Last week I shared an awesome immune boosting soup recipe with you. In case you missed it, you can check it out here.

Every day, I work with people whose health symptoms–like gut/digestive issues, excess weight, low energy, and sleep problems–are getting in the way of them living life fully and with a sense of freedom in their bodies. I help them to regain their health so they can feel great and enjoy their lives again.

That’s why today, I’m going to let you in on a gut healing ingredient that often gets overlooked. In case you’re wondering why I focus on the gut so much, it’s because that’s the common culprit to virtually every symptom! You can’t be healthy and free of symptoms if your gut isn’t functioning properly. Your gut is where you take all the good stuff you eat and drink and transform it into the many building blocks your body needs to make energy, sleep well, maintain a healthy weight, build muscle, and clear out toxins that need clearing out daily so you can thrive.

Well, just like you need food to stay alive, so do the trillions of bacteria that live in your gut and make life possible. You can learn more about them here if you’d like.

Today, I want to focus on the food that your good gut bugs must have in order for your gut to heal: prebiotics. Plus, at the very end of this article, I’m going to tell you about one of my favorite nutrient superheroes!

What is a prebiotic?

The friendly bugs in your gut (probiotics) need to eat.  And not just anything will do. They need to eat prebiotics. Prebiotics are a type of non-digestible fiber. These are types of foods that pass through the upper part of your gut without being digested (broken down). You see, your body can’t fully break them down, but that’s the key! These prebiotic foods pass on through you until they reach the lower part of your gut (your colon), where your gut bugs get to feast on them.

What foods are rich in prebiotics?

Examples of prebiotics are raw or cooked leeks, jicama, raw dandelion greens, raw or cooked onions, garlic, banana, Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes), raw chicory root, and raw asparagus, Konjac root (ever heard of Shiritaki noodles?), and cocoa (yes!).

Now, I know that many of my clients started out not being able to digest raw foods well until they did some gut healing. If you don’t tolerate raw foods, then I encourage you to lightly cook some of these prebiotic powerhouses like onions, leeks, garlic, asparagus, and sunchokes. As your gut heals, you will likely be able to tolerate raw foods better.

One other thing I’d like to add here is that if you aren’t eating many of these prebiotics, start out slowly and with small amounts. You don’t need to eat pounds of these foods. Add in a small amount each day or two and see how you feel. About 5 grams of prebiotics per day is recommended and you may need to work up to it.

You can also speed your healing along by adding in this nutrient superhero called Oceans Alive. I take it every single day as part of my self-care routine so that my body gets a concentrated dose of easily absorbable superfood. I’m a big fan.
Okay, so that’s all for this week. I’m so excited for you to start nourishing your body with the missing ingredients we talked about today.

​​​​​Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health. 🙂

~Rebecca

Today we’re going to talk about how you can feel more satisfied from your meals, keep your appetite in check, and encourage your body to sustain a healthy amount of body fat.

There’s a happy balance between getting plenty of fiber in your diet and nutrient dense carbs versus high starch ones. You see, foods like grains, veggies, and fruits are all sources of carbohydrates. They differ greatly in how much fiber they provide and how much starch (plant sugar) they have.

Over the years of working with many clients, I’ve noticed that the majority of people who struggle to release body fat for good and feel satisfied after their meals tended to be eating too much starch and not enough fiber.

What are net carbs?

Simple. You take the total amount of carbs in a food and subtract out the fiber. Fiber isn’t digestible and so it doesn’t raise blood sugar or insulin, but it’s great for your healthy gut bacteria, helps digestion, and supports sustained weight release.

Before checking out the Top 20 list, I want to invite any Bay Area locals to join me this Saturday, Feb 3rd to attend Stress & Your Gut, a free wellness talk on how to release extra weight, improve energy and improve digestion. Please see the Upcoming Events column on the right for details.

Top 20 List

The following 20 veggies are all low in net carbs. When serving size is equal (1/2 cup, 100 grams), here’s the list from least net carbs to most net carbs.

1. Broccoli raab (total carbs=2.85, fiber=2.7, net carbs=.15)
2. Watercress (total carbs=1.29, fiber=.5, net carbs=.79)
3. Bok Choy (total carbs=2.18, fiber=1, net carbs=1.18)
4. Celery (total carbs=2.97, fiber=1.6, net carbs=1.37)
5. Spinach (total carbs=3.63, fiber=2.2, net carbs=1.43)
6. Mustard Greens (total carbs=4.67, fiber=3.2, net carbs=1.47)
7. Asparagus (total carbs=3.88, fiber=2.1, net carbs=1.78)
8. Radish (total carbs=3.4, fiber=1.6, net carbs=1.8)
9. Avocado (total carbs=8.64, fiber=6.8, net carbs=1.84)
10. Arugula (total carbs=3.65, fiber=1.6, net carbs=2.05)
11. Zucchini (total carbs=3.11, fiber=1, net carbs=2.11)
12. Swiss Chard (total carbs=3.74, fiber=1.6, net carbs=2.14)
13. Mushrooms (total carbs=3.26, fiber=1, net carbs=2.26)
14. Kohlrabi (total carbs=6.2, fiber=3.6, net carbs=2.6)
15. Tomato (total carbs=3.89, fiber=1.2, net carbs=2.69)
16. Olives (total carbs=6, fiber=3.2, net carbs=2.8)
17. Eggplant (total carbs=5.88, fiber=3, net carbs=2.88)
18. Bell pepper (total carbs4.6, fiber=1.7, net carbs=2.9)
19. Cauliflower (total carbs=4.97, fiber=2, net carbs=2.97)
20. Green cabbage (total carbs=6.1, fiber=3.1, net carbs=3)

Start replacing high starch foods like breads, crackers, pastas, and sweets with more of these foods. You can start by replacing even half of your usual high starch portion with one of these higher fiber, nutrient dense options.

Want even more guidance and support? I’d love to hear from you! Click here and tell me how I can help.

Until next time, I’m wishing you Unstoppable Health!

~Rebecca