Even in the darkest, most challenging moments of our lives, we have the power to create and live a life we love.

Knowing how to create a life you love means understanding how we create in every moment.

There is a beautiful story about two wolves (attributed to a Cherokee legend) that captures the essence of how we create what we live.

It is a story about life, told by a grandfather to his grandson, who is hurt and struggling to overcome his sense of injustice.

The grandfather shares that within his grandson there is a battle between two wolves.

One wolf is full of anger, hate, envy, fear, jealousy, sorrow, despair, hopelessness, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, manipulation, pessimism, defeat, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other wolf is full of love, joy, peace, hope, goodness, serenity, humility, kindness, patience, benevolence, empathy, tolerance, goodwill, cooperation, optimism, forgiveness, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

The grandfather explains that the same fight within his grandson is happening inside everyone.

The grandson thought about it and asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The grandfather replied, “The one you feed.”

WHAT ARE YOU FEEDING YOURSELF?

Creating a life you love means exploring, releasing, and detaching from everything that no longer serves your wellbeing – and embracing everything that nourishes (feeds) health and happiness on all levels of your being:

Physically – restoring and maintaining your vitality by choosing foods and a lifestyle (way of living) that continually repairs and revitalises your body.

Mentally – mastering your mind and discovering the powerful connection between what you focus on the most and what that creates.

Emotionally – healing your heart by moving on from past pain (our wounded stories) and nurturing love and compassion for yourself and others.

Spiritually – honouring your connection to a much bigger picture, a sacred story – to life (creation) itself.

Your creative journey, discoveries, and healing will be as unique as you are.

But we do share one common ground as co-creators.

And that is energy.

ENERGY IS EVERYTHING

Quantum science has now proven that everything in life is an expression of energy.

Essentially, we are made of the same ‘stuff’ that everything is created from, composed of and held together by energy.

Our bodies also create and use energy to maintain our lives.

An excellent way to judge how well we are creating and using energy can be seen in the state of our health.

Energy is why healthy nutrition is essential.

It’s from the food we eat that we get the elements our bodies need to create energy.

In our blogs, we freely share practical information that can help you restore energy and physical function through healthy nutrition.

The following blogs summarise the impact and importance of energy in our lives.

Your Body Is Designed To Be Healthy

Blog Link: https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/your-body-is-designed-to-be-healthy/

How Food Can Be Your Medicine

Blog Link: https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/how-food-can-be-your-medicine/

How To Restore & Unblock Energy

Blog Link: https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/restore-and-unblock-energy/

MINDFULNESS MATTERS

We need to eat well to be well.

But eating a healthy diet is only one part of wellness and creating a life you love.

We also need to understand the connection between our minds (thinking), our emotions (feelings) and what we create (manifest) in life.

To create a life you love, mindfulness is essential.

Mindfulness is being ‘awake’ to ourselves in every moment (present).

Being awake means constantly being aware of the impact our thoughts and feelings have on ourselves, others, and our lives.

You can explore the influence of your thoughts and feelings yourself through muscle testing.

Muscle Testing can give you insight into your body’s physical and energetic state in response to different emotions and thoughts.

You’ll discover that positive and nurturing thoughts and feelings strengthen you and raise energy, while fearful and negative thoughts weaken you and deplete energy.

The mind-body impact our thoughts and feelings create is fascinating and goes beyond just our physical health.

In his book Hidden Messages in Water, Dr Masaru Emoto reveals that thoughts, words, and feelings influence even the molecular structure of water.

Masaru Emoto found that crystals formed in frozen water changed when specific, concentrated thoughts were directed toward them.

He demonstrated that water “treated” with intention can affect the formation of ice crystals.

The results of Masaru Emoto’s research open up a whole new understanding of our creative potential and reinforce why living mindfully is so essential.

Everything we think and feel has an energetic effect on everything.

What we focus on and feel directs where and how our energy flows.

Because everything we think and feel directs energy, what we focus on the most is constantly creating the life we live.

And that, too, is our point of power.

We can create change by mastering our minds.

We can rise above our pain and suffering and struggle.

We can heal our lives by shifting where we constantly put our attention (focus) and consciously choose where we invest our energy.

To learn more about mindfulness, check out the following authors’ books and YouTube channels.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle.

The Power of Thoughts by Swami Mukundananda.

The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer.

Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh

How to Love (Mindfulness Essentials, #3) by Thich Nhat Hanh

Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach.

Letting Go: The Pathway to Surrender by David R. Hawkins.

Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion by Pema Chödrön.

FOCUS IS POWERFUL

When we realise that everything is an expression of energy (everything!) – and that life is energetic and responds to our focus – we can tap into that force.

BUT – we need to be consistent.

Real, lasting change begins with what thoughts you choose to focus on constantly.

Consistency creates change.

That means creating a daily practice (even a constant practice when needed) when it comes to mastering our minds and resulting emotional reactions.

When life feels overwhelming and stressful, it’s so easy to be consumed by fear, negativity, reactivity, worry, and doom and gloom.

If you want to change your life, you must constantly commit to yourself and heal those parts of yourself that create stress and prevent you from living a life you truly love.

Shifting from being motivated by fear and stress to living a love-centred life means consciously and purposefully using your mind to influence your reality and circumstances.

Constantly focusing your mind and the power of intention directs energy and shapes what you creatively manifest in your life.

That means you take charge of you.

You’re the commander. The creator. The captain of your ship.

Bring your awareness into everything you think, feel, and do, and consciously choose what energy and values you want to live by in every moment.

If you want to live a life you love, you must live love.

Love is a high-vibration energy (528Hz frequency) that we can generate from within.

Immerse yourself in that energy.

Do all you can to discover and redefine what love truly is, including self-love.

Read books, watch inspiring videos, talk about love and life and values with like-minded people, listen to sound healing music, learn to meditate, learn to breathe, learn to quiet your heart and mind and body, spend time in nature, learn valuable life skills, immerse yourself in creative hobbies, learn how to communicate in nonviolent ways, and seek counselling to heal trauma.

Whatever inspires and energises love within you – do it – every moment of every day!

The greater the love you feel, create, and emit, the greater the power there is to transform your life and heal on every level of your being.

Our following blogs can help you stay focused, committed and inspired.

What Matters

Blog Link: https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/what-matters/

What Self-Love Truly Means

Blog Link: https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/understanding-self-love/

DETACHMENT FREES YOU

And if pain-filled thoughts about the past emerge, don’t fight with yourself.

We all have times when we haunt ourselves with disempowering thinking, but we don’t have to stay there.

Become aware of any undermining patterns of thinking that plague your mind.

Give yourself a hug and some compassion too.

Recognise that pain-filled thinking is a habit of mental regurgitation (vomit) you are learning to let go of.

Remind yourself that the past has no power over you. The past was an experience, not a prison you must stay in.

Imagine there’s a cord between you and painful thoughts. Take a gigantic pair of imaginary scissors and cut that cord. And watch them float away.

Thoughts have no power. They exist only for as long as you feed them your attention.

You can just cut your attachment to them every single time they arise. It’s a visualisation practice that frees you from thoughts that disempower you.

Then, refocus on energetically charged thoughts that empower and heal:

I trust, and I let go.

I release all fear.

I release all sorrow.

I release the pain of the past.

I release fearing the future.

I release taking on too much.

I release the need to please others.

I release the need to be perfect.

I release the need to control or be controlled.

I release everyone to their highest good.

I release myself to my highest good.

I am worthy of living a life I love.

I am safe.

I am loved.

I am protected.

I am guided.

I am healed.

I am abundant.

I am true to myself.

I am free.

You could even thank any pain-filled thoughts (and stories) by telling them: Thank you for everything I learned from you. I’m moving on now from the past. I release you to your highest good. I am free. You are free. I choose love. I choose to heal. I am here now.

You can use this same method to free yourself from fear-filled thoughts about the future by telling them: Thank you for wanting to protect me. I am safe, guided and protected. I release you to your highest good. I am in charge and choose to focus my energies within the power of now. I am free. You are free. I choose love. I choose to heal. I am here now.

Always remember that detaching from things that no longer serve you frees you from them.

LIVE LOVE

I want to leave you with a gift from my heart to yours.

