If you’re doing paleo and you arent doing THIS, you’re doing it wrong.
So. You've gone PALEO. Congrats!
You've cut out grains? Tick
You've cut out refined sugar? Tick
You've cut out dairy? Tick
You’ve cut out legumes? Tick
You’ve started having bone broth and fermented veggies? No?
We have a slight problem…
Why do people appear to be so keen to cut stuff out and not replace it with something? I’m all about food so this doesn't make much sense to me.
Bone broth and fermented veggies should be a staple. Especially if you're on a low carb, high protein diet such as the paleo diet.
Image via http://www.mywholefoodromance.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Saurkrautsqueeze-2.jpg
Lets start from the start.
It all comes back to fibre. Fibre acts as a prebiotic by being a non-digestible food that promotes the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines. So what does this mean? Well basically fibre promotes the growth of good bacteria (probiotics) in your gut which helps support your digestive system and immune system.
To date, all known pre-biotics are carbohydrate compounds, primarily oligosaccharides, known to resist digestion in the human small intestine and reach the colon where they are fermented by the gut microflora, and stimulate Bifidobacterium, a probiotic genus.
Considering all pre-biotics are carbohydrates, when we remove the carbohydrates from our diet we reduce our bodies ability to produce its own probiotics. The only way to now get good bacteria into our digestive system is to consume it.
Enter fermented foods!
Fermented food create there own probiotic bacteria. They are like taking a probiotic capsule…but in food form. By making sure you consume fermented foods while on a low carb diet you will be replacing the action of the fibre on your gut.
And what about the bone broths? Well bone broths are nutrient dense, highly mineralised broths that high in gelatine. The gelatine helps to maintain the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract. When the balance between good and bad bacteria is disrupted then the gastrointestinal tract is susceptible to becoming more permeable.
Our guts are made up of many intercellular junctions. These junctions are tiny, and allow only specific substances to transfer through them. When the balance of good and bad microflora is out it causes these junctions to widen, and allows bigger substances to transport through. This is when get immune imbalances, fatigue, system inflammation and a myriad of other symptoms to occur. The gelatine helps to maintain the integrity of your digestive tract, and prevent this from occurring, while the fermented veggies will help to prevent it occurring in the first place.
Image via http://paleosherpa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/bone-broth-jars.jpg
Symptoms that may suggests this is happening for you include:
Tired all the time
New allergies or intolerances
Hay fever flare ups
The development of skin conditions such as rashes and dermatitis
Sinus issues
Chronic digestive complaints such as bloating, flatulence, diarrhoea or constipation
The list continues but this is just to name a few.
For these reasons it is so important to eat these foods, or make sure you are having a probiotic supplement and/or fibre supplement when on these low carb diets. Prevention is the key, rather than cleaning up the mess after it has happened
Karah is available for consultations in Ocean Grove, Geelong and Melbourne. You can keep up to date on everything health by liking her facebook page https://www.facebook.com/karahmnaturopath , following her on instagram @belyhealth , or visiting her website www.karahmclarennaturopath.com
Peninsula Family Medical Practice, Ocean Grove. Ph 03 52562001
Aura Health & Beauty, Geelong. Ph 03 52433966
A Peace of Health Clinic, Melbourne CBD. Ph 0396633665
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705355/
R, Allen (2005) Gut permeability and intestinal dysbiosis, Complimentary Medicine, p 35-40
