A nutrition coach shares some simple yet effective ways to nurture your gut microbiome

Kate Lenehan is a woman who wears many hats. A Pilates instructor, a personal trainer, a health, nutrition and life coach — Kate also holds a degree in Health & Performance Science. So, suffice to say she knows her stuff when it comes to health, wellness and fitness.

We sat down with Kate to get her two cents on the best ways to nurture our gut microbiome that don’t involve a complete and utter lifestyle overhaul.

What is your morning microbiome-boosting ritual?

Each morning, the first thing I do is take my dog for a walk. Aside from providing us with vitamin D, sunlight in the morning helps to boost our mood, regulate our circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality, which are all essential for gut health. Physical activity in the morning also helps to get our digestive system moving!

Why is it especially important to fuel your gut in the morning?

Routine meals support our natural “gut clock”, i.e. the rhythms of our digestive system, which are closely linked to our circadian rhythms of waking and sleeping. The gut clock is impacted by the times we eat our meals, as well as things like light, sleep and exercise. When our gut clock is out of balance (e.g. when we travel), it can lead to digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, and stomach discomfort. This is why one of the best things you can do for your gut is to create a morning habit consisting of a balanced, energy-boosting breakfast, movement and sunlight.

How do gut-boosting foods support our overall wellness? How much fibre should we be eating daily and why?

Hippocrates apparently claimed that: “all disease begins in the gut”. Two thousand years later, we’re only just discovering the science behind why gut health plays such an important role in our overall wellness. It all comes down to the gut microbiome, which is an ecosystem of microorganisms that live in our digestive system. A balanced microbiome (packed full of good bacteria) is vital for healthy digestion, a strong immune system, as well as mental clarity and mood. Whole foods not only provide our microbiome with new, diverse microorganisms, but they also provide fuel for the bacteria already living in our gut.

Whole foods contain fibre that is essential for fueling the gut. While we should be aiming for about 30g of dietary fibre per day, most adults are currently consuming far less than this. That being said, we can easily increase our fibre intake by eating more whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.