It’s a free e-book called Live Love that you can download to your phone or iPad and read daily to inspire, renew, and maintain a positive mindset.

To download, click on the highlighted link above.

And share Live Love with your family and friends so that we can all inspire each other.

Imagine a tsunami of love that reaches everyone everywhere. I do. And together, we can.

Live Love is a small collection of affirming reminders that help centre us in the energy of love.

You can read these loving reminders first thing in the morning to start your day in a self-loving way and last thing at night before you sleep to calm your mind and body and promote a good night’s sleep.

Ultimately, life is a love story.

Even in its absence, love is always seeking our return to our true state of being, which is love.

Live Love invites us to be the love we seek.

My wish for you is that you live with all your heart and let nothing dim your light.

Much love always,

Tracey Rieniets.

REFERENCE

Radin D, Hayssen G, Emoto M, Kizu T. Double-blind test of the effects of distant intention on water crystal formation. Explore (NY). 2006 Sep-Oct;2(5):408-11. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2006.06.004. PMID: 16979104.

I’m seeing more people struggle to recover from virus infections:

• Struggling to get their energy back.

• Struggling with coughing that keeps hanging on.

• Experiencing ongoing secondary ailments, one after the other.

These symptoms all point to poor immune function that you need to rebuild.

If you or someone you know is struggling to recover their health and regain energy, it’s important to realise that immune function is directly related to inflammation and gut health.

When your gut microbiome is healthy, your immune system is better able to heal and protect you from disease-causing viruses and bacteria, and aid recovery too.

A simple nutrient tonic you can add to your morning routine is to combine one level teaspoon of Nourish prebiotic powder to rebuild beneficial microorganisms PLUS one level teaspoon of Turkey Tail mushroom powder for its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and strengthening properties.

IMMUNE TONIC RECIPE

Ingredients

1 level teaspoon of Nourish prebiotic powder.

1 level teaspoon of Turkey Tail (Coriolus versicolor) mushroom powder.

¼ cup of organic plant-based milk – Bonsoy, Almond, Coconut, or Hemp milk.

¼ cup hot water.

Instructions

Pour the milk and then the hot water into a sturdy glass or teacup.

Add the Nourish and Turkey Tail ingredients and whisk until the powder dissolves into the liquid.

If you are sensitive to the flavour of mushrooms, use unfiltered (cloudy) cold-pressed organic apple or pear juice instead of milk and hot water so you mask the taste. 

Both apples and pears have a prebiotic effect that stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.

Enjoy every morning before you eat other food.

You can download our free IMMUNE RECOVERY TONIC Turkey Tail + Nourish Recipe Sheet to keep as a handy reference by clicking on the link.

NOURISH PREBIOTIC ACTION

The ingredients in Nourish were chosen because of their prebiotic action in your gut.

Marshmallow root contains a type of soft fibre called mucilage that is rich in prebiotic starches (polysaccharides), which help to regulate gut microorganisms.

Elderberry contains antioxidants (polyphenols) that have strong prebiotic effects on your gut microflora. Antioxidants protect our cells from damage.

Lemon Balm supports digestion and the movement of food through your gastrointestinal system.

Graviola leaf (Soursop) supports the growth of Lactobacillus casei (friendly bacteria) in your gut.

Green tea (Matcha) acts as a prebiotic that helps increase your colon’s Bifidobacterium species (friendly bacteria).

Irish moss is a prebiotic mucilage (fibre) that positively influences gut microbial communities.

Aniseed nourishes beneficial gut bacteria and helps stabilise your intestinal microflora.

Licorice root nourishes and helps modify the composition and diversity of your gut microbiota.

TURKEY TAIL ACTION

Turkey tail (Coriolus versicolor) is one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms, offering a host of benefits that support a healthy immune system and reduce inflammation.

Researched properties include: anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue (tiredness, exhaustion), antioxidant, hepatoprotective (liver), antitumour, anticancer, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial effects, immunomodulatory, immune-activating, immunotherapeutic and immune-boosting properties.

Turkey tail is also used to improve insulin resistance, help fight pathogenic bacteria, and acts as a prebiotic balancing and promoting levels of healthy bacteria in the intestines.

IMMUNE RECOVERY

The one thing your body cannot do is create what it needs to produce energy and repair your body – that’s why we eat, drink fluids, and breathe.

But it’s what we eat and drink that makes the difference – especially to your gut microbiome and immune function.

Nutrition is the process of providing the food (nutrients and elements) necessary for your body to survive and thrive.

Your immune system is affected by your nutritional status.

Healthy nutrition reduces your risk of disease, boosts immune strength, aids recovery, and nurtures health and well-being.

If you want to be well, you’ve got to eat well!

If you really want to recover and stay well – remove refined SUGAR from your diet, including hidden sugars found in processed and highly refined foods.

Sugar feeds infection and inflammation like petrol feeds a fire.

And – prevention is always going to be your best cure.

I’d love you to read my blog about sugar, what to avoid, and healthier sweetening options.

And if you’re not sure what to eat, a good starting point is the Mediterranean Diet.

We also have a Healthy Eating Directory you can explore.

And, our Nutritional Therapist Sinead Burns can also help you if you’d like the support of a practitioner.

PRACTITIONER SUPPORT

I love sharing general health tips and nutrient-rich recipes that can help you create better health.

But the information I share is not meant to replace professional support.

If you suffer from chronic infections, disease, or poor immune function always seek qualified advice.

Your health is precious so please protect it.

All the very best,

Lisa Rieniets ND.

REFERENCES

I’ve included live links to research and studies so you can explore how Nourish prebiotic powder and Turkey Tail mushrooms can benefit your health and wellbeing.

Aquino, Jailane de Souza, et al. ‘Models to Evaluate the Prebiotic Potential of Foods’. Functional Food – Improve Health through Adequate Food, InTech, 2 Aug. 2017. Crossref, doi:10.5772/intechopen.69174. (Prebiotic Potential of Foods)

Aubert P, Guinobert I, Blondeau C, Bardot V, Ripoche I, Chalard P, Neunlist M. Basal and Spasmolytic Effects of a Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Melissa officinalis L. on Intestinal Motility: An Ex Vivo Study. J Med Food. 2019 Jul;22(7):653-662. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2018.0154. Epub 2019 Apr 16. PMID: 30990736; PMCID: PMC6653806. (Lemon Balm)

Authier H, Bardot V, Berthomier L, Bertrand B, Blondeau C, Holowacz S, Coste A. Synergistic Effects of Licorice Root and Walnut Leaf Extracts on Gastrointestinal Candidiasis, Inflammation and Gut Microbiota Composition in Mice. Microbiol Spectr. 2022 Apr 27;10(2):e0235521. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02355-21. Epub 2022 Mar 9. PMID: 35262409; PMCID: PMC9045305.(Licorice Root)

Benson KF, Stamets P, Davis R, Nally R, Taylor A, Slater S, Jensen GS. The mycelium of the Trametes versicolor (Turkey tail) mushroom and its fermented substrate each show potent and complementary immune activating properties in vitro. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019 Dec 2;19(1):342. doi: 10.1186/s12906-019-2681-7. PMID: 31791317; PMCID: PMC6889544.(Turkey tail)

Camilleri, E., Blundell, R., Baral, B. et al. A comprehensive review on the health benefits, phytochemicals, and enzymatic constituents for potential therapeutic and industrial applications of Turkey tail mushrooms. Discov Appl Sci 6, 257 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-024-05936-9 (Turkey tail)

Chugh RM, Mittal P, Mp N, Arora T, Bhattacharya T, Chopra H, Cavalu S, Gautam RK. Fungal Mushrooms: A Natural Compound With Therapeutic Applications. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jul 13;13:925387. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.925387. PMID: 35910346; PMCID: PMC9328747. (Medicinal mushrooms)

Dybka-Stępień K, Otlewska A, Góźdź P, Piotrowska M. The Renaissance of Plant Mucilage in Health Promotion and Industrial Applications: A Review. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 24;13(10):3354. doi: 10.3390/nu13103354. PMID: 34684354; PMCID: PMC8539170. (Marshmallow root)

