In traditional Chinese medicine, winter represents Yin – the dark, cold, slow, inward energy. In TCM, it is believed that you should live in harmony with the seasons; activities and diet should be adapted to enriching the yin and subduing the yang. In western medicine, gut-healing foods are important especially during the winter months when our diets become heavier and we become less active. Both approaches encourage eating certain foods.
What is Gut Health?
Every human as a complex internal ecosystem of bacteria that is called the microbiome. Most of these bacteria lives in our gut, about 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells. Diet plays a huge role in supporting your microbiome’s good bacteria and balancing it. The way your body extracts nutrients from your diet, stores fat or body weight can all be affected by your gut health. Inflammation can lessen the good bacteria in the gut. Foods that are high in antioxidants may reduce the gut damage caused by oxidative stress.
Winter Foods for Gut Health
Vegetables
Packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower are especially good choices. Research has shown that these vegetables may have the ability to increase the number of gut bacteria with myrosinase enzymes. 1Root vegetables that are in season, including carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, and turnips are all vegetables that are harvested in the colder months. Winter greens such as leeks, chard, and mustard are also a great source of fiber. Fiber helps to move sluggish digestion and support normal glucose metabolism. Using these in warm soups, stews and roasting vegetables is a great way to keep your gut healthy while warming your body during the winter months.
In TCM, the recommended vegetables are simila. It is important to eat foods that low in salt, baked and stewed dishes, along with drinks that are room temperature or warm. These include:
- Broccoli
- Brussel Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Kohlrabi
- Leek
- Onion
- Parsnip
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Turnips
- Winter squashes – acorn, spaghetti, and red kuri.
Winter fruits
During the winter it is best to eat fruits that are seasonal, those high in fiber and those that support immune function are best. In both TCM and western approaches – winter fruits that help the gut include apples, bananas, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges, and pears.
Spices and herbs
From reducing inflammation in the gut to aiding in digestion – turmeric, ginger, fennel, and peppermint are all spices that your taste buds and the gastrointestinal system will thank you for.
In TCM, warming herbs are best and have therapeutic effects on digestion and gut health, including:
- Anise
- Bay leaves
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Dill
- Fennel
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Rosemary.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Not only do foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids help to improve mood, prevent depression, and boost the immune system – it is important to gut health by correlating with gut microbiome diversity. By eating foods like fish, eggs, flaxseed, chia seeds, meats from grass-fed animals and walnuts you can increase the amount of omega-3 in the blood.
Omega-3 have been correlated with high levels of a compound called N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) in the gut, which has been shown to reduce oxidative stress, according to Dr. Menni, "We also found that specific bacteria that have been linked to lower inflammation and lower risk of obesity are increased in people who have a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids. 2
In TCM, warming foods with omega-3 include walnuts and prawns.
Probiotic foods
We have heard a lot about probiotics in the last few years. There is a reason, these foods fight off bad bacteria and contain good bacteria. Yogurt, kombucha, kefir, or fermented vegetables are all great sources of probiotics. You can also try a probiotic supplement if you aren’t keen on these foods.
In traditional Chinese medicine, a diet packed with probiotics has been around for centuries. Fermented cabbage such as kimchi, soy sauce, fermented soybeans, and miso all have beneficial probiotics that support your gut and strengthen Qi – your life force.
Dark chocolate and red wine
Drinking red wine in moderation has been shown to have a positive effect on intestinal bacteria because of the polyphenol compounds it contains. Bacteria in your gut turn cocoa into compounds that can lower the inflammation in your gut. So, when you tell yourself your body needs chocolate, you aren’t completely wrong. Just make sure it is sometimes and it is the dark chocolate.
Drinking water at room temperature and lots of warm herbal teas are recommended, however, drinking wine in moderation is also beneficial.
Other TCM Yin Nourishing Foods
- Barley
- Mung beans
- Kidney beans
- Millet
- Wheat germ
- Rice
- Seaweed
- Black sesame seeds
- Small amounts of sardine, crab, clams, oyster, eggs, pork, duck and beef
Other Ways To Improve Your Gut Health
- Avoid antibiotics, where possible.
- Reduce stress – when you are stressed, it can decrease oxygen and blood to the stomach, cause intestinal cramps, inflammation and an imbalance in gut bacteria.
- Ditto for anxiety – the gut-brain connection is real. A mind that is troubled can signal to the gut causing intestinal distress.
- Stay active.
- Try antioxidants such as Co-enzyme Q10 and selenium can help free radical damage from affecting your gut microbiome.
- Limit the toxins in your environment, food, and water – such as pesticides and heavy metals.
- Don’t eat too many sweet foods – sugar can cause an imbalance in the number of good bacteria in the gut.
- Get enough sleep – studies show that sleep deprivation can cause changes to gut microbiome composition.
References
1 Human Gut Bacterial Communities Are Altered by Addition of Cruciferous Vegetables to a Controlled Fruit- and Vegetable-Free Diet, J Nutr. 2009 Sep; 139(9): 1685–1691. https://doi.org/doi:10.3945/jn.109.108191 2 Omega-3 fatty acids correlate with gut microbiome diversity and production of N-carbamylglutamate in middle-aged and elderly women, Sci Rep. 2017; 7: 11079. Published online 2017 Sep 11. https://doi.org/doi:10.1038/s41598-017-10382-2
