Healing your gut: a workable morning routine

 What is it about the human mind that allows useful information to be filtered out just as easily as useless information? Scientists say while we sleep, the brain filters out useless information, but I'll tell you what, my brain doesn't discriminate. The adage "use it or lose it" is so, painfully, apropos to memory. 

And so, over time, I had lost my morning digestive routine to the sinkhole of time, chock full as it is with endlessly entertaining distractions. And for some reason I started feeling like crap again! Go figure.

Here's what I take/drink every morning to keep everything in balance:

• Zenwise prebiotics (greens) and probiotics (not a compensated endorsement- it's just what works)
• Magnesium
  
• matcha with a little manuka honey
• a small glass of aloe juice with my various supplements (mainly D and B complex)
• a shot of kefir, or a cup of miso broth with seaweed (I alternate)
  

Thanks to these things, my stomach almost always just feels right.

Mike's Health Bomb

Sometimes, a measured, reasonable pace is not what's required. What's needed, instead, is drastic intervention. Mornings are like this for me, every single day. It takes extraordinary measures to evaporate the fog that's been accumulating in my head all night. Two cups of coffee are my usual poison; however, I'm changing my tune somewhat. Given: I've decided as the family morning riser it's my duty to be the one to work out in the mornings. Also given: my stomach is a barely caged beast in the A.M., demanding nothing less than immediate gratification in my first waking moments lest it reward me with it's other major morning mood, nausea. Impending workout + need for something in my belly asap = smoothie. You can see my logic here, right? Thanks to Smoov-E, creamy drink manufacture has become a snap. Additionally, it's easy to pack a whopper load of nutrition into 8 oz. of smoothie.

I have this other morning habit: I take probiotics, digestive enzymes and a multivitamin, and supplemental fiber in some form. I had the orange flavored citrucel before. What corporate genius decided people who are taking fiber for their health would find a significant dose of aspertame along with it just hunky dory? I did find some unsweetened citrucel (straight up psyllium husk, in actuality) which I dose juice with in the evenings. But I like another source of fiber better: Hemp. Not only does it have a significant dose of the required roughage, ground hemp seeds are also loaded with the all important Omega 3s and many trace minerals. Plus, it is loaded with protein. This stuff really is health food. The only obstacle you'll encounter with it is palatability. It's not unpleasant in flavor, but the powdery texture leaves something to be desired.

Enter: the smoothie. All of the above issues are easily addressed with a formula Abbey laughingly calls the Health Bomb. My guidelines are not strict (that's how I am with everything); what I made this morning is pretty representative of the idea, and, despite it looking like mud leaning mildly toward purple, it was very tasty. First, the supplements. I dumped two heaping tablespoons (which is about 16 grams of fiber) of hemp in the blender. Looks appetizing, yes? Then I disassembled two probiotic supplements and added that. To ensure a mix on the thin side to compensate for the hemp, which has a thickening effect, I added some almond milk and organic unsweetened grape juice. Finally, the solids: a banana (for the sweetness and the potassium) and a good handful of blueberries (for the anthocyanins and other good stuff). The product was ugly, yes, but actually very good. Abbey, who very sportingly tried some when I exclaimed in surprise, "It tastes good!", observed the almond milk compliments the flavor of the hemp; I agree, it really does. Now my belly is happy, I've added no caffeine to stress out my system so I can go work out, and I've got all the nutrition I need to feed my muscles. Problem happily solved. I'm looking forward to my next one, which judging from an inventory of the freezer will have a strawberry theme.

SOAPBOX: Kids and food

Let's just call this my kids and food manifesto.

I've had it. Our kids diets are appalling. They barely eat one fruit or vegetable per day. They gorge themselves on frozen processed foods, super salty ramen noodles, and snack on candy. If it weren't for ketchup, all their meals would be monochromatic.

I'm ready to lay down the law. Our mission is clear--this is our summer to get the family healthy

• Start them all on a kid's dietary supplement that isn't heavy with artificial colorings.

• Get them involved in planting and growing vegetables in our garden.

• I will start keeping food diary--I want to keep track of what they're eating and how quickly afterward someone has a meltdown, asks for a snack, or complains of being tired. Kids can have bad reactions to food colorings and nutritional deficits, which might manifest themselves as mood swings, anger issues, and an inability to express oneself clearly.

• I want them on probiotics. Kids who have had repeated ear infections and courses of antibiotics can have an excess of candida in their systems. Candida causes yeast infections and produces toxins--another factor that might contribute to mood swings. Probiotics would counteract the bad effects of antibiotics.

• Get the kids involved in food production--baking, cooking, mixing stuff in the kitchen

• Place a stronger emphasis on healthy foods in the diet

1. Order some nutrition books geared toward kids--convince them that they will be happier and healthier if they eat more fruits and veggies. Our kids will probably need more convincing than most and a definitive outside source would help tremendously. While discussing nutrition, they frequently seem to be somewhat mystified on how to define "healthy foods." A good book would go a long way to clarify some issues for them. I found a book on Amazon: My Food Pyramid
2. Talk with them at meal times and at the grocery store about healthy choices. Get them into a constant dialogue regarding what foods and activities would keep them strong and healthy.

• Stop serving junk. Throw all the junk away. No more chips. No more nuggets. Nothing fried. No more cereals with marshmallows. No more super sweet yogurt in dayglo colors.

I honestly don't mean to be a Nazi about this, but I feel enough is enough. I won't deny them the many pleasures of good food. This campaign of mine isn't about denial. It's about adding more things to the diet and judiciously expending their "pleasure" calories on foods that are higher in quality than Trix cereal or some damned box of cookies that contains garbage none of us can pronounce. Homemade pleasures are in abundance at our home and the kids can get involved in making those things. I know how to make homemade marshmallows for crying out loud! Mama ain't no slouch in the kitchen. The Chips A-frickin'-Hoy are not entering this household ever again!

--A