Jin JS, Touyama M, Hisada T, Benno Y. Effects of green tea consumption on human fecal microbiota with special reference to Bifidobacterium species. Microbiol Immunol. 2012 Nov;56(11):729-39. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2012.00502.x. PMID: 22924537. (Green Tea)

Kasprzak-Drozd K, Oniszczuk T, Stasiak M, Oniszczuk A. Beneficial Effects of Phenolic Compounds on Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 2;22(7):3715. doi: 10.3390/ijms22073715. PMID: 33918284; PMCID: PMC8038165. (Anise)

Liu J, Kandasamy S, Zhang J, Kirby CW, Karakach T, Hafting J, Critchley AT, Evans F, Prithiviraj B. Prebiotic effects of diet supplemented with the cultivated red seaweed Chondrus crispus or with fructo-oligo-saccharide on host immunity, colonic microbiota and gut microbial metabolites. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015 Aug 14;15:279. doi: 10.1186/s12906-015-0802-5. PMID: 26271359; PMCID: PMC4535385. (Irish Moss)

Meza-Gutiérrez NN, Magallón-Servín P, Balois-Morales R, Pérez-Ramírez IF, López-Guzmán GG, Berumen-Varela G, Bautista-Rosales PU. Growth Promoting Activity of Annona muricata L. Leaf Extracts on Lactobacillus casei. Plants (Basel). 2022 Feb 22;11(5):581. doi: 10.3390/plants11050581. PMID: 35270049; PMCID: PMC8912565. (Graviola Leaf)

Reider S, Watschinger C, Längle J, Pachmann U, Przysiecki N, Pfister A, Zollner A, Tilg H, Plattner S, Moschen AR. Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Prebiotic Intervention with Polyphenols Extracted from European Black Elderberry-Sustained Expansion of Akkermansia spp. J Pers Med. 2022 Sep 9;12(9):1479. doi: 10.3390/jpm12091479. PMID: 36143265; PMCID: PMC9504334. (Elderberry)

Saleh MH, Rashedi I, Keating A. Immunomodulatory Properties of Coriolus versicolor: The Role of Polysaccharopeptide. Front Immunol. 2017 Sep 6;8:1087. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01087. PMID: 28932226; PMCID: PMC5592279. (Turkey tail)

Tsirulnichenko, L. and Kretova, J., 2020. Prebiotic properties of licorice root extracts. doi: https://dspace.emu.ee/xmlui/handle/10492/5598 (Licorice root)

Venturella G, Ferraro V, Cirlincione F, Gargano ML. Medicinal Mushrooms: Bioactive Compounds, Use, and Clinical Trials. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jan 10;22(2):634. doi: 10.3390/ijms22020634. PMID: 33435246; PMCID: PMC7826851. (Medicinal Mushrooms)

Zhao J, Hu Y, Qian C, Hussain M, Liu S, Zhang A, He R, Sun P. The Interaction between Mushroom Polysaccharides and Gut Microbiota and Their Effect on Human Health: A Review. Biology (Basel). 2023 Jan 12;12(1):122. doi: 10.3390/biology12010122. PMID: 36671814; PMCID: PMC9856211. (Mushrooms effect on gut microbiome)

Nutritional Therapy is a holistic approach to health and wellness that focuses on using food, nutrient supplements, and lifestyle tweaks to support your body’s innate potential to heal and maintain balance.

Food can be a powerful way we can make what we eat our medicine too.

Nutritional Therapy is based on the understanding that food nutrients play a crucial role in everything from our energy and mental clarity to immune function and disease prevention.

7 BENEFITS OF NUTRITIONAL THERAPY

Let’s dive into some of the powerful benefits that nutritional therapy can bring to your life:

1. Improved Energy Levels: No more afternoon slumps! By identifying and addressing nutritional deficiencies, you can achieve sustained energy all day long.

2. Enhanced Mental Clarity: Boost your brainpower! Proper nutrition supports brain health, leading to better focus, memory, and cognitive function.

3. Stronger Immune System: Eat your way to better health! A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients strengthens your immune system, reducing illness risk.

4. Better Digestive Health: Say goodbye to digestive woes! Personalised dietary plans can help alleviate issues like bloating, constipation, and indigestion.

5. Weight Management: Achieve and maintain a healthy weight through tailored nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.

6. Chronic Disease Management: Nutritional therapy can help manage conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

7. Improved Mood and Well-being: Feel good inside and out! Balanced nutrition can positively impact your mood and overall sense of well-being.

WHY NUTRITIONAL THERAPY WORKS

Nutritional therapy is personalised and science-based, and collaborative – we work together as a team.

By focusing on your individual needs and using evidence-based practices, we tackle the root causes of your health issues rather than just the symptoms. This ensures sustainable, long-term improvements in your health and well-being.

Using genetic and functional testing, we get a deep understanding of your body’s specific requirements. This data-driven approach ensures that our recommendations are precise and effective.

Combined with continuous support and monitoring, nutritional therapy empowers you to take control of your health and achieve your wellness goals.

STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS

The approach I use is very thorough.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the processes involved:

1. Initial Consultation: I always start with a comprehensive chat to understand your health goals, medical history, and lifestyle.

2. Assessment: Using genetic and functional tests, I gather detailed info about your body’s unique nutritional needs.

3. Personalized Plan: Based on thorough assessments, together, we create a customised nutrition and supplement protocol tailored specifically to address your needs.

4. Implementation: I guide you through the implementation of your personalised plan, providing support and resources to help you succeed.

5. Monitoring and Adjustment: Regular follow-ups ensure that your plan is effective. We tweak things as needed to optimise your health outcomes.

6. Ongoing Support: Continuous support is available to help you maintain and further improve your health.

TAILORED TO YOU

Imagine a nutrition plan designed exclusively for you.

No more one-size-fits-all advice.

Personalised nutritional therapy considers your genetic makeup, lifestyle, and health history to create a plan that meets your specific needs.

ENHANCED EFFECTIVENESS

A personalised approach targets your unique health challenges, ensuring you get the precise nutrients your body requires.

Using advanced diagnostic testing, functional medicine practitioners understand the complex interactions within your body.

Personalised nutrition leverages these insights to develop precise dietary interventions, ensuring every aspect of your health is addressed.

You experience quicker, more noticeable results.

You also gain valuable insights into how specific nutrients impact your well-being and can make informed dietary choices that maintain and enhance your wellness over time.

TO SEE ME

You can experience the powerful combination of personalised nutrition and functional medicine, by booking an appointment to see me at Rener Health Clinics.

You can click on the link here and BOOK ONLINE .

You can also contact reception during clinic hours at (08)9330 2922.

And if you have any questions, you’re welcome to send an email to me at sineadburnsryan@icloud.com.

I would love to help you take charge of your health today!

Warmest Regards,

Sinéad.

Nutritional Therapist.

REFERENCES

ALLRED, C. R. G., Voss, A. C., Finn, S. C., & McCAMISH, M. A. (1996). Malnutrition and clinical outcomes: the case for medical nutrition therapy. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 96(4), 361-369.

Hartman C, Eliakim R, Shamir R. Nutritional status and nutritional therapy in inflammatory bowel diseases. World J Gastroenterol. 2009 Jun 7;15(21):2570-8. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.2570. PMID: 19496185; PMCID: PMC2691486.

Kim SE. Importance of nutritional therapy in the management of intestinal diseases: beyond energy and nutrient supply. Intest Res. 2019 Oct;17(4):443-454. doi: 10.5217/ir.2019.00075. Epub 2019 Sep 4. PMID: 31474088; PMCID: PMC6821938.

Koithan M, Devika J. New Approaches to Nutritional Therapy. J Nurse Pract. 2010 Nov;6(10):805-806. doi: 10.1016/j.nurpra.2010.07.001. PMID: 21076654; PMCID: PMC2976542.

Miranda D Harris, Alison Benbow. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Nutritional Therapy in the McClelland Teaching Clinic at the University of Worcester. On J Complement & Alt Med. 6(3): 2021. OJCAM.MS.ID.000637.

Muscaritoli M, Krznarić Z, Singer P, Barazzoni R, Cederholm T, Golay A, Van Gossum A, Kennedy N, Kreymann G, Laviano A, Pavić T, Puljak L, Sambunjak D, Utrobičić A, Schneider SM. Effectiveness and efficacy of nutritional therapy: A systematic review following Cochrane methodology. Clin Nutr. 2017 Aug;36(4):939-957. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2016.06.022. PMID: 27448948.

