Wow! You are just going to love the good news today. We promised you the GOOD NEWS, on how to heal your digestive system and reintroduce good gut flora (bacteria). Today we will start with the easiest way to get good flora into your digestive system. Our gut flora needs to flourish!

In case you missed the last article about our family’s Journey into the Valley of Digestive Healing, we were surprised to discover that unbalanced gut flora can lead to all sorts of health disturbances.  When opportunistic bacteria are able to grow without being kept in line by beneficial bacteria, they can transform into nasty beings. An unhealthy digestive system may look, feel and smell like something nasty in the garbage! From bad breath and a coated tongue, to skin rashes and outbreaks, painful joints, toxins swilling around the bloodstream, damage to the the immune system – even crossing the special blood brain barrier and causing weird neurological symptoms. The latest research is beginning to link unbalanced gut flora, to the development of heart disease.

On our Journey into the Valley of Digestive Healing our family has discovered that some people can heal and nourish their digestive systems on a vegan (total vegetarian) diet. That’s good news don’t you think? Plant foods are just wonderfully cleansing, great to cook and prepare with, and taste so fresh and delicious, or comforting and satisfying.

And some people discover they may respond well to a vegan diet for a time, but then their health may begin to decline. The one health fact we found which does fit all people over a lifetime is this: Eat mostly foods which grow in the ground, as close to their natural state as possible, and prepared in healthful ways. The health of a person who eats mostly processed and refined carbohydrates, fats, sugars, and manmade additives will eventually falter and fail.

In the scientific literature there are many reasons why some people may not thrive continuously on a vegan, total plant food diet. But that is each person’s choice and personal journey, a matter between each person and God. As my dear sister-in-law often says, “There is only one Judge, and it certainly isn’t me!”

So, how can you simply start adding good bacteria to your digestive system? Jump for Joy because it’s a really simple thing!

Eat some raw organically grown vegetables every day.  

Pretty simple huh?

Wait! There is a budget solution below!

We found that some people can eat a lot of raw vegetables, and some people need to start with just a little and work up. And then there are the people who may need to focus on healing their digestive system before eating raw vegetables. But for those  who are generally healthy, jump right in!

1. Don’t wash your vegetables too vigorously, that is where the beneficial bacteria live. Wash off clinging dirt, and peel off outside layers if necessary.
2. Yes,  organic vegetables are expensive if you buy them only from the supermarket. These days there are wonderful alternatives. In New Zealand there are vegetable and fruit box schemes throughout the country, a quick internet search will help you find one near you. If you live in a city or town, you can probably have a box of fresh fruit and vegetables delivered to your doorstep as often as you like. Living in the country? We used to collect our box from the courier depot and do other town chores while we were there. There is something very exciting about opening a box of fresh fruit and vegetables. We try and set up a vegetable garden whenever we move to a new location, as gardening is very healing for me; we also, buy organic fruit and vegetables on special from the supermarket, go to farmers markets on Sundays, and swap food with others. Joining a community garden is a great way to get food and have a social life too!
3. Grow bean sprouts.  Almost everyone can grow some mung bean or whole lentil sprouts on their windowsill. Cheap! Cheap! See here how to grow bean sprouts.
4. We found that eating too much raw vegetable while chronically unwell, especially vegetables from the brassica family – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts can increase fatigue. Ugh! For someone like me, eating just a little and listening and observing my body is a good technique.
5. There are people who have exquisitely sensitive taste buds and can detect bitterness in green vegetables from 10 metres away! Well, that’s an exaggeration.  Don’t stress, just focus on other raw vegetables. One of our sons is a bitter taster but thoroughly enjoys a lettuce, cucumber and tomato sandwich!

We were so delighted to discover that eating some raw every day helps the good guys in our digestive systems to flourish!

Please do come back again and visit us at The Health Reporter, where we plan to explore more ways to nourish the beneficial bacteria and heal your digestive system. Join us on our Journey!