Vacation is a wonderful experience to see and taste the world. But after coming back, we feel extremely tired and find that we have overeaten.
Have you had this experience?
If so, I have a suggestion. Eat foods that improve your gut health. Gut health is key to living a long and healthy life.
“The root issue of many diseases and anti-aging are strongly related to the large intestines,” said Dr. Tsuneo Matsuike, who specializes in digestive organs, in his book.
He also said that the small intestines have about 60% of lymphocytes, which help our bodies fight cancer, foreign viruses, and bacteria. When our intestines are not functioning, the chances are higher that we experience diseases such as diabetes, constipation, cancer, depression, and more.
The Second Brain
As you know, our intestines consist of large and small intestines. The small intestines digest, absorb, and keep immune cells, while the large intestines absorb water, eliminate waste, and also keep some immune cells.
The intestine is also known as the second brain. Our gut has 100 million nerve cells, which is the second-highest number after the brain. Nerve cells in our gut can move our organs without receiving commands from the brain and spinal cord, according to Dr. Matsuike.
Here are 7 foods that improve gut health, according to Dr. Matsuike:
1) Olive oil
- Use extra virgin olive oil whenever possible.
2) Soluble dietary fiber
- Examples of foods with high soluble fiber include apples, bananas, and seaweed (konbu, wakame, etc.)
3) Cocoa
- Add cocoa to mint tea for a tasty and gut-friendly drink.
4) Oligosaccharides
- These are not digested by the human enzyme and reach the large intestine alive. Good bacteria feed on oligosaccharides. Foods high in oligosaccharides include soybeans, burdock, onions, bananas, and garlic.
5) Plant-based lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus brevis)
- This can be found in "suguki" pickles, which are from Kyoto, Japan. If suguki is not available, you can take supplements or skip this food.
6) Kiwi fruit
- This is easier to find.
7) Barley
- I usually cook it together with other rice.
These foods are easy to incorporate into your diet regularly. So continue to eat them, even if you are not coming back from vacation.
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