Noland, Diana, Jeanne A. Drisko, and Leigh Wagner, eds. Integrative and functional medical nutrition therapy: Principles and practices. Springer Nature, 2020.

Shils, M. E. (1979). Principles of nutritional therapy. Cancer, 43(S5), 2093-2102.

The food we eat can be our medicine too, especially mushrooms.

I use a variety of mushroom powders in my clients’ programs, usually in the form of hot (not boiling) drinks to release the nutrition and provide fast delivery.

I use mushroom powders rather than liquid extracts to provide the whole benefits of the fruiting body, including prebiotic fibre called beta-glucans that stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial gut bacteria – and are also recognised for their anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.

I use a mushroom coffee recipe with my clients because it is a convenient way to include medicinal mushrooms in a morning routine that most people enjoy – their morning coffee.

It is argued that coffee reduces the absorption of certain nutrients but if you drink coffee between meals, you minimise this impact.

Consumed in moderation (1-2 cups per day), organic coffee can aid digestion by stimulating gastric acid, enhance bile and pancreatic secretion, reduce gallstone risk, promote large intestine movement (bowel movement), regulate intestinal flora, and prevent certain types of cancers.

Adding mushroom powder to your morning coffee does change the taste – but also pairs well – giving you an earthy and even a nutty flavour depending on the type of mushrooms used.

I recommend using organic coffee granules to make a quick convenient cup of coffee. But if you are a lover of brewed coffee just adapt the recipe to suit your needs.

If you’re particularly sensitive to caffeine, use organic water-decaffeinated coffee granules.

If you don’t like coffee, you can make a delicious cup of hot cacao or tea and still enjoy the benefits of medicinal mushrooms.

Mushroom powder also adds a delicious umami boost to miso.

If you are a coffee purist who would never mess with your favourite brew – you can add mushroom powder to half a cup of hot water (not boiling) or organic miso. Steep and stir to release the active ingredients.

DON’T USE BOILING WATER

Water temperature plays a crucial role in mushroom coffee. Do not use boiling water.

Mushroom powders have a broad spectrum of nutrients and activity that can be destroyed by excessive heat.

Boiling water is 100℃ and that’s too hot. The optimal water temperature for keeping the mushroom powder nutrients intact is between 85-93°C maximum, with some manufacturers recommending 75°C for certain mushrooms.

If you have a temperature control kettle that’s ideal. Set it for 85°C for most mushroom powders. But for those who have a standard kettle, our recipe can help you make a quick hot (not boiling) brew.

Also, use filtered or distilled drinking water for brewing to ensure the best possible benefits.

RECIPE

Many of us enjoy a mug-sized morning coffee, so grab your favourite coffee mug (approx. 240ml).

Fill between a quarter to a third of your mug with cold, organic plant-based milk first.

I use Bonsoy soy milk but use your favourite.

Add one slightly rounded teaspoon of mushroom powder to the milk.

Add one teaspoon of organic coffee granules – or one shot of brewed coffee.

Use a milk frother and blend the ingredients into the milk.

Once you’ve created your favourite froth consistency, then gently stir in hot (not boiling) water into your mug.

If you are using a standard kettle, let your boiled kettle water cool for a bit before making your coffee.

If you require sweetener, use a few drops of 100% pure monk fruit liquid extract, or a teaspoon of raw honey, or a teaspoon of 100% pure organic maple syrup.

Finish with a sprinkle of Ceylon cinnamon to give your immune system a boost (optional).

Enjoy!

RECIPE NOTES

If you drink animal milk, please only consume organic dairy products so you can avoid exposure to agrichemicals used in conventional Australian dairy farming, such as antibiotics and vaccines used to control diseases and promote growth • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce inflammation • anthelmintics (antiparasitics) • insecticides • herbicides • and fungicides.

Buying organic dairy can help you avoid the risk of consuming permissible residue contaminants in conventional dairy products, which can impact human health.

If you have sensitive gut issues, start slowly with mushroom powders. For the first three days, use only a quarter teaspoon of mushroom powder. If your gut responds well, increase to half a teaspoon for three days. If all remains well, increase to a teaspoon.

HOW MANY CUPS A DAY?

Unless your practitioner advises you otherwise, moderation in all things is usually good advice.

Two cups a day is a general consumption guideline for mushroom powder drinks.

In the morning you can enjoy a cup of mushroom coffee to help boost energy and support your immune system.

Don’t drink coffee after lunchtime.

At night avoid stimulant drinks altogether, especially sugar sweetened beverages. Instead, try a teaspoon of lion’s mane mushroom powder in a hot cacao drink to promote a good night’s sleep.

Cacao contains tryptophan, which soothes, calms, and relaxes. Sweeten with unprocessed honey, which also contains tryptophan, or use pure monk fruit extract if you are on a sugar-free diet.

Lion’s mane mushroom is relaxing and calming for your brain making it a wonderful nighttime drink.

Studies reveal that lion’s mane mushroom has the potential to hasten the onset of REM sleep improving overall sleep quality.

MUSHROOM RESEARCH

Mushrooms have been used for thousands of years both as food and for medicinal purposes.

Medicinal mushrooms are classed as natural immunomodulators, which means they contain bioactive compounds that help regulate the immune system so it works more effectively.

Mushrooms also help reduce inflammation, prevent disease, aid recovery, and restore metabolic health.

There is growing evidence that medicinal-culinary mushrooms have a positive influence on your gut microbiome too, acting as prebiotics that stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms.

Mushrooms are also used as a therapeutic approach in integrative oncology in the treatment of cancer, alongside chemotherapy (But mushroom powders should NOT be taken with immunotherapy or targeted therapies for cancer treatment).

Research evidence suggests that medicinal mushrooms may improve cancer treatment and patients’ survival.

But, if you are undergoing cancer treatment, it is important to check with your oncologist before using them.

I have included live links to studies in the blog references so you can further explore why mushrooms are an invaluable addition to your daily diet.

Following is a brief review of the main action and uses of four mushroom powders I commonly use in my clinic practice and the reasons why I recommend them.

LION’S MANE – Hericium erinaceus

ACTION

Anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation), antibiotic, anticarcinogenic (preventing cancer), antidiabetic (regulates blood sugar), antifatigue, antihypertensive (balances blood pressure), antihyperlipodemic (prevents rise in cholesterol), antisenescence (anti-ageing), cardioprotective (heart), hepatoprotective (liver), immune-stimulating, nephroprotective (kidneys), and neuroprotective (brain and nerve cells) properties.

MAIN APPLICATIONS

Lion’s name is well known for supporting the nervous system and brain.

Lion’s Mane properties help boost brain function, improve memory, alertness and focus, is used for mood support, and to encourage a healthy nervous system.

Studies show that Lions Mane helps improve cognitive function, sleep quality, neuropathy, neurodegenerative diseases, anxiety, and depression.

Lions mane also promotes healthy energy levels and combats fatigue.

CHAGA – Inonotus obliquus

ACTION

Anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, antitumour (inhibit abnormal cell growth), antioxidant (protects against cell damage), anti-obesity (aids weight regulation), anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antiviral (effective against viruses), hepatoprotective (liver), renoprotective (kidneys), hypoglycemic (improve blood sugar control) and hypolipidemic (lowers high cholesterol) activities.

MAIN APPLICATIONS

Chaga is mainly known for its immune boosting and metabolic properties.

Chaga is a natural adaptogen that supports whole body balance and improves physical endurance.

It is used for reducing inflammation, preventing cancer, reducing high cholesterol levels, regulating blood pressure, improving energy metabolism, and as an anti-obesity aid in weight loss research.

Chaga is also used in integrative oncology as a support therapy to help slow cancer growth and support immune function.

TURKEY TAIL – Coriolus versicolor

ACTION

Anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue (tiredness, exhaustion), antioxidant, hepatoprotective (liver), antitumour, anticancer, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial effects, immunomodulatory, immune-activating, immunotherapeutic and immune-boosting properties.

