Stephanie Rouillard is a Cape Town-based dietician who is all about real organic food using real ingredients.

“My fascination for nutrition is founded on the life-giving information encoded into real, whole food. I am passionate about using nutrition to instruct the body to function optimally and ultimately to heal,” says Rouillard.

Follow Stephanie’s 4 tips on resetting your gut for the new spring season.

Tip #1
Remove the real offenders from your kitchen: Out of sight, out of mind.

Say goodbye to the no-go’s: alcohol, refined sugar, man-made sweeteners, processed carbs, saturated fats and preservatives. Stock up on whole, fresh foods.

Tip #2
Re-inoculate your gut: Get in a ‘live’ food every day.

Start with fermented foods – start low, and go slow – some may aggravate gut symptoms. Feed that community of ‘gut bugs’ with fibre-rich foods. Aim for 30g of fibre every day, such as things like chia seeds and golden flaxseeds should be at the top of your shopping list.

Tip #3
Repair the gut lining by fuelling your body with healing nutrients.

Choose foods rich in omega-3, clean protein and zinc. Boost your cellular health with polyphenols. Aim for two different coloured vegetables at every meal. And, don’t forget to hydrate!
Tip # 4
Rebalance your lifestyle. Have you ever heard of the gut-mind connection?
Stress is toxic to your gut. Restore balance by moving daily, getting outdoors, and seeing family or friends. Stress less for a happy tummy.

SLOW DOWN: practice mindfulness, and eat slowly – chew thoroughly, away from distraction and with intention. Food is truly nature’s medicine.

Get this: Gut healing is rarely fast or generic. It entails a thoughtful, personalised and evidence-based approach – which always requires your best effort, alongside a dietitian’s expertise.

ALSO SEE:

The science behind weight loss and regain

All images: courtesy of Elvee Consultancy on behalf of KIKO VITALS