MuscleDog.com - Connecting you to a better body!

In Part One of this series, we talked about your gut and how important it is to make sure that it is working efficiently to keep your entire body running properly. We also talked about probiotics and how they can help to keep the bacterial environment in your gut in a favorable balance. In this second part of the series, we will touch on some foods that you can integrate into your diet that can also help in the battle for a healthy gut.

 

As we talked about in Part One, bacteria play a huge role in deciding what your body does with the food you consume and also how efficiently you process the nutrients from that food. An abundance of bad bacteria can mean bad things for your digestive system. Besides bad bacteria, other problems you need to watch out for are antigens, or foreign substances that cause antibody production. Antibodies are produced to fight against parasites, fungus, viruses, bad bacteria, as well as cancerous cells and inflammation. Any of these antigens can cause digestive problems and inefficiencies as badly as a bad bacterial balance. Fortunately, there are many foods out there containing natural compounds that help your immune system to fight antigens in your gut before they can be ingested and enter the bloodstream.

 

Listed below are five foods that have anitmicrobial (bacteria), antifungal, antiviral, or antiparasitic compounds that you can begin incorporating more frequently into your diet if you aren’t already doing so.

 

Bee propolis – bees are extremely susceptible to disease, so they developed a way to protect their hives by mixing wax with resinous tree sap to create propolis, one of nature’s best antimicrobials. They use it to seal the hives and keep bad things out and it can help to protect your gut in a similar way. Propolis contains over 300 compounds that have been identified to have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal or anticarcinogenic properties. The stuff is waxy and tastes a little funny, but sprinkle some in your oatmeal or shakes and you’ll never know it’s there.

 

Cinnamon – this tasty spice contains geraniol and eugenol, two phytochemicals that help prevent the growth of bad bacteria and fungi such as Candida albicans (yeast). Cinnamon also helps to regulate blood sugars, cholesterol, and is a powerful anti-inflammatory, so find ways to add this spice whenever you can. I add some to my oatmeal, shakes and just about anything I bake.

 

Coconut – fallacies about saturated fats aside, coconut is an awesome food and an antigen-fighting machine. Fifty percent of the fat in coconut is lauric acid, while another six to seven percent is capric acid, which are both converted into monolaurin and monocaprin respectively. These are two of nature’s very best antimicrobial bug killers. Coconut oil is great for medium-high heat cooking and should be a staple in your cupboard. Coconut milk is a versatile liquid that can be used in all sorts of delicious foods such as curries.

 

Garlic/onions – garlic has a long history of medicinal use, and I don’t mean just for fending off vampires. Garlic has been shown in over 1200 pharmacological studies to demonstrate countless health benefits. Along with onions, garlic is a member of the allium family, a plant family renowned for its ability to regulate cholesterol, triglycerides, homocysteine and blood pressure. These amazing veggies also have incredible amounts of antimicrobial, antiviral and antiparasitic compounds that can help protect you from all sorts of nasty bugs. Garlic and onions are popular in all styles of cooking so it shouldn’t be too tough to find ways to get more of these in your diet.

 

Oregano – an under-rated herb, oregano not only boasts the highest level of antioxidant activity of any herb (4x more than blueberries) and a ton of nutrients, but it also has phenomenal antifungal, antiparasitic and antiviral properties. The oils from the leaf contain the compounds thymol and carvacrol, two of the best antigen-fighting compounds you’ll find anywhere. Oregano is great in pretty much any Italian or Mexican dish, so use it liberally to reap the benefits.

 

Health professionals stress time and again the importance of diet and nutrition in getting results. Since your gut is the centerpiece of your digestive system, it is essential to win the battle to keep it clean. Utilizing the protective abilities of probiotics and the many antigen-fighting compounds you can find in whole foods will help you to keep your gut healthy and make sure that your engine is using its fuel effectively.

 

Peter Bauman – Peter is a chef first and personal trainer second. With a background in the biological sciences and degree in psychology, Peter knows how to make food that tastes great and keeps you lean and healthy.