Earth Day - Walking in Nature for Health and Wellbeing
The gut microbiota are a colony of bacteria residing in the human intestines that help digest food, synthesise nutrients and play a key role in immunity. Humans and microbes co-exist symbiotically together as a ‘superorganism’ and without a diverse range of bacterial species colonising the intestines, dis-ease is probable. There are good guys that offer immune boosting and protective benefits and there are bad guys that are at the root of many modern diseases. The bad guys love the sugar and fat combo and will flourish in a body attached to a stressed out mind. Once they begin to take over the ‘gut real-estate’ they destroy the good guys, reducing their numbers. A Western diet and lifestyle can provoke this imbalance, known as ‘gut dysbiosis’.
A Western diet and lifestyle high in processed foods, sugar, caffeine, omega-6 fats, alcohol, antibiotics and stress; lacking in diversity of fibre, protein sources, water, omega-3 fats and time spent in nature can perturb the gut microbiota. The perturbed microbial landscape or gut dysbiosis has the potential to cause constipation, acid reflux and any number of gut symptoms/conditions; depression, anxiety, stress, skin conditions, tinnitus, migraine, eye infections, oral complaints, sinus issues, neurological conditions, inflammatory conditions such as arthritis- the list is endless as most symptoms can be linked to imbalances in the gut microbiota.
What can you do to boost the microbial landscape?
Eat a balanced diet, rich in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates (MACs).
Eat a diversity of plants in raw and cooked form, think about eating a rainbow throughout the week.
Choose wholegrains such as brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum and amaranth.
Beans and lentils are high in fibre (if you can tolerate lectins).
Include forms of soluble fibre such as ground flax, apples and pears.
Fermented foods containing Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus such as yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, kraut and natto.
It is possible to crowd out the bad the guys, which offers an effective and less stressful method than killing them with antibiotics or antimicrobials. This is a science and an art form. The science part requires professional guidance from a Nutritional Therapist because diet is personalised for the individual and not a one-size-fits-all-Dr-Google-my-best-friend-did-it-and-it-worked-for-them. Eating should also be for enjoyment, with emphasis on the cultural and social aspect of food as an art form, not just eating for nutrient status. This can be tough when you are chronically sick and eating is a a daily challenge to be met, in which case you would benefit from personalised Health Coaching to help move you in the right direction.
Contact with nature and the earth is also of benefit to the gut microbiota as the prebiotics found in soil can boost the microbial landscape (the good guys). In city-dwellers an urbanised gut microbiota has evolved, therefore getting outside into nature is an opportunity for human health and immunity to be in close contact with the soil and acquire harmless microorganisms while forming new social networks.
The Walk & Talk in Nature Group is inspired by the outdoors while collaboratively discussing relevant Health & Wellness topics. It is an exploratory, organic process facilitated by a professional Health Coach with 20 years experience as an Applied Drama Practitioner (working with children and adults with disabilities and deafness, Autism, mental health conditions, women at risk, ex-offenders and long term unemployed people), 10 years experience as a Holistic Massage Therapist (working with chronic/acute muscle pain and stress) and current student of Nutritional Therapy with a special interest in the gut microbiota and the human superorganism.
Taking part in a small group walk amongst nature aims to provide a safe space for connecting with others while breathing in the beauty of green surroundings. It’s an opportunity to be in contact with the earth and boost the microbiota, immunity and promote feelings of wellbeing. Further benefits of walking in nature have been shown to reduce depression, anxiety and stress from the aromatic oils released by trees.
Walk & Talk in Nature Group
