Gosh this can be so easy to do. You are able to act on auto pilot when you go food shopping, you don’t have to think what to make for dinner as you already know zucchini ribbons with turkey chilli is on Monday, salmon steaks on Tuesday, vegetable stir fry on Wednesday and so on, and you like knowing the flavours and satisfactory feeling you have from these meals. But have you stopped to think what nutrients and minerals you are getting from these? That if you eat the same thing, including the same breakfast, go to the same lunch spot then what is your body getting?

I say what is your body getting, because not only do we need vitamins and minerals to allow many signals to flow, and the fact of what are we really feeding our microbiome? What do these important organisms need to survive so they can also communicate correctly between the body’s systems and organs. If you are not allowing them to flourish, other microorganisms can take over, and the secret to gut health is keeping it all in balance. Including keeping tight junctions to the gut lining to keep the environment habitable. When the balance and diversity is off there are going to be consequences.

Diversity you think. Yes diversity of your microbiome is found to be a key indicator of good health. Those people that have a large range of bacteria strains in the gut are more immune to what they become exposed to, are more active, have less chronic disease and live longer and greater over all. This diversity is correlated to a diverse diet.

So here are a few tips to your thinking about food. Categorising via food groups, most important for nutrient and mineral content and microbiome health.

Fruit and Vegetables – Consider what is in season. If you don’t know, go to a speciality fruit and vegetable store until you see, or ask them and make a note.

• Always buy 1 – 2 leafy greens, they can be used in so many ways. And I don’t just mean lettuce leaves, try that Asian leafy like Choy Sum, Traditional greens like Dandelion, and Watercress.
• Always buy a cruciferous vegetable, your microbiome usually love these and they are correlated with less cancer
• Buy less starchy and more water bearing vegetables.Think what grows under verses above the ground.
• Add bitter foods, not only to shake up your taste buds, but to switch on reactions that your body need.
• Reduce nightshade vegetables as these are usually very acidic to the body.
• Change what colour foods you are buying each week.
• Check what is local, with less travel to the store it will hopefully hold more flavour.
• Price. If it is in season it is usually cheaper as its abundant due to growth. Buy and add to dinners and salads for variety to your meals.
• Cook bulk foods to freeze or even snap frozen for excessive produce.

Meat and Proteins  – quality is most important and if you are a vegetarian complete protein made up of several different products. Consider 1 -2 meat free meals during the week, so you are able to increase your vegetable intake and therefore your fibre.

• Change up white meat for fish
• Think different cuts of meat for cooking – Blade, Cheek, Oxtail
• Consider different bean varieties
• Use eggs in different ways
• Consider quality protein powders, gelatins and collegans

Liquids – Which milks do you use? Will you need more for a new recipe that you try.  Stocks and Broths are always something to have in the cupboard, and can be used to cook in a healthier style – think wet cooking over dry.

Seasonings – Fresh Herbs and Spices – buy mixes, but careful there aren’t fillers in them, skip the bottled sauces and dressings. If you must have these, make your own. A batch for a week, so you are not always having to do the work. Change it every week.

Certain grains, Beans and Legumes – I am not an advocate of wheat, so when I talk grains I mean Quinoa, Buckwheat, Amaranth, Millet, Wild Rice. Try to reduce the frequency you have these. Try to use your starches on days when you are not eating these grains, and beans to maintain blood sugar.

Fats – Begin to move away from processed fats verses natural and whole sources. Include some with each meal for complete satiation. Eating the fat on fully grass fed and organic meat is perfectly fine!

If some of these ideas are new, or there may be are a lot for you to think on. Don’t stop yourself by thinking you need to do it all at once. Try one food group at a time and just start. I would recommend the Fruit and Vegetables tips first, as that is what you want to be eating the most of for optimal health.

Why not challenge yourself for 4 weeks. Or better get your family and friends involved. How many different foods can you eat in a week?