The Best Gift is a Healthy Gut

By Gwyn Whittaker, GreenFare Organic Cafe

During my brother’s college experience at the University of Illinois, my family were all gifted t-

shirts featuring corn for Christmas. My dad also had efficiency down to a science: we would all

get the same book on self-improvement; one year, How to Prune.

When it comes to food shopping, efficiency is top of mind: how to buy the right amount at the

best price at the closest store. The other side is effectiveness, which is buying foods that will

support and boost our long-term health. Think organic, eat the colors of the rainbow, and load up on fiber. It can be better to invest in foods that help to prevent or even reverse chronic illness and avoid a delayed cost of pain and medication later.

According to the CDC, more than a third of American adults eat fast food on any given day. The drive-through is the ideal of efficiency: quick and cheap, with not a lot of waste. But we all know by now that highly processed food, with lots of salt, oil and sugar, takes a toll on our health. Research consistently links eating a wide variety of fiber to a lower risk of multiple cancers, especially colorectal cancer. Good sources of fiber include fruit, greens, whole grains, seeds (hemp, chia, flax), aromatics (onion, garlic), beans, mushrooms, sea vegetables and sprouts, plus fermented foods for beneficial bacteria. There is no fiber in animal products.

Try counting the variety of plants you eat every day. The American Gut Project found that people who eat 30 or more a week have a more robust gut microbiome. Plan your shopping trip to include a variety of these foods and avoid the food ruts that are easy to fall into, like Cheerios and a banana for breakfast every day. That’s easy and efficient, but not as effective as a multigrain cereal with seeds, cinnamon, ginger, and berries.

Your gut bacteria respond to what you eat within a day or two, and scientists are exploring

whether they even influence what we crave. Every food choice builds momentum to support or harm, so small choices make a difference. The healthier your gut, the more energy you’ll feel. At GreenFare, we routinely see people who want food that’s fast and good for them.

Focusing on filling your plate with high-fiber, organic foods will bring the reward of better sleep, more energy, and stronger defenses against the bugs that circulate this time of year. Roar up to the end of the year with a strong constitution and be ready to start the new year with a bang.

Gwyn Whittaker is the founder of GreenFare Organic Cafe in Herndon.