These are the core dietary principles I share with clients. They are not a strict plan, they are a framework for making food choices that support digestion, reduce inflammation and help the gut do what it is supposed to do.
A light diet built around vegetables, salads, fresh soups, fish, brown rice, avocado, fruit, nuts and pulses gives the body what it needs to function well. These foods have an alkalising effect and are far easier on the digestive system than the processed, flour-heavy, high-sugar foods that most people eat daily.
Most digestive problems are made worse by how we eat as much as what we eat. Chewing food thoroughly and eating appropriate portion sizes makes a significant difference to how well the digestive system processes everything downstream. You do not need to feel full after every meal, that is a habit, not a biological requirement.
Be careful with foods that cause gas and bloating even when they are healthy. Too much fruit, too many carbonated drinks, excessive wheat, or fruit mixed with heavy foods can all cause problems. A good rule: too much of a good thing is still too much.
Taking probiotics is helpful for maintaining a healthy bacterial balance and supporting the gut lining, particularly if you have been run down or on antibiotics. Look for a minimum of 30 billion CFU. Yeo Valley plain yogurt is the best widely available probiotic food option, but high-dose, good-quality probiotic capsules are more effective.
Keeping it simple and natural is a large part of the success of healthy eating.
If you want to see overall health improvement, using brown rice regularly is essential. It helps rehabilitate the colon, is excellent for mopping up toxins and supports consistent bowel movements. It works for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Always rinse thoroughly before cooking.
Natural, unprocessed fats and oils are not fattening. Plant oils, fish oils and avocados are excellent sources of essential fatty acids, with wide-ranging benefits for hormones, brain function, muscles, joints and cellular tissue. The fats to avoid are hydrogenated fats, the result of good fats being heat-treated during manufacturing.
The most misleading products on the market are those labelled "low fat" or "low cholesterol." These are often the end result of a good fat turned into a highly damaged product. Forget the confusing diet labels and go for simple whole foods your body naturally recognises.
Oily fish is the easiest form of protein to digest. Sardines, mackerel, pilchards and salmon in olive oil (tinned is ideal for convenience) are all excellent choices. White fish is also very good. There is more calcium in a portion of sardines than in a normal helping of milk.
Nuts and seeds are good in moderate portions but chew them thoroughly. They are not well tolerated in cases of diverticulitis. Do not overdo soya products. Peas, beans, pulses, houmous and avocado are all excellent additional protein sources.
If you find strict dietary changes too difficult to maintain, try this: eat cleanly for three out of every four days. If you want wheat, alcohol, red meat or spicy food, allow yourself the indulgence, and then give your body a five-day rest from those foods afterwards. Most build-up from heavier foods takes around four to five days to accumulate. Five consecutive days of simple, clean eating allows the body to clear the congestion and reset.
If food intolerances are suspected, a four to six week break from the offending food is usually necessary to see a meaningful change.
Fruits: Kiwis, apples (peeled), pears, nectarines, peaches, bananas, berries (fresh or frozen). Use moderately. Eat away from heavy foods.
Salad: Rocket, watercress, all varieties of lettuce, chard, radish, mange tout, asparagus, avocado.
Vegetables: Carrots, leafy greens, broccoli, peas, green beans, cauliflower, beetroot, kale, sprouts. If it is green, it is good, the darker the better.
Grains: Brown rice, quinoa, pearl barley, jumbo oats. Always rinse thoroughly.
Proteins: Oily fish in olive oil, mackerel, sardines, pilchards, salmon (tinned is fine). Fresh white fish. Peas, beans, pulses, houmous.
Oils and fats: Cold-pressed flax oil for salads and grains. Olive oil for cooking. Traditional butter. Coconut oil.
Dairy: Yeo Valley plain bio-live yogurt. Full-fat butter or cream. Add your own fruit or good-quality jam, avoid pre-flavoured yogurts.
Snacks: Nairn's organic oat cakes, rice cakes, corn cakes. Organic dried fruit soaked in water. Good-quality dark chocolate such as Lindt as an occasional treat.
Condiments: Himalayan pink salt, Maldon sea salt flakes, Herbamare. Fresh or dried herbs, black pepper.
Drinks: 1.5 to 2 litres of water daily. Rooibos red bush tea, green tea, jasmine tea, herbal teas. Occasional fresh coffee or breakfast tea is fine.
Taste buds change as health changes. The body becomes more intuitive about what it needs the more consistently you feed it well. Give it time, keep going after any blip, and make these principles your own., Claire