A Beginner's Guide to Incorporating Gut-Friendly Foods
Are you looking to boost your overall health and well-being? One of the first steps you can take is to prioritize your gut health. Your gut plays a crucial role in your body's digestion, immune system, and even your mood. By nourishing your gut with the right foods, you can support its function and promote a healthier you.

Instead of immediately cutting out certain foods or substituting them with alternatives, consider adding in gut-friendly foods to your diet. 
This approach focuses on abundance rather than restriction and can be more sustainable in the long run.

Here are some simple yet effective ways to start incorporating gut-friendly foods into your daily meals:

Fiber-Rich Fruits and Vegetables: Aim to add a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to your plate. These foods are packed with fiber, which is essential for promoting a healthy gut microbiome. Berries, apples, broccoli, spinach, and carrots are excellent choices. Not only do they provide essential nutrients, but they also help feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Fermented Foods: Incorporating fermented foods into your diet introduces beneficial probiotics that can help balance your gut microbiota. Coconut yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso are all excellent sources of probiotics. These foods not only support digestion but also boost immune function and may even improve mental health.

Whole Grains: Replace refined grains with whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, oats, and barley. Whole grains are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which are beneficial for gut health. They also provide sustained energy and can help regulate blood sugar levels.

Prebiotic Foods: Prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Incorporate foods like garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, and bananas into your meals to support the growth of these beneficial microbes.

By focusing on adding in these gut-friendly foods, you're not only nourishing your body but also fostering a healthy and diverse gut microbiome. Remember to listen to your body and make gradual changes to your diet. Over time, you'll notice the positive impact these foods have on your overall health and well-being.

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Meet Leah Negrin

 
I am a bold, beautiful, sometimes timid, usually happy, essential oil, nutrition junkie. Although at 39 I feel as if I've had several careers over a lifetime (or at least sometimes when I look back at my resume that is what shines through). I've been a paralegal, an office manager, an administrative assistant, worked in commercial lending and have finally landed on nutrition.

My journey to nutrition started many years ago when my sister was diagnosed with celiac disease and food had to change for the family. From there, along my own health journey I’ve helped people not only figure out what to eat but how to do it so that it can work for them sustainably. For almost seven years I’ve been counseling people on their nutrition and weight loss journeys. 

Finally getting some sunshine in Southern California *Photo credit  Brittany Hassett 

I am knowledgeable about what purpose food serves your body and I focus on finding sustainable options when it comes to food; this also led to my love of essential oils. I had the opportunity to attend a workshop where a registered dietitian spoke about using essential oils in her practice to help her patients. I was floored. I knew that #plantsheal but I didn't realize that others in the 'conventional' medical community thought that as well!! Learning that it was possible to incorporate these magical little bottles gave me a huge sense of hope.


Alina, myself and Caitlin (oily bffs) *Photo credit Anne Negrin

 
As I learned more about these oils I was diagnosed with increased intestinal permeability or as many of us know it, leaky gut. Leaky gut has been around for quite awhile but many of us are just learning what this is or why this is even more common these days than ever before. Many issues can be related to leaky gut including autoimmune diseases. Receiving this diagnosis just led me down a path further to learn about nutrition and how to best serve my body and take care of myself.


Enjoying a vegan ice cream cone in Budapest! *Photo credit to Michelle Owen 

Since birthing our sweet baby boy at home earlier this year I’ve been incredibly passionate about helping other women too who are pregnant and new mothers with their nutrition. Eating healthy for your pregnant body and your postpartum self is a game changer for both mother and baby.

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