MAIN APPLICATIONS

Turkey tail is one of the most popular medicinal mushrooms, offering a host of benefits that support a healthy immune system, reduce inflammation, and fight cancer.

Turkey tail has been demonstrated to increase the rate of survival for cancer patients, especially research participants with breast, gastric, and colorectal cancers.

Turkey tail is also used to improve insulin resistance, help fight pathogenic bacteria, and acts as a prebiotic balancing and promoting levels of healthy bacteria in the intestines.

Studies also show that the immune-modulating action of turkey tail also has anti-fatigue properties that aid immune dysfunction, such as chronic fatigue.

With its ability to lower ammonia levels after exercise, turkey tail also has the potential to boost exercise performance and endurance.

REISHI – Ganoderma lucidum

ACTION

Anticancer, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, antihypertensive, anticancer, cytotoxic (stop cancer cells from dividing and growing and to shrink in size), antimutagenic (reducing the frequency of mutation), antiaging, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, antioxidant, antihyperlipidaemic, and hepatoprotective properties.

MAIN APPLICATIONS

Since ancient times, Reishi has been widely used as a tonic to promote well-being and longevity in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Reishi is used to boost the immune system, promote restful sleep, and combat fatigue.

Studies have found that the immune stimulating properties of Reishi inhibit cancer cell signalling and growth and is used in integrative oncology as an immune system support supplement in chemotherapy and radiation cancer treatments.

Reishi is a natural adaptogen that helps restore balance in response to stress, anxiety, and fatigue, especially bodily weakness and exhaustion after minimal effort (neurasthenia).

Reishi is also used for liver and kidney support, blood glucose management, and to promote overall wellbeing.

PRACTITIONER SUPPORT

I love sharing general information that can help you create a healthier lifestyle.

But what I share is not meant to replace professional support.

If you suffer from chronic infections or disease, always seek qualified advice.

Your health is precious so please protect it.

As a parting gift, you can download my MUSHROOM COFFEE Handout Sheet, I give to my clients as a handy recipe reference.

All the very best,

Lisa Rieniets ND.

REFERENCES

Arata S, Watanabe J, Maeda M, Yamamoto M, Matsuhashi H, Mochizuki M, Kagami N, Honda K, Inagaki M. Continuous intake of the Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) aqueous extract suppresses cancer progression and maintains body temperature in mice. Heliyon. 2016 May 12;2(5):e00111. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2016.e00111. PMID: 27441282; PMCID: PMC4946216. (Chaga)

Ashraf SA, Elkhalifa AEO, Siddiqui AJ, Patel M, Awadelkareem AM, Snoussi M, Ashraf MS, Adnan M, Hadi S. Cordycepin for Health and Wellbeing: A Potent Bioactive Metabolite of an Entomopathogenic Cordyceps Medicinal Fungus and Its Nutraceutical and Therapeutic Potential. Molecules. 2020 Jun 12;25(12):2735. doi: 10.3390/molecules25122735. PMID: 32545666; PMCID: PMC7356751. (Cordyceps)

Benson KF, Stamets P, Davis R, Nally R, Taylor A, Slater S, Jensen GS. The mycelium of the Trametes versicolor (Turkey tail) mushroom and its fermented substrate each show potent and complementary immune activating properties in vitro. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019 Dec 2;19(1):342. doi: 10.1186/s12906-019-2681-7. PMID: 31791317; PMCID: PMC6889544.(Turkey tail)

Camilleri, E., Blundell, R., Baral, B. et al. A comprehensive review on the health benefits, phytochemicals, and enzymatic constituents for potential therapeutic and industrial applications of Turkey tail mushrooms. Discov Appl Sci 6, 257 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-024-05936-9 (Turkey tail)

Cerletti C, Esposito S, Iacoviello L. Edible Mushrooms and Beta-Glucans: Impact on Human Health. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 25;13(7):2195. doi: 10.3390/nu13072195. PMID: 34202377; PMCID: PMC8308413. (Mushroom beta-glucans)

Chan, S. W., Tomlinson, B., Chan, P., & Lam, C. W. K. (2021). The beneficial effects of Ganoderma lucidum on cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk. Pharmaceutical Biology, 59(1), 1159–1169. https://doi.org/10.1080/13880209.2021.1969413 (Reishi – heart, metabolic disease)

Chay WY, Tham CK, Toh HC, et al. Coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) use as therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients with poor liver function or who are unfit for standard therapy. J Altern Complement Med. 2017;23(8):648-652. (Turkey tail – cancer)

Chong PS, Fung ML, Wong KH, Lim LW. Therapeutic Potential of Hericium erinaceus for Depressive Disorder. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Dec 25;21(1):163. doi: 10.3390/ijms21010163. PMID: 31881712; PMCID: PMC6982118. (Lions mane)

Chugh RM, Mittal P, Mp N, Arora T, Bhattacharya T, Chopra H, Cavalu S, Gautam RK. Fungal Mushrooms: A Natural Compound With Therapeutic Applications. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jul 13;13:925387. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.925387. PMID: 35910346; PMCID: PMC9328747. (Medicinal mushrooms)

Dan A, Swain R, Belonce S, Jacobs RJ. Therapeutic Effects of Medicinal Mushrooms on Gastric, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer: A Scoping Review. Cureus. 2023 Apr 14;15(4):e37574. doi: 10.7759/cureus.37574. PMID: 37193480; PMCID: PMC10183216. (Medicinal mushrooms – cancer)

Eliza WL, Fai CK, Chung LP. Efficacy of Yun Zhi (Coriolus versicolor) on survival in cancer patients: systematic review and meta-analysis. Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2012;6(1):78–87. (Turkey tail – cancer survival)

Ern PTY, Quan TY, Yee FS, Yin ACY. Therapeutic properties of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom): A review. Mycology. 2023 Oct 20;15(2):144-161. doi: 10.1080/21501203.2023.2260408. PMID: 38813471; PMCID: PMC11132974. (Chaga)

Friedman M. Chemistry, Nutrition, and Health-Promoting Properties of Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) Mushroom Fruiting Bodies and Mycelia and Their Bioactive Compounds. J Agric Food Chem. 2015 Aug 19;63(32):7108-23. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5b02914. Epub 2015 Aug 5. PMID: 26244378. (Lions mane)

Guggenheim AG, Wright KM, Zwickey HL. Immune Modulation From Five Major Mushrooms: Application to Integrative Oncology. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2014 Feb;13(1):32-44. PMID: 26770080; PMCID: PMC4684115. (Integrative oncology)

Ho CS, Tung YT, Kung WM, Huang WC, Leung WK, Huang CC, Wu JH. Effect of Coriolus versicolor Mycelia Extract on Exercise Performance and Physical Fatigue in Mice. Int J Med Sci. 2017 Sep 4;14(11):1110-1117. doi: 10.7150/ijms.20547. PMID: 29104465; PMCID: PMC5666542. (Turkey tail – fatigue and sports performance)

Jayachandran M, Xiao J, Xu B. A Critical Review on Health Promoting Benefits of Edible Mushrooms through Gut Microbiota. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Sep 8;18(9):1934. doi: 10.3390/ijms18091934. PMID: 28885559; PMCID: PMC5618583. (Mushroom benefits)

Jeitler M, Michalsen A, Frings D, Hübner M, Fischer M, Koppold-Liebscher DA, Murthy V, Kessler CS. Significance of Medicinal Mushrooms in Integrative Oncology: A Narrative Review. Front Pharmacol. 2020 Nov 11;11:580656. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.580656. PMID: 33424591; PMCID: PMC7794004. (Integrative oncology)

Kim JH, Kim DH, Jo S, Cho MJ, Cho YR, Lee YJ, Byun S. Immunomodulatory functional foods and their molecular mechanisms. Exp Mol Med. 2022 Jan;54(1):1-11. doi: 10.1038/s12276-022-00724-0. Epub 2022 Jan 25. PMID: 35079119; PMCID: PMC8787967. (Immune support)

Li TJ, Lee TY, Lo Y, Lee LY, Li IC, Chen CC, Chang FC. Hericium erinaceus mycelium ameliorate anxiety induced by continuous sleep disturbance in vivo. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021 Dec 5;21(1):295. doi: 10.1186/s12906-021-03463-3. PMID: 34865649; PMCID: PMC8643634. (Lions mane for sleep)

