The Veleo Approach
A couple years ago, I read the book A Microbiome Solution by Dr. Robynne Chutkan and it changed my life. (She also has another great book called Gutbliss.)
Through Dr. Chutkan's gastroenterologist practice and life experiences with her daughter and illness, she realized that the traditional medical route relying on medicines and surgeries was not necessarily the optimal way in dealing with dysbiosis. Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance of gut bacteria.
Dysbiosis can cause many different digestive issues including: a microbial imbalance leads to overproduction of bloat-causing hydrogen and methane gases, abdominal discomfort, food cravings, a change in bowel habits, smelly gas, a strange odor to stool, constipation, or diarrhea.
The cause of dysbiosis is different for everyone but can be attributed to numerous factors including: antibiotics, a high protein diet, a high sugar/carb diet, physical/mental stress, alcohol misuse, etc.
I've been suffering from IBS constipation for most of my life. As a result, I've seen many different specialists who gave me variety of advice and I don't think anything has helped as much as Dr. Chutkan's suggestions. Her books offer an insightful way of taking care of your gut through food and other natural solutions that most people don't seem to know about (and no, not hippy dippy stuff for all you skeptics out there!).
I have many issues with my gut, and they have changed throughout the years, but the important thing to note is that I used to have constant pain and bloating. Since I started following a lot of Dr. Chutkan's advice, in addition to some other things I was already doing, I only ever have pain when I specifically don't follow it. As for bloating, that also has decreased significantly.
This blog is basically my summary of Dr. Chutkan's nutritional advice for dealing with dysbiosis of any kind mixed with my knowledge from all my research and experience over the years. Truth be told, this way of life isn't just for people with digestion issues, it's for anybody who wants to live a healthy and clean lifestyle.
Please read carefully and let me know if you have any question, I'm so happy to help people understand their gut better.
Veleo = combo of vegetarian and paleo
High-fiber plant matter (veggies & fruits)
Micro-boosting whole grains & legumes
Small amounts of high-quality protein & fat from animals
1. Choose carbs carefully
Complex carbs high in fiber
E.g. Fruits, veggies, some whole grains, beans, brown rice, etc.
You're looking for two different things from good carbs:
Resistant starches: Escape from digestion in the small intestine of healthy individuals, functioning like fiber. They have many health benefits.
E.g. Green banana, green banana flour, green peas, lentils, uncooked rolled oats, white beans, etc.
Inulin/fructan: Prebiotic that helps increase growth of good bacteria in the gut (among other health benefits).
E.g. Artichokes, asparagus, banana, chicory root, garlic, leek, onion, psyllium husk, etc.
2. Ferment your food
This one I don't follow. To make a long story short, according to a blood test I did that told me which foods I shouldn't eat, I basically can't eat these, so I just haven't bothered trying to.
E.g. Sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, etc.
Check ingredients of store-bought fermented foods. You'd be surprised how many additives there are, such as unwanted sugars.
Homemade is usually better since you can control what ingredients go inside.
3. Manage meat intake
Aiming for a high fiber diet that's low in fat and sugar
Red meat is higher in fat
Lean meats like chicken and turkey, or other animal proteins like fish and eggs
Grass-fed, no antibiotics
Assuming 4-meals per day:
Men aim for 40-60g of meat per day = 2 palm sizes
Women aim for 20-30g of meat per day = 1 palm size
Note: A palm-sized portion is the same thickness and diameter as your palm
For more info on portion size of proteins, fats and carbs, check out my blog: Calorie Counting vs. Portion Control
4. Eat more plants
A variety of colours of plants is ideal as every type offers different benefits
E.g. Yellow, red, purple, white, etc.
For dysbiosis, dark green veggies high in fiber are what you want more of
Aiming for more indigestible dietary fiber specifically
Also found in wheat bran, whole-wheat flour, nuts and whole-grain foods.
Important for your digestive health because of its ability to add bulk to stool, relieve constipation and help foods to pass through your digestive system.
5. Food with dirt on it
I don't really follow this one either, however it's insanely important to wash your veggies and fruits well to remove any possible chemicals. Those chemicals which can totally affect your microbiome and cause dysbiosis.
Farmers markets/locally grown
Organic
Not uniform in size/colour
The more uniform, the more chances of GMO
6. No sugar
Insanely important and usually one of the rules people struggle the most with
Examples of the dangers of a high-sugar diet:
Reduces body's ability to handle carbs
Poor carb tolerance leads to diabetes
Reduces insulin sensitivity
Increases insulin response to meals
Leads to excess fat gain due to chronic high insulin levels (especially around love handles and upper back)
Causes bloating
Examples of different names for sugar you might see on food labels: sucrose, fructose, glucose, maltose, dextrose, maltodextrin hydrolyzed starch, cane/inverted/date/coconut/white/brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, agave nectar, sugar beets, high-fructose corn syrup, maple sugar, molasses, etc.
