Gut feeling

So during the hottest week of the year I had to get a loan vehicle as mine was in the garage for repair and although I rarely use the air- conditioning, the fact the hire vehicle didn't have any really threw me! Luckily the fact is was diesel wasn't a problem as that is what I use normally.BUT...If I had put petrol into it I dread to think how much time, hassle and money I would have used to sort it out.So why is it that we often put the wrong fuel into our bodies and wonder why we feel sluggish, tired, have bad skin, brain fog, have aches and pains, indigestion or anything else that just generally makes us feel - yuk.Yesterday I donated blood and was chatting to someone whilst we were enjoying our well deserved tea and biscuits after donation, and I'm not sure how but we got onto subject of digestion and he said he was off to buy his wife some probiotic yoghurt drinks. The conversation reminded me that I should do a blog post about gut health.Ever thought about the phrase we use "gut feeling"?Well it is because often our gut (digestive tract) is referred to as our second brain and that's why if we don't treat it properly we won't be firing on all cylinders."We are what we eat" yes but really we are what we absorb and given our gut is filled with billions of bacteria (good and bad) then our top priority should be to assist digestion and absorption as much as we can.Ofcourse firstly we need to avoid anything that we are intolerant of - common ones are gluten and dairy and often people aren't great with soy or even eggs.Following on from that we should support our system with natural foods in their original state, with plenty of raw fruits and vegetables for their enzymes.As well as eating vegetables at every meal then you can boost your enzymes and digestion by having a daily greens powder such as Lean Greens, especially important if you are way on business or holidays or just when you can't get access to as many green vegetables.I was recently telling the story of when I was travelling in Hungary and Czechoslovakia about 22 years ago (yikes some of you might were probably in nappies then!) that the food was really stodgy - dumplings, bread and some meat and NO green or raw vegetables. I was constipated and felt awful :( The supermarkets literally had big gaps on shelves where there were things missing and there wasn't much of anything in the supermarkets (makes you realise how very lucky we are in the UK) so one day when I saw a man selling cucumbers on the roadside, yes that is all he had, I grabbed several and started chomping away as my body was telling me that is needed fibre and enzymes.Luckily we have no excuses not to eat well except maybe laziness :(Have you ever taken antibiotics? If so watch this...Anyone who has taken a course of antibiotics (which are prescribed to kill the bad bacteria but unfortunately also kill the good bacteria in our gut) should follow up with a course of probiotic capsules which you can buy in good health food shops.As I told the man at the blood donation, I'd avoid the Yakut and Actimel type drinks as they contain sugar and are an expensive way to get what you can better in a capsule. (plus for me I don't believe in all that packaging which we have to dispose of).Another great way to get some fibre and good bacteria into the gut is through raw sauerkraut that you can buy in good health food shops. It is fermented cabbage and great to add alongside your meals to help digestion.There is far more detail that I could go into but I just want to make it simple and this post is already long!As a side note if you have never donated blood then why not give it a go - apart from the free teas and biscuits, it is also a great way to get your iron levels checked. I've been donating for years (infact I recently got my 25 donation certificate which was a lovely surprise) and I've always passed the first check for iron levels but yesterday I didn't so they did an extra test and I was fine to donate. It made me think though that it is a good way to see if you are low on iron (which can make you feel tired) which many people are due to poor diet or lack of absorption which highlights the importance of gut health. A bit like coming to trial week at Zest Bootcamp, I say to people why not try it as you will never know until you have a go. If you'd like to find your nearest blood donation session click HEREhave a great weekendZita :)Ps If you are near Bath and would like to join Zest Bootcamp for a trial week then click HERE