By Dr. Keith Kantor
Probiotic Foods: Sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, Kimchi Kiefer, yogurt or any other good examples of probiotic foods you can think of that would fit?
These foods mostly fall under the fermented foods category, during fermentation it causes sugars and carbohydrates to break down and the good bacteria flourishes. These foods contain lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and probiotics. Eating these food daily will strengthen the immune system and improve gut health by increasing the ratio of good bacteria to harmful bacteria. 1-2 tablespoons or ¼ cup daily is a good place to start. If a person has a histamine intolerance they should avoid fermented vegetables instead try kombucha. Miso, tempeh, and pickles are all fermented foods that have similar health benefits.
Prebiotic Foods: Onions, asparagus, leafy greens, artichokes, etc. garlic, apples or any other good examples of prebiotic foods you can think of that would fit?
Additional prebiotic foods include chicory root, dandelion greens, leeks, and bananas. These foods help increase vitamin and mineral absorption including magnesium and calcium, improve immune health, reduce blood triglyceride levels, and improved weight management and hormone levels due to less inflammation and improved gut flora balance.
Other foods for digestion: Bananas Papayas- natural digestive
enzymes, etc. Fennel Ginger Peppermint Citrus Fruits Chamomile
Additional foods that aid in digestion include chia seeds, avocado, apples, cucumbers, celery and homemade unprocessed bone broth. These foods should be consumed daily especially if you are having digestion issues.
Also, are there any other foods that you would recommend that
can boost/repair/promote good digestion?
Whole unprocessed foods that are free of gluten and dairy. Avoiding common food intolerances like peanuts, soy, wheat, dairy, shellfish and corn will allow the gut time to repair and rebuild the inner lining.
What about supplements? L-Glutamine, apple cider vinegar, aloe
vera, licorice root? Are any of these proven?
L-glutamine has been shown to help repair the gut lining and improve nutrient absorption, 5 grams per day as maintenance and 5 grams at each meal to repair and heal the gut. Alkaline water like AQUA-OH- or alkaline foods like apple cider vinegar also reduces overall inflammation improving the overall integrity of the gut.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5454963/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/apple-cider-vinegar-diet-does-it-really-work-2018042513703
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28945458
https://sleep.report/apple-cider-vinegar-and-honey-for-sleep/