By Jenelle Croatto
Your gut is home to one of the most complex ecosystems on Earth, the gut microbiome – that is, the trillions of microbes within your gut! They number so great that they out weigh your own human cells ten to one, they have a collective weight of around 2kg and, they even make up around 60% of the dry mass of poo! While there are core microbial species that we all share, a large part is unique to you, just like your fingerprint. Over millions of years of evolution our immune system has gotten to know our friendly residents and together we work as an impressive team. Gut microbes help protect against invading microbes, they jump in the give us a helping hand to digest dietary fibre, are capable of extracting energy from food, create vitamin K and some B vitamins and protect against colon cancer. If this isn’t amazing enough, science is now even linking more and more diseases (such as obesity and autoimmune disease) with disturbances in our gut microbiome. Now, while you may think you have your food all to yourself, you're actually sharing it with your 100 trillion friends! Different bacteria thrive on different nutrients, so what we choose to eat can greatly influence the types of bacteria that grow within our microbial garden. Research shows, that these changes can happen in as little as 24 hours. So when it comes to what to feed your hungry tenants – think fibre, think plant foods and perhaps more importantly think VARIETY! Fibre is so much more than ‘roughage’, as certain types of fibre acts a premium source of fuel for your microbes. Supercharge your diet with the usual high fibre suspects of vegetables, fruits and wholegrains, but also give thought to incorporating more legumes into your diet. These nutritional powerhouses offer an abundance of nutrients and contain resistant starch, which gut microbes love to feed on. Sprinkle chickpeas over salads, add a dollop of hummus to wraps or toss a can of 4 bean mix through casseroles or pasta sauces for a gut friendly fibre boost. Science has only scraped the surface in understanding how important our gut microbiome is and we have much to learn, so remember to feed them well and they’ll look after you for life! To wrap up, I’ll leave you to ponder the words of Jeroen Raes, an expert in the field of the gut microbiome - “You are not human, you are a walking bacterial colony”. Image from www.healthcarecurated.com
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By Jenelle Croatto School’s well and truly back and those lunch boxes need to be filled! As parents and carers of little ones, we all want to send the kids to school with a lunch box that contains food that is nutritious, tasty, and will come home eaten – after all, what they consume at school will be around a third of what they eat for the day. So, while you may be craving the return of routine, you’re not alone if putting together your child’s lunch (let alone their school bag) brings on a daily dose of stress. To simplify things – here is my 5-step approach for a winning school lunch. The Main Lunch A sandwich or wrap is a simple fall back option and an Aussie lunch box classic! It’s preferable to use wholegrain bread to provide a slow release of energy to fuel active minds and bodies - but if your child wont have a bar of it, try making a sandwich using one slice wholegrain and one slice low GI white bread or wholemeal (try it - it may just work!). While a little margarine is okay, have a go at using a little hummus or avocado as a spread and then add in a protein rich filling (e.g. sliced meat, cheese, egg or baked beans) to help keep tummies full and support healthy growth. Thumbs up to adding in some grated carrot or shredded lettuce, but no stress if this doesn’t work as you can always top up their veggies with a snack or at dinner. Moving on from the sandwich, leftovers work a treat, as do these do these tasty ideas - (don’t forget to pack a little spoon or fork). 1. SALAD BOX - Handful of leftover pasta spirals + shredded BBQ chicken (store bought is fine) + halved cherry tomatoes + handful of frozen peas (they’ll defrost by lunch) 2. MEATBALLS – Homemade meatballs + small tub of hummus for dipping + carrot sticks and whole snow peas 3. HOMEMADE PIZZA – Toasted wholegrain English muffin topped with low salt tomato paste + lean ham + sliced capsicum + pineapple + shredded cheese 4. MINI FRITTATA – Mix up a bunch of eggs, diced capsicum, mushroom, tomato and shredded cheese. Cook in a muffin tray lined with paper muffin cups Fruit A piece of fruit is an easy lunch box addition, so if your child is happy with a whole fruit such as an apple – go for it! If that apple is bound to come home bruised and uneaten, try slicing it and popping it into a zip lock bag (made extra yummy with some sliced cheese). Small plastic tubs can be used to hold grapes, berries, dried and diced fruit, and keep an eye out for banana holders, which will help avoid the dreaded squishy bag mess at the days end. Easy peel fruits like a mandarin are great and if you’re out of fresh fruit, its okay to go for a fruit cup in natural juice (not syrup). Snack Supermarket shelves seem to be groaning under the weight of endless (processed) school snacks and while homemade muffins, granola bars and wholemeal pikelets are top options, the truth is we’re often time strapped and sometimes it’s just easier to buy something ready-to-go. Healthy choices include, air-popped corn, wholegrain crisp breads or crackers with a spread and if you’re buying a muesli bar opt for one that contains wholegrains, a natural list of ingredients and is low in added sugar. For younger kids, keep an eye out for smaller kid sized bars. Dairy Calcium is essential for growing bodies and one the easiest ways to top up their intake is to include a serve of dairy (or dairy alternative) into their lunch box. Easy choices are mini cheeses, squeezy yoghurts and milk tetras. You could even spoon a few tablespoons of yoghurt into a small tub and top it off with a sprinkle of frozen berries. During warmer weather try freezing dairy foods and place these in the centre of lunchbox. A little freezer bag with a small ice block will also help maintain a cool temperature. Water Sending kids to school with water is the best choice! Cordials, fruit juices and soft drinks are high in sugar and not recommended as a daily drink option. Opt for a BPA free water bottle and during warmer weather try freezing the water bottle the night before. And remember, if all of the kids are drinking water – no one thinks anything of it. |
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