or do anything is the beginning of truly becoming the driver of your own life. 

 

Shine Brighter Every Day is published on May 12th, and is available to preorder now.

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Matcha Superfood Bites

These antioxidant-packed nuggets from The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey are ideal for healing the gut and lowering inflammation. Matcha has anti-bacterial effects on the digestive system making it a useful choice for improving gut health. The raw cacao butter makes the snacks rich and creamy – an indulgent healing treat.

Gut Health Diet Plan

 

Makes: 10 bites

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 15 minutes soaking and 30 minutes chilling

Ingredients:

60g/2 ¼ oz/1/3 cup xylitol

60g/2 ¼ oz/ ½ cup dried cherriesor goji berries

120g/4 ¼ oz/ ½ cup cashew nut butter

zest of 1 lemon 1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

a pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp raw cacao powder, lucuma powder or goji berry powder

60g/2 ¼ oz/heaped ¼ cup raw cacao butter or coconut oil, melted

30g/1oz/scant ¼ cup plain, vanilla or chocolate vegan protein powder, colostrum powder or collagen powder

½ tsp vanilla extract

matcha green tea powder, lucuma powder or cacao powder, for dusting

Method:

  • Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Put the xylitol into a blender or food processor and grind very finely. Soak the cherries in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain.
  • Put the cashew nut butter into a food processor or a bowl and add the xylitol, lemon zest and juice, matcha, salt, cacao powder and cacao butter. Pulse, or stir, to combine. Add the cherries and the remaining ingredients, and process, or stir, to form a dough. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
  • Use a spoon to scoop out walnut-size pieces. Roll into balls and put on the prepared baking sheet. Roll the truffles in a little matcha powder or use some or all of the powders for dusting. Serve or store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

The Gut Health Diet Plan

Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet

£12.99, available from Nourish Books

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Braised Chicken with Green Olives & Preserved Lemon

The combination of spices, lemon and herbs from The Gut Health Diet by Christine Bailey provide plenty of flavour for this Turkish-inspired, one-pot dish. It’s ideal for a weekday meal because it can be prepared ahead of time. Serve with cauliflower rice or Paleo bread, if you like. A spoonful of sauerkraut or pickles alongside the dish will give it a probiotic boost.

Gut Health Diet Plan

 

 

 

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

1 small pinch of saffron threads

4 boneless chicken thighs

1 tbsp coconut oil

4 shallots, cut into halves

2 garlic cloves, sliced

¼ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

2 tomatoes, chopped

10 pitted green olives

250ml/9fl oz/1 cup chicken bone broth (page 39)

1 preserved lemon, chopped

1 handful of parsley leaves, chopped

sea salt and ground black pepper

Seeded Paleo Bread , to serve (optional)

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 
  • Put the saffron in a small mortar and crush using a pestle. Leave to one side.
  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat and cook the chicken on all sides for 2–3 minutes to brown it. Remove the chicken and leave to one side.
  • Add the shallots, garlic, saffron and spices to the casserole. Cook gently for 5 minutes or until the shallots are soft. Return the chicken to the casserole and scatter over the tomatoes and olives.
  • Pour in the broth and bring to the boil. Cover and cook in the oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Stir in the preserved lemon and parsley, then serve with Paleo bread, if you like.

 

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey

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Gut Health: Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Tomato Chipotle Sauce

This flavourful dish of Italian-style meatballs has a subtle spicy kick from the sauce. This recipe comes from The Gut Health Diet Plan by Christine Bailey. The sauce and meatballs can be prepared in advance, then reheated and cooked when ready to eat, for a quick and easy mid-week meal.
Even better, turkey is a high-protein, low-fat meat that is rich in gut-supporting nutrients, including iron and zinc. It is easy to digest and contains essential amino acids for gut repair. Serve with the courgette/zucchini noodles on page 87 for an even healthier meal!

104 Turkey Meatballs with Roasted Tomato Sauce

Serves 2

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
1 small red onion, cut into quarters
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
½ red pepper/ bell pepper, deseeded and cut into large chunks
500g/ 1lb 2oz plum tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
1 tsp chipotle sauce or a few drops of Tabasco sauce, to taste
1 tsp lime jusice
250g/ 9oz minced/ ground turkey
½ egg, beaten
1 tbsp coconut oil
sea salt and ground black pepper
chopped parsley leaves, to serve

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/ Gas 5. Put the onion in a roasting pan and add the garlic, red pepper/ bell pepper and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the olive oil. Toss the vegetables in the oil to coat, then roast for 30 minutes until tender and lightly golden.
  • Put the roasted vegetables into a blender or food processor and add the chipotle sauce and lime juice. Blend until smooth, then transfer to a saucepan over a medium-high hear and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave to one side.
  • Put the turkey in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the egg and stir well. Shape into little balls. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the balls for 5-6 minutes until browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels.
  • Return the sauce to a gentle simmer, then put the meatballs in the sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes until cooked through. Scatter with parsley and serve.

GutHealingDietPlan_final-e1449053691762

Christine Bailey
The Gut Health Diet Plan
£12.99, available from Nourish Books

 

 

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Smoked Salmon with Sweet Potato and Apple Röstis to Improve Your Gut Health

A herbed yogurt is served here with sweet potato röstis and salmon to make a healthy and delicious breakfast from Christine Bailey’s The Gut Health Diet Plan! Sweet potato is a tasty and nutrient-rich alternative to potatoes. It is packed with soluble fibre to support healthy gut bacteria and contains gut-protective carotenoids, and it is exceptionally tasty combined with apple!