Lu Y, Jia Y, Xue Z, Li N, Liu J, Chen H. Recent Developments in Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) Polysaccharides: Isolation, Structural Characteristics, Biological Activities and Application. Polymers (Basel). 2021 Apr 29;13(9):1441. doi: 10.3390/polym13091441. PMID: 33947037; PMCID: PMC8124789. (Chaga)

Mallard B, Leach DN, Wohlmuth H, Tiralongo J. Synergistic immuno-modulatory activity in human macrophages of a medicinal mushroom formulation consisting of Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake. PLoS One. 2019 Nov 7;14(11):e0224740. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224740. PMID: 31697749; PMCID: PMC6837746. (Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake)

Nehlig A. Effects of Coffee on the Gastro-Intestinal Tract: A Narrative Review and Literature Update. Nutrients. 2022 Jan 17;14(2):399. doi: 10.3390/nu14020399. PMID: 35057580; PMCID: PMC8778943. (Coffee – gut effects)

Pallav, K., Dowd, S. E., Villafuerte, J., Yang, X., Kabbani, T., Hansen, J., … Kelly, C. P. (2014). Effects of polysaccharopeptide from Trametes Versicolor and amoxicillin on the gut microbiome of healthy volunteers: A randomized clinical trial. Gut Microbes, 5(4), 458–467. https://doi.org/10.4161/gmic.29558 (Turkey tail – gut microbiome)

PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. Medicinal Mushrooms (PDQ®): Health Professional Version. 2024 Jun 14. In: PDQ Cancer Information Summaries [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Cancer Institute (US); 2002–. PMID: 27929633. (Medicinal mushrooms – cancer summaries)

Saleh MH, Rashedi I, Keating A. Immunomodulatory Properties of Coriolus versicolor: The Role of Polysaccharopeptide. Front Immunol. 2017 Sep 6;8:1087. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01087. PMID: 28932226; PMCID: PMC5592279. (Turkey tail)

Stanley G, Harvey K, Slivova V, Jiang J, Sliva D. Ganoderma lucidum suppresses angiogenesis through the inhibition of secretion of VEGF and TGF-beta1 from prostate cancer cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Apr 29;330(1):46-52. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.02.116. PMID: 15781230. (Reishi)

Suarez-Arroyo IJ, Rosario-Acevedo R, Aguilar-Perez A, Clemente PL, Cubano LA, Serrano J, Schneider RJ, Martínez-Montemayor MM. Anti-tumor effects of Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) in inflammatory breast cancer in in vivo and in vitro models. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e57431. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057431. Epub 2013 Feb 28. PMID: 23468988; PMCID: PMC3585368. (Reishi – cancer)

Szeto, Maria. (2008). Coriolus Versicolor Extracts: Relevance in Cancer Management. Current Oncology – CURR ONCOL. 15. 10.3747/co.v15i2.147. (Turkey tail – cancer)

Taborska, Nina & Martyka, Anna & Figiel, Martyna & Ujma, Przemysław. (2024). The impact of consumed coffee on the digestive system – review of the latest research. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 53. 32-43. 10.12775/JEHS.2024.53.003. (Coffee)

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When we think of the nutrition in oranges, we tend to think of the vitamin C content that benefits our immune systems.

But oranges also contain valuable antioxidants for protecting our health, and most of them are found in orange peels.

Orange peel nutrients are widely studied for their potential to prevent disease and virus infection, promote heart and gut health, aid digestion, reduce allergies, and calm inflammation.

WHY ORANGE PEELS?

Orange peels offer a wide range of powerful compounds produced by plants that provide health benefits to your body (phytonutrients).

They are full of antioxidant flavonoids, predominantly hesperidin.

Hesperidin is known to have antioxidant • anti-inflammatory • antiadipogenic (lowers high levels of fats) • antiallergic (prevents or relieves allergies) • anticarcinogenic (protecting against cancer) • antiviral • insulin-sensitising • hypolipidemic (decreases high cholesterol) • neuroprotective (defends the central nervous system against injury) • and vasoprotective (alleviates or prevents blood vessel diseases) properties.

We should never underestimate the power of nutrition to protect our health.

In cold and flu seasons, orange peels offer us a simple way we can prevent and heal from flu and virus infections.

And you can make eating orange peels delicious using my puree recipe.

I’ve included links in the reference list to studies that show hesperidin’s anti-viral activity against the influenza virus by significantly reducing the ability of a virus to infect your cells (virus replication).

Hesperidin is also emerging as a promising candidate in the fight against COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2), with the potential to contribute to both preventive and therapeutic strategies.

PUREE RECIPE

I originally created an orange peel puree recipe to use for myself to help prevent and recover from viruses, colds and flu infections.

I’m constantly working with sick people so I use proactive strategies to protect my immune system.

Now, with virus infections challenging us all year round, I want to share my puree recipe with everyone because it’s powerful and delicious.

It’s a prevention is always the best cure type of recipe you can eat daily.

The aim of the recipe is to help you boost and protect your metabolism and immune system.

You use a slow cooker for this recipe to preserve as much nutrition as possible.

But you can also gently boil whole oranges, and we give you that option in the recipe.

Luckily, the citrus season in Australia peaks in the colder months of winter so there are plenty of oranges to choose from.

Navel oranges are available throughout winter. They are a sweet, seedless orange making them ideal for orange peel puree.

I make small batches of orange peel puree at a time but feel free to adjust the recipe quantities to suit your needs.

INGREDIENTS

4 organic oranges.

1/2 cup boiling water.

1/4 cup lemon juice.

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

1/2 teaspoon of 100% pure monk fruit powder.

3 tablespoons of dark, organic, pure maple syrup.

EQUIPMENT

Slow cooker – on low.

Stick blender.

Metric measuring spoons.

Glass storage jars.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you can’t source organic oranges, thoroughly wash your oranges with detergent or a sonic cleaner to remove any wax or pesticide residues. Do not remove the peel.

Cut the oranges in quarters and then finely slice each quarter and remove any seeds.

Layer the orange slices in your slow cooker.

Pour half a cup of boiling water in a glass measuring jug.

Add the cinnamon and monk fruit.

Whisk the ingredients into the hot water.

Stir in the lemon juice.

Pour over the oranges.

Set your slow cooker on slow heat for 3-4 hours.

After 2 hours stir the fruit, bringing the bottom layers to the top, and press the fruit into the juices.

After three hours check to see if the peels can be easily softened with a fork.

If not completely cooked, continue cooking for four hours, turn the cooker off, take the lid off, and allow to cool.

When cooled to room temperature, add the maple syrup to offset the bitterness of orange pith.

Then get your stick blender and blend into a smooth orange puree.

Taste test and add more maple syrup if needed.

Pour your purée into sterilised glass jars and store in the fridge.

Because this recipe doesn’t contain preserving sugar, make sure you eat the puree within two weeks.

RECIPE NOTES

I use a 1.5 litre slow cooker with a ceramic inner pot and glass lid for this recipe. You may need to adjust the cooking time if you use more oranges or a large slow cooker.

The oranges are cooked when the peels easily break up with a fork.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can boil the oranges using the same recipe. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and gently simmer with the lid on the pot for one to two hours. Keep the lid on the pot and allow the cooked oranges to cool to room temperature before blending.

I love eating blood oranges, which you can see in the recipe image, but use whatever is in season, and preferably a sweet orange variety.

If you can’t source organic oranges, make sure you scrub them well to remove as much pesticide and wax residue as possible.

Orange peel puree made in a slow cooker creates a stronger brew than boiling oranges. But use what equipment you have. Either way of cooking will benefit your gut microbiome and immune system.

The amount of pure maple syrup sweetener you add will depend on the variety and number of oranges you use. Taste test and sweeten accordingly. Don‘t use sugar.

If you can’t source 100% pure monk fruit, don’t worry – it’s a natural sweetener with immune-boosting benefits. Just add maple syrup after the oranges are puréed.

I buy 100% pure monk fruit powder online from Herbal Connection in Queensland.

And also I use Thankfully Nourished pure liquid monk fruit extract, which I stock at the clinic to help my clients quit sugar.