Aim for <10 tsp (40g) per day
Look for foods with 0g, especially if weight loss is your goal
If you're craving something sweet, or need something for baking, use manuka honey
This also includes no artificial/processed sweeteners
E.g. stevia, Equal, Sweet & Low…
7. Addition not subtraction
Add healthy choices rather than concentrating on removing all the unhealthy things
E.g. Try adding an extra serving of veggies rather than removing the extra serving of carbs. You may notice you're full after the veggies and don't need the carbs, otherwise you'll just get used to the extra veggies and can eventually eliminate the carbs.
See #8 for additional ways to add healthier foods to your diet
8. Retrain taste buds
Substitute:
Zucchini noodles - instead of regular noodles
Roasted squash/sweet potato - instead of white potatoes
Mashed green bananas/sweet potatoes - instead of mashed white potatoes
Riced cauliflower - instead of white rice
Add in:
Spinach and kale
Leek and celery
Roasted pumpkin/squash (used as thickening agent instead of flour)
Onions, garlic, peppers
Reduce sweetness with:
Frozen banana + nut butter blended
Dates + nut butter
Manuka honey when baking (use 1/2 amount compared to sugar)
Fresh ginger in herbal tea or lemonade
9. Eliminate "Franken Foods"
As part of the paleo diet, you're supposed to only eat foods that are found in nature. So eliminating foods that are modified/altered from what nature intended is the way to go here.
E.g. Gluten, dairy, refined carbs (e.g. white rice, white bread/pasta, cereal, sugar, etc.), processed foods (e.g. any snack food you buy in a box or bag, most cheeses, deli meat, most foods found in the aisles of grocery stores, etc.), GMO, artificial sweeteners…
SAD GAS: Acronym for 6 foods you should 100% eliminate from your diet ASAP if you're experiencing dysbiosis of any kind. Try eliminating all of them for 2 weeks, then add one back at a time and see how you feel. Wait 2 weeks each time before adding one back in.
Sugar:
This one seems to confused people when really it's quite simple… NO SUGAR WHATSOEVER!
See #6 for full details
Regarding digestive issues specifically, sugar can draw water into the large intestine and/or prevent it from being absorbed properly.
This can lead to bloating or heaviness in the gut.
Artificial sweeteners:
E.g. stevia, Equal, Sweet & Low…
Dairy:
Foods produced from the milk of mammals (e.g. cows and goats).
Milk and any food products made from milk: cream, butter, yogurt, etc.
Gluten:
Proteins found in:
Wheat: bread, pasta, soups, salad dressings, etc.
Rye: rye bread, beer, cereals
Barley: malt, food colouring, Brewer's Yeast, beer, soups
Triticale: breads, pasta, cereals
Helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together.
Alcohol:
E.g. wine, beer, hard liquor, etc.
Since many of you are still going to drink, here are the better ones to consume: dry red wine, whisky, vodka, gin (basically anything dry, not sweet)
Soy:
E.g. Tofu, soya sauce, soya beans, edamame, anything that has "soy" written in the ingredients, etc.
10. 1-2-3 Rule
Eat 1 veggie for breakfast
E.g. spinach in smoothie
Eat 2 veggies for lunch
E.g. salad w/ raw veggies
Eat 3 veggies for dinner
E.g. steamed asparagus + salad of lettuce + cucumbers
11. Green, Yellow & Red Foods
Green: Eat as much as desired until full (remember to stop at 80% full - check out my blog 5 Habits for more details)
Veggies
Root veggies
Nuts
Nut butters
Seeds (flax)
Legumes (beans, peas, peanuts, chickpeas)
Olive oil
Organic raw honey (manuka)
Brown rice
Sweet potato
Squash
Fermented foods
Quinoa
Oats (steel-cut/old fashioned GF)
Unsweetened dried fruit
Water
Coconut water (unsweetened/unflavoured)
Dairy substitutes (unsweetened almond, hemp, cashew, coconut milk)
Herbal tea
Smoothies (no added sugar)
Veggie juices (no added sugar)
Yellow: Limit to 4oz (1 portion) per day, organic, antibiotic free
Wild fish
Wild game
Grass-fed beef
Organic meat/poultry/eggs
Ghee/clarified butter
Red: Do not eat
Dairy (except ghee/clarified butter)
Sugars (except organic raw honey)
Artificial sweeteners
Corn/corn products
Gluten
Grains (except brown rice)
White rice
White potato
Pasta (except brown rice/quinoa)
Processed carbs
Refined oils (canola, safflower, etc.)
Carbonated drinks
Sodas/diet sodas
Fruit juices
Alcohol
12. Nightshades
Nightshades are a species of plant known to cause bloating in some people.
E.g. potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, tomatillo, eggplant, etc.
If you have digestive issues, specifically bloating and constipation, you're better off staying away from these.
If you think a nightshade might be causing you problems, your best bet is to eliminate it from your diet for 2 weeks, and see how you feel. If there's no change, it's clearly not that causing you the problems (or at least not only that). If you notice a difference, reintroduce it, wait 3 days and see how you feel. If the problem comes back, it's clearly that food causing the issue.
Note that Dr. Chutkan advocates eating all fruits and veggies, however I try to limit my nightshades and notice that I feel better when I do. So if you don't have bloating, keep enjoying those nightshades!