066 Smoked Salmon with Sweet Potato

Serves 2

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato, about 200g/ 7oz, unpeeled, cut in half lengthways
1 eating apple
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp almond flour or very finely ground almonds, plus extra if needed
1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
2 large slices of smoked salmon
sea salt and ground black pepper

Herbed yogurt
60g/ 2 ¼ oz/ ¼ cup coconut yogurt
1 tbsp chopped coriander/ cilantro leaves
1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 tsp lemon juice

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180c/ 350F, Gas 4. To make the herbed yogurt, put the yogurt in a bowl and stir in the herbs and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. To make the röstis, microwave half the potato at full power for 2-3 minutes until soft. Leave to cool, then peel off the skin. (Alternatively, bake in an oven preheated to 180c/350F/ Gas 4 for 1 hour.)
  • Mash the potato in a bowl. Coarsely grate the remaining potato and the apple onto paper towels and squeeze to remove the excess moisture. Tip into the bowl and add the egg and almond flour. Season and stir. The mixture should hold its shape. Add more almond flour if needed.
  • Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Divide the mixture in half and shape into 2 patties 1cm/ ½ inch thick. Use a large spatula to lift the patties into the pan. Lower the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes until the base is golden. Transfer the pan to the oven for 5 minutes to cook the röstis through. Serve topped with the salmon and a spoonful of herbed yogurt.Christine-Bailey

Christine Bailey, M.Sc., is a qualified nutritionist, food and health consultant, chef and cookery teacher. A member of the Guild of Health Writers, she writes for numerous health and food magazines and is the author of The Top 100 Low-Salt Recipes and The Top 100 Recipes for Brainy Kids for DBP. Christine runs courses and workshops, advises local authorities and schools, and works with a number of charities and organisations including the World Cancer Research Fund UK.

GutHealingDietPlan_final-300x352

Christine Bailey
The Gut Health Diet Plan
£12.99, available from Nourish Books

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Are you suffering with Leaky Gut?

This article has been cross-posted from www.christinebailey.co.uk .

Your gut really is the gateway to good health. When your gut is dysfunctional it can result in a wide range of health conditions. One topic which is widely discussed in gastroenterology research as well as the field of immunology is ‘leaky gut’ or ‘intestinal permeability’. But what exactly is it?

The lining of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is composed of small epithelial cells that lie side-by-side each other forming tight junctions. These tight junctions act as a barrier between the interior of the body (blood/circulatory system) and the exterior of the body (the lumen of the GI tract). Under healthy conditions, our gut permits the absorption of vital nutrients from the gut lumen while presenting a barrier against the passage of harmful substances into the body.

A leaky gut arises when there is an increase in permeability of the intestinal mucosa that in turn leads to the increased absorption of intestinally derived endotoxins, antigens and inflammatory mediators. Gluten for example is known to cause the gut cells to release zonulin, a protein that can break apart tight junctions in the intestinal lining. Other factors including infections, medications, toxins, stress and age can also cause these tight junctions to break apart. When the epithelial cells and junctions start to break down it allows the passage of toxins through and between the cells into the blood. These foreign molecules may include undigested food molecules, toxins or bacteria. As a result our immune system is activated to eliminate or destroy these unwelcome molecules. This activation of the immune system leads to an inflammatory response and can lead to a wide range of signs, symptoms and health conditions.

This can lead to long term health consequences. In fact increased gut permeability has been linked with symptoms far from the gut including autoimmune conditions, depression, arthritis, diabetes and other conditions in which a pro inflammatory state continues.

Healing a leaky gut is one of the most important things you can do to restore overall health and vitality and I discuss in detail how to do this in my new book: The Gut Health Diet Plan.

When the gut becomes damaged instead of being a source of nourishment it becomes the source and gateway of toxicity and inflammation. Research has shown that intestinal permeability is associated with a range of health conditions not just IBS type symptoms. For example systemic inflammation, allergic reactions such as eczema, asthma or hayfever and progression of autoimmune conditions. By restoring the health and function of the gut, you prevent potential invaders from passing into the bloodstream where they can evoke inflammation locally in your gut but also systemically throughout your body.

Signs of leaky gut include:

  • IBS symptoms: bloating, constipation, abdominal pain, diarrhoea
  • Asthma, eczema, seasonal allergies
  • Hormonal imbalances, PMS
  • Autoimmune conditions e.g coeliac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, hashimotos
  • Chronic fatigue / Fibromyalgia
  • Mood disorders, depression
  • Candida overgrowth
  • Food allergies
  • Inflammation in the body
  • Skin conditions e.g acne, psoriasis

Damage to the gut lining may occur for a variety of reasons including gut infections, sensitivity to certain foods (particularly gluten and dairy), oxidative damage, medications, stress, alcohol, smoking, nutritional deficiencies and poor diet. Therefore identifying key food triggers is also an important step in supporting long term healing. However healing the gut requires more than simple removal of known allergenic foods. It needs nourishment with nutrient dense and specific healing foods – this is why I have written the Gut Health Book to provide you with delicious, nourishing recipes to restore gut health.

GutHealingDietPlan_final

Christine Bailey
The Gut Health Diet Plan
It will be published in 2016. Pre order your copy on Amazon.

 

 

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