If you can’t source 100% pure certified organic maple syrup, use raw honey. Add the honey once your cooked oranges have cooled so you don’t destroy the enzymes in the honey.

EATING IDEAS

There are many ways you can enjoy eating orange peel puree.

Have fun experimenting and find your favourite way.

You can eat 1 teaspoon of orange puree three times daily straight off the spoon to boost your metabolism and immune system and prevent chronic disease.

Add 1 tablespoon of orange purée to 3 tablespoons of coconut yoghurt. Avoid animal dairy products if you are congested with phlegm.

If you can’t source plain, live coconut yoghurt, add one tablespoon of orange puree to plain organic Greek yoghurt. Only use a live, plain yoghurt without fillers – they offer beneficial friendly bacteria that aid your gut health and digestion.

Add 1 tablespoon of orange puree to a mango, pineapple, and banana smoothie – which are rich in enzymes that aid recovery.

Also, see our Healthy Gut Reboot or Gut Health Boosting Smoothie Recipe blogs for health-boosting smoothie ideas.

Add a tablespoon of puree to individual coconut chia puddings.

Add a tablespoon of orange puree to your cooked porridge.

Add 1-2 teaspoons of puree to a cup of lemon balm tea to soothe lung congestion.

Add a tablespoon of orange peel puree to fruit salad.

Add 1-2 teaspoons of orange peel puree to a delicious hot cacao drink with saffron honey to soothe coughing.

Slow cooking makes orange peels more palatable. But for even greater nutritional value, you could also zest raw orange peel and add it to yoghurt, smoothies, salads, in dairy-free cream cheese frosting, or as a topping for porridge or desserts.

You can also add a tablespoon of raw orange peel to fresh juices. Try fresh pineapple, carrot, orange peel, and ginger juice to alleviate coughing.

JUICE CAUTION: pineapple is not recommended if you are pregnant or take blood thinning medication. Use organic apples instead.

INGREDIENT BENEFITS

Orange Peel

Calms respiratory distress • rich in hersperidin – flu, virus infections • reduces phlegm • histamine reducing for allergies • lung cleansing • vascular protective • liver protective • immune boosting • aids digestion and fat metabolism • reduces gut inflammation • cholesterol and blood pressure • natural anti-inflammatory • nutrient rich • helps regulate blood sugar • rich in flavonoids and antioxidants that help reduce oxidative damage • helps fight the symptoms of infection, colds and flu • disease prevention.

Cinnamon

Viral infections • anti-inflammatory • bacterial infections • inhibits candida • promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria • decreases abdominal fat • improves fasting blood sugar • improves insulin resistance • anti-diabetic • rich in antioxidants • autoimmune symptoms • blood pressure (hypertension) • brain food • central nervous system • cholesterol • cognitive decline • protects colon • dental health • diabetes • fungal infections • protects against cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative disorders • weight management • wound healing.

Pure Dark Maple Syrup

Rich in antioxidant properties (quebecol) • antiviral, antibiotic • liver protective • ammonia reducing • aids digestion • anti-cancer compounds (MS-BuOH extract) • DNA protective • reduce LDL cholesterol • has a lower glycemic index than sucrose • anti-inflammatory • neurodegenerative disease prevention • aids diversity of the gut microbiome.

100% Pure Monk Fruit

Antimicrobial • antioxidant • immunologic •anti-tussive (coughing) • sputum-reducing • sore throats, cough, colds, flu, and reducing phlegm • fructose and glucose free • antioxidant and anti-cancer properties • anti-fatigue, anti-diabetic and anti-hyperglycaemic properties • 300 times sweeter than sucrose so use sparingly.

FEEDBACK

Since publishing my orange peel puree recipe, I’ve been receiving positive feedback from my clients – especially for helping clear up coughing that hangs on long after a virus or flu.

A recent comment I received was that the puree worked really well but boy did my client cough up some ‘gunk’.

The puree will loosen congestion and you will cough it up. That’s exactly what you want to happen.

But make sure that you do cough any ‘gunk’ into a tissue – no swallowing.

Always cough mucous up and out of your body.

Also, sometimes a batch can be really strong, depending on the oranges you use.

You can always add extra pure maple syrup or raw honey until it’s palatable.

To me it’s important that healthy food be delicious too, and inspire you to want to eat well.

I hope you and your family love orange peel puree as much as I do.

And always remember – your body is designed to heal when you give it what it needs to be healthy!

Shared with love,

Lisa Rieniets ND.

REFERENCES

Agrawal PK, Agrawal C, Blunden G. Pharmacological Significance of Hesperidin and Hesperetin, Two Citrus Flavonoids, as Promising Antiviral Compounds for Prophylaxis Against and Combating COVID-19. Natural Product Communications. 2021;16(10). doi:10.1177/1934578X211042540 (Hesperidin & Virus)

Bellavite P, Donzelli A. Hesperidin and SARS-CoV-2: New Light on the Healthy Function of Citrus Fruits. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020 Aug 13;9(8):742. doi: 10.3390/antiox9080742. PMID: 32823497; PMCID: PMC7465267. (Hesperidin and SARS-CoV-2)

Cheng FJ, Huynh TK, Yang CS, Hu DW, Shen YC, Tu CY, Wu YC, Tang CH, Huang WC, Chen Y, Ho CY. Hesperidin Is a Potential Inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Nutrients. 2021 Aug 16;13(8):2800. doi: 10.3390/nu13082800. PMID: 34444960; PMCID: PMC8401008. (SARS-CoV-2 & Influenza)

Dong W, Wei X, Zhang F, Hao J, Huang F, Zhang C, Liang W. A dual character of flavonoids in influenza A virus replication and spread through modulating cell-autonomous immunity by MAPK signaling pathways. Sci Rep. 2014 Nov 28;4:7237. doi: 10.1038/srep07237. PMID: 25429875; PMCID: PMC4246350. (Hesperidin & Influenza)

Dongre, Priti & Doifode, Chandrashekhar & Choudhary, Shaily & Sharma, Neeraj. (2023). “Botanical Description, Chemical Composition, Traditional Uses and Pharmacology of Citrus sinensis: An Updated Review”. Pharmacological Research – Modern Chinese Medicine. 8. 100272. 10.1016/j.prmcm.2023.100272. (Oranges – coughs, colds, and respiratory)

Gong X, Chen N, Ren K, Jia J, Wei K, Zhang L, Lv Y, Wang J, Li M. The Fruits of Siraitia grosvenorii: A Review of a Chinese Food-Medicine. Front Pharmacol. 2019 Nov 22;10:1400. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01400. Erratum in: Front Pharmacol. 2020 Jan 30;10:1627. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01627. PMID: 31849659; PMCID: PMC6903776. (Monk Fruit food medicine)

Gosslau, Alexander & Chen, Kuang Yu & Ho, Chitang & Li, Shiming. (2014). Anti-inflammatory effects of characterized orange peel extracts enriched with bioactive polymethoxyflavones. Food Science and Human Wellness. 3. 10.1016/j.fshw.2014.02.002. (Orange peel & inflammation)

Haggag YA, El-Ashmawy NE, Okasha KM. Is hesperidin essential for prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 Infection? Med Hypotheses. 2020 Nov;144:109957. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109957. Epub 2020 Jun 6. PMID: 32531538; PMCID: PMC7274964. (Hesperidin & COVID)

Kowalczyk A. Hesperidin, a Potential Antiviral Agent against SARS-CoV-2: The Influence of Citrus Consumption on COVID-19 Incidence and Severity in China. Medicina. 2024; 60(6):892. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60060892 (Citrus & COVID-19)

Maisuria VB, Hosseinidoust Z, Tufenkji N. Polyphenolic extract from maple syrup potentiates antibiotic susceptibility and reduces biofilm formation of pathogenic bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.. 2015, 81:3782-3792. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00239-15. (Maple Syrup – antiviral, antibiotic)

Maldonado, Maria & Cristhina, Paula & Xavier, Niz & MARTINS, ALMIR & Palhares, Durval & Jose, Maria & Maldonado, Martins & Senador, Av & Muller, Filinto. (2020). Hesperidin Flavonoids from Orange Peel Show Benefits for Human Health. Agricultural Research & Technology: Open Access Journal. 25. 10.19080/ARTOAJ.2020.25.556292. (Hesperidin & Human Health)

