What do I mean by ‘The Brain of the Gut’?
Our brain/spinal/nervous systems and our digestive
systems started out as the same embryonic tissue.
This rod of tissue at some point divided in two. One half developed into the brain, spine and nervous system. The other half become a hollow tube and became our digestive system.
There are more nerves surrounding
the stomach than any other organ in the body.
Often we teach ourselves to ignore our 'gut' reactions. Even a dog knows not to eat while fatigued, upset or under stress. Humans will even go so far as to condition themselves to eat specifically when they are upset. Many people can't discern when they are hungry or differentiate between hunger and thirst.
It takes the first 8 years of our life to
create an engine of digestion. Some people do not achieve this development
for many reasons. Unrelenting stress, socially, nutritionally, or
ecologically can have a detrimental effect on the growth and strength of our digestion
system for the rest of our lives unless effort and attention is taken to heal
this system.
Elaine Gottscall's work as been helpful for many to reclaim digestive balance. Fermented foods such as yogurt, keifer, sauerkraut and sourdough can educate our digestive tract to handle dairy foods, vegetables and grains.
Digestive
Enzyme supplementation can really make an improvement if one often feels
comatose, bloated or gassy after eating.
Often it is not only a matter of what one eats but whether there are
enough plant enzymes to ‘catalyze
the fire’, turning food into energy on a cellular level. For some people, there is a need to ‘prime
the pump’ and get the digestive secretions going. Digestive tonics such as Agrimony Combo, Cheladonium Plex or bitters like artichoke or dandelion can really aid in creating a more efficient digestion and
assimilation of nutrients.
Food supplements are just that;
they expand the body’s ‘nutritional pool’.
Supplements will not make up for habitual ongoing poor food choices.
When I recommend nutritional supplements
I want to find the big performers first. What nutrition specifically increases a
person’s energy and vitality by 20% or more? The form and source of these
supplements may be a big concern for those who have a suffering/struggling digestive
engine.
Working through digestive issues requires patience and care. The digestive system is such a sensitive system which we impact with every aspect of our lives. I recommend Specialized Kinesiology food testing, as much to see what foods do work well in the system. Sensitive testing methods will help people to make personalized choices. It gives us a chance to know what foods to avoid as well. For example some people have trouble digesting gluten or the starch/protein combinations that are present in most grains and beans.
Amaranth, teff and quinoa have been used by many people as staples to replace other grains in the diet. These are all gluten free and easy to digest. Generally, rice is another good choice.
I have never cooked with teff, but Phoo-d knows how. Miss Phoo-d has been an adventurous and committed Foodite blogger. I have enjoyed following her for the last year or so. She has made some extreme adjustments to her diet for health reasons and (lucky us!) shares her food knowledge and experiences with us.
How to work with Quinoa
Find (1Cup) of the
largest, whitest Quinoa you can find (organic Bolivian)
Quinoa has a resin on the outside which will be bitter
is you don’t rinse like mad
Put the one cup of
grain in a large measuring cup add cool water.
Whisk vigorously and
drain carefully
Repeat this rinse
at least 5 times and cover with clean
water to the 4 cup mark
Soak for at least
2 to 8 hours on counter. If you are not ready to cook it right away you can put
grain and water and all in the fridge.
What you are looking for is that the quinoa grain will almost triple in
size
Before cooking
drain carefully and rinse and whisk the Quinoa another 5 times.
Transfer to a good
rice pot and add (1 cup) of water
Bring to a full
boil and stir well.
Put lid on and turn heat to lowest setting
Time for 15 minutes then take pot off heat and let
rest for another 5 minutes. You want an el
dente grain. Don’t overcook!
Take off the lid right
away and fluff with a fork.
For a side grain,
serve as is. As a salad grain, let it cool.
Quinoa Tabouli
Soak ¼ Cup
Sunflower seeds and ¼ Cup pumpkin seeds in filtered water for 1 hour (I use a
mason jar)
Mix basic white
wine vinaigrette, in a medium salad bowl,
½ Cup light
tasting oil, I like Koroneiki Olive Oil
¼ Cup white wine
vinegar
Herbamere/Sea Salt
1 Cup cherry
tomatoes halved
1 Cup Cucumber
diced
½ Cup Green onions
chopped
1 Cup Red pepper
diced
1 Cup Parsley
chopped
Rinse and strain
the seeds and add to vegetables
Mix well to coat
with dressing.
Add quinoa and
toss gently to mix
Quinoa has a very
delicate flavor and can be overpowered by strong herbs or strong flavoured
oils, so keep flavours light
Cover and marinate
in fridge for 1 hour or so.
Food and health are so profoundly connected. Our food styles are very unique and personal to us. Diet choices are always evolving as we evolve. I think that awareness (intuition and knowledge) is the key.
Enjoy the bounty and keep well_
Nelda
