Small Changes, Big Relief: Your Happy Gut Checklist

Our digestive systems are miracles of nature, yet millions of people in England spend each day popping pills to heal indigestion. Sometimes this is due to a gluten allergy. But often due to eating foods that are low in fibre and preventable conditions like constipation and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

It Takes Guts is a fun book to explain in plain English how bodies turn food into fuel – and poo! Once you know how your body works, it’s empowering to know which foods to eat and avoid. You’ll also learn about helpful bacteria and how acids break down food, without burning holes in your stomach!

What are gut-healthy foods?

Fresh fruits and vegetables, pulses (beans, peas, lentils) and whole grains are all pretty gut-friendly. Fibre adds bulk to your stools, to help prevent constipation (as long as you also drink plain water and eat slowly, to help food absorb better).

A good way to see how your tummy is, is to look at your poo! Obviously see a GP for anything serious (and don’t worry if poo turns a bit pink or black if you eat beetroot or liquorice).

Sticky poo is due too much dairy/gluten, smelly poo is too little fibre and too much acid (give up meat). Greasy poo is due to fast food (Joy McCarthy writes that if you poo looks like ‘an oil spill in the toilet’, it’s your liver and gall bladder begging for love!) Alcohol can also cause havoc, as can dehydration (rabbit poo) and too much caffeine (race car poo!)

If any of the above apply, drink more plain water, eat more plants and fibre, and slow down your lifestyle. You should notice positive changes within days.

Read up on food safety for people and pets (don’t give vegan fried chicken to pets as it contains unsafe ingredients like onion, garlic, spices etc – raw or cooked chicken bones should never be fed to animal friends, due to choking hazards). Before recycling tins, rinse/remove lids (or pop ring-pulls over holes) then step on cans to ‘pinch’ inner rims together, to stop wildlife getting trapped.

Although it’s good to compost food scraps, unless you have a food waste bin (turned into biogas), just bin allium scraps (onion, leeks, garlic, shallot, chives), citrus/tomato/rhubarb scraps and tea/coffee grounds. To avoid too much acid/caffeine affecting compost creatures.

A Coconut Yoghurt (with gut health benefits!)

Got an icky tummy? You’ve likely heard that yoghurt is good for your gut, but you don’t have to eat dairy to get the benefits. Look in shops for The Coconut Collab gut-health yoghurt.

Made with fresh coconuts combined with coconut water, the mix is then fermented (just like dairy yoghurt) to produce millions of healthy bacteria for a healthy tummy.

The Coconut Collab never uses monkeys to harvest their coconuts, and never uses palm oil (this helps to protect orangutans and other endangered species from deforestation).

This brand makes lots of other tasty coconut yoghurts, this one is a little different in that it has billions of additional live cultures added. Like all their yoghurts, it’s fortified with vitamins (including B12, the one really important for vegans) and calcium.

Fermented foods, kefir and kombucha

Many fermented foods are unpasteurised (and may contain caffeine or alcohol) so avoid for pregnancy/nursing, weak immunity, children and some medical conditions (IBS, leaky gut, low-salt diets, histamine intolerance and awaiting transplants).

• Sojade organic plant-based yoghurts (find in health shops) contain the same ‘good bacteria’ as dairy, without the cholesterol.
• Fermented foods include sourdough bread, sauerkraut and kimchi (both from cabbage), tempeh (an Indonesian food to replace meat) and miso (a tasty Japanese condiment).
• Kombucha and kefir are usually in drinks (use store-bought versions for safety, to avoid bacteria). ONE Living (founded by rugby legend Jonny Wilkinson) also offers canned water kefirs. Choose from strawberry or lemon flavours.

Before recycling tins, rinse/remove lids (or pop ring-pulls over holes) then ‘pinch’ inner rims together, to stop wildlife getting trapped.

A Gut-healing Raspberry Smoothie Recipe 

This gut-healing raspberry smoothie (Vibrant Plate) is made with coconut yoghurt, so does your tummy good, as well as your tastebuds! It also contains strawberries, blueberries and pear, so you get your five-a-day in one drink!

Dr.Vegan healthy digestion supplement

Dr.Vegan Gut Works is a quality supplement, the first order is sold in a refillable metal tin, then you just order refills in eco-pouches thereafter. You can buy once, or get a free pill tin, then subscribe for bigger savings.

It contains 6 scientifically studied strains of bacteria, with prebiotics and psyllium husk, to support a healthy gut and bowels (88% of people find it effective). Just take 1 capsule each day for at least 6 days (morning or evening, with or without food – take at least 20 minutes before or after hot food or drink).

These supplements are sensitive to heat, so keep pouches sealed, away from warm air and radiators. 

Always check with your GP before taking supplements if on medication (also for women if pregnant or nursing). Keep them away from children and pets, and recycle unused supplements and medicines at pharmacies (never flush them down the loo).

 

• In 2 weeks (better gut health and good bacteria)
• In 1 months (healthier bowels, less digestive discomfort, bloating and gas)
• In 2 months (better absorbed nutrients & gut health)

Feel Daily Biotic Supplement 

Feel Daily Biotic is a quality nutritional supplement formulated by experts, and sold in zero waste sustainable packaging. All their products are vegan and not tested on animals.

Teens and older children can use it, although those under 13 may be better served by a child-friendly probiotic. Use code partner20 for 20% discount (not bundles or subscriptions). If you subscribe, sign up for an account to earn discount rewards.

With results in 90 days, this supplement uses strains used in human clinical trials, to reduce bloating, constipation and abdominal comfort in just as few weeks. It contains 10 billion CFU of live bacteria to target mood and digestion (very much linked) and has more benefits for your skin and weight management.

You should find improvements within a few days, like less bloating and discomfort after meals, and may also notice improvements to bowel movement and constipation.

• 1 month (better gut health, skin and mood)
• 3 months (better bacteria should mean less inflammation in the body and better brain function), plus stronger immune system
• 1 year (long-term digestive health and better gut microbiota)

Vegums Probiotics (for adults or children)

Vegums probiotic supplements are quality supplements (created by pharmacists), of tasty fruit chewable supplements sold in cellulose (wood pulp) bags that you just cut and compost, after use (or bin to naturally break down in the bin, without harm).

Ideal for daily health and immunity, they are also gentle on the stomach. Save 20% when you subscribe online for monthly home delivery.

These supplements contain 1 billion CFU of bacillus subtilis to help a healthy gut and smoother digestive system. Ideal for:

• Gut health
• Good immunity
• Boosted mood
• Also in a Children’s version

NHS website has good (regularly updated) information for parents of vegan children.