By Teresa Cutter
Wellness depends on good digestive health. Here are three common reasons why your digestive health may be underperforming and how you can get it back on track.
Bacteria: Constipation can be caused by an imbalance of gut bacteria. Gut bacteria helps to control bowel motility, or the rate at which food moves through the digestive tract. When bowel motility is too slow, the result is constipation. Bad bacteria secrete toxins into the gut, paralysing the bowel.
Raw salad of kale and baby spinach with pinepple blueberry turmeric dressingCredit: Paul Cutter
Solution: Probiotics – fermented foods such as tempeh, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi and cultured yoghurt – and prebiotics the best sources of which are fresh vegetables and leafy green salads.
Stress: Chronic stress can have a direct infl uence on the overall functioning of the digestive system.
Solution: Sit and chew your food well to reduce bloating and incomplete digestion. If you're always stressed, try meditation and getting more sleep. Drink chamomile tea, which can provide relief from gastrointestinal conditions such as flatulence.
Lack of fibre: Fibre is naturally found in plant foods and is essential to digestive health because it helps stimulate the colon and rid the body of waste products.
Solution: Leafy greens and vegetables are the preferred way to get your daily dose of fi bre. Over-the-counter fi bre products can sometimes disrupt digestion and increase bloating.
Superfood salad witth turmeric dressing
Serves 4
• 250g kale or cos lettuce
• pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil
• 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch mint, chopped
• 125g fresh blueberries
• ½ small ripe pineapple, peeled and chopped
• 1 handful pumpkin seeds
• 2 handfuls tamari almonds, roughly chopped
• ½ cup raw sauerkraut or kimchi
For the turmeric dressing
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil
• 1 tsp fresh grated or ground turmeric
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp raw honey
• pinch sea salt and black pepper
Dressing: Combine ingredients in a small jar and mix well until combined.
Salad: Wash kale, remove the tough inner stem, shred leaves and place in a large mixing bowl. Add a little salt, pepper and the juice of ½ lemon plus the extra virgin olive or flaxseed oil Massage the leaves for one to two minutes, or until the kale has slightly collapsed and softened. Add the spinach, parsley and mint. Add, blueberries, pineapple, pumpkin seeds and almonds, then pour over a little turmeric dressing. Toss gently until the aromatics are evenly distributed through the salad. Add the sauerkraut or kimchi over the top, divide between serving bowls and enjoy.
Hero ingredient: leafy greens. Lettuce, kale and spinach are rich in soluble fi bre, which is essential for digestive health. Greens also contain beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and phytonutrients. I drizzle my favourite greens with extra virgin olive oil and a little lemon juice or pile them over a generous dollop of smashed avocado.