Rafiq, Shafiya & Kaul, Rajkumari & Sofi, Sajad & Bashir, Nadia & Nazir, Fiza & Nayik, Gulzar. (2016). Citrus peel as a source of functional ingredient: A Review. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences. 17. 10.1016/j.jssas.2016.07.006. (Antiviral, anti-inflammatory)

Wu J, Jian Y, Wang H, Huang H, Gong L, Liu G, Yang Y, Wang W. A Review of the Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of the Fruit of Siraitia grosvenorii (Swingle): A Traditional Chinese Medicinal Food. Molecules. 2022; 27(19):6618. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196618 (Monk Fruit antiviral)

Yakhchali M, Taghipour Z, Mirabzadeh Ardakani M, Alizadeh Vaghasloo M, Vazirian M, Sadrai S. Cinnamon and its possible impact on COVID-19: The viewpoint of traditional and conventional medicine. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021 Nov;143:112221. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112221. Epub 2021 Sep 21. PMID: 34563952; PMCID: PMC8452493. (Cinnamon & virus infection)

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common bacterial infections — especially among women, diabetics, the immune compromised, and older adults.

UTIs can affect any part of the urinary tract, including the urethra, ureters, bladder, or in more serious cases, your kidneys.

Symptoms can include:

• Pressure in the lower part of your pelvis.

• Lower back pain.

• Cloudy, foul-smelling urine.

• Urinary incontinence.

• Frequent urination.

• Constant urge to urinate.

• Burning pain when you urinate (dysuria).

• Blood in your urine (haematuria).

Left untreated, a UTI can progress into a more serious infection, including sepsis (blood poisoning by bacteria), which can be life-threatening.

Urinary tract infections are usually treated with antibiotics but are becoming increasingly resistant to first-line antibiotics, especially in aged-care.

Drug-resistant UTIs have become part of a larger problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) where bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites are no longer responding to the traditional medications used to treat them.

In fact, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now considered a global emergency in human health.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

In an era of antibiotic resistance, cranberries can help prevent and relieve urinary tract infections (UTIs).

As a preventative measure, cranberries are proven to lower the risk of UTI infections.

Cranberries provide important support because a nutritional approach to UTIs can help lower the use of antibiotic treatment and resulting resistance to these drugs.

But they also offer other powerful properties you can benefit from as part of a healthy diet.

POWERFUL PROPERTIES

Anti-inflammatory • Anti-infective • Antimicrobial • Antifungal • Antiviral • Cardioprotective • and Anticancer properties.

Cranberry is best known for preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs), commonly caused by bacteria known as Escherichia coli (E. coli).

But because of a variety of beneficial effects on human health, consumption of cranberries is now widely recommended.

Cranberries contain antioxidants that act against a range of bacterial and fungal infections, including Candida albicans fungal yeast (thrush).

Clinical studies have also found that cranberries anti–inflammatory properties can be helpful in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders and several types of cancers.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Cranberries have been found to reduce biomarkers (measures) of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a condition that includes a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease – including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, impaired fasting glucose, high triglyceride levels, and low HDL cholesterol levels.

Cranberries have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol and increase ‘the good’ HDL cholesterol (HDL-C).

Cranberries also lower glycaemic responses – which is the change in blood glucose content when you eat carbohydrates.

Studies found cranberries also improved vascular function in patients with coronary artery disease, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Cranberries help improve endothelial function, which is the health of your blood vessels.

Endothelial cells make up the inner lining of your blood vessels – arteries, veins and capillaries – and control vascular tone and blood flow.

When these cells don’t work properly they cause your blood vessels to become narrower, leading to chest pain (angina), high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.

GUT HEALTH

A growing body of research indicates that cranberries can also help maintain beneficial populations of gut microorganisms.

Cranberries have been found to regulate gut microbiota function.

Your microbiota includes a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms present in your gut.

Cranberries have been shown to increase the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) and decrease the abundance of harmful bacteria.

They decrease the virulence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Streptococcus infections, which cause both minor and severe illness.

Cranberries also inhibit peptic ulcer-associated bacterium, Helicobacter pylori.

They even decrease bacteria that attacks dental enamel (Streptococcus mutans).

IMMUNE SUPPORT

Cranberries also promote a healthy immune system by interfering with the colonisation of disease-causing pathogens in the gut.

They act against disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens) by preventing bacterial adhesion – a process that allows bacteria to attach to other cells and surfaces in your body.

LEAKY GUT

Cranberries can also help alleviate gut barrier dysfunction (leaky gut) – strengthening the intestinal barrier and blocking damage from harmful free radicals (unstable molecules that cause damage and increase the risk of cancer and other diseases).

VAGINAL INFECTIONS

The beneficial impacts of cranberry juice on gut microorganisms are also encouraging for vaginal health.

Poor gut health can lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, which can then travel to the vaginal area and disrupt the delicate balance of the vaginal microbiome.

Cranberries can help restore a healthier vaginal microbiome by promoting beneficial microorganisms, and prevent vaginal infections like bacterial vaginosis.

CANDIDA

Candida albicans is a major human fungal pathogen and another common cause of urinary tract and vaginal infections (vaginal thrush, vulvovaginal candidiasis, candida).

Cranberries anti-adherence properties were found to inhibit candida infections by preventing the adhesion of fungal yeast to cell walls and mucous membrane surfaces (biofilm formation).

CANCER

Research also demonstrates that cranberry fruit can be a potential natural source for cancer prevention.

Certain compounds in cranberries can influence cell signalling in ways that increase antioxidant (cell protection), anti-inflammatory (reduce pain), and carcinogen-deactivating enzymes (reduce cancer risk).

Cranberries were found to inhibit cancer cells’ growth and ability to spread, and activated signalling that leads to the self-destruction of abnormal cells.

I share live links to these studies in my references if you want to investigate further.

NUTRIENT BENEFITS

Cranberries are nutrient powerhouses.

They have been recognized as an important food because the numerous phytochemicals in the fruit benefit human health and prevent infections and disease.

Cranberries are rich in bioactive compounds (extranutritional elements) and antioxidant flavonoids (plant-based compounds that lower inflammation).

Extranutritional elements provide health benefits beyond the basic nutritional value of the food.

Antioxidants are substances that remove and protect our cells from the damage and disease caused by free radicals (unstable atoms and molecules).

Antioxidants reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases because they lower inflammation in our bodies.

Cranberries have anti-inflammatory effects, thanks to their high amounts of antioxidant polyphenols.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found largely in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

In plants, polyphenols are involved in the defence against ultraviolet radiation damage and disease-causing pathogens.

In human health, polyphenols protect your body against oxidative stress and inflammation.

Oxidative stress occurs when antioxidant levels are too low, and there is an imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that damage cells, causing illness and ageing. 

Studies show that long term consumption of diets rich in plant polyphenols (antioxidants) offer protection against free radicals, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases.

Cranberries are a rich source of polyphenols – especially the flavonoids quercetin and anthocyanins.

Approximately 75% of cranberries flavonoid content is quercetin.

Quercetin is well-known for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, antiallergic, anti-asthmatic, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-Alzheimer, neuroprotective, anticancer and anti-proliferative (spread of cancer) properties.

Quercetin has been shown in studies to inhibit the growth of cancer cells in breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, endometrial, and lung tumours.

Research also demonstrates quercetin’s therapeutic potential for:

• fighting free radicals.

• reducing inflammation.

• reducing the risk of infections.

• reducing the risk of heart disease.

• reducing cancer risk.

• relieving allergies and asthma.

• lowering blood pressure.

• reducing liver inflammation.

• inhibiting the growth of Candida species.

• preventing different types of diabetes.

• reducing the risk of neurological diseases.

• reducing insulin resistance associated with obesity.

Anthocyanins are a type of flavonoid that give fruits and vegetables their red, blue, and purple colours.

They are highly valued for their antioxidative, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-obesity effects, as well as prevention of cardiovascular diseases, improving vision and neurological health, and protection against various lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

You can see why cranberries are so widely recommended as part of a healthy daily diet.

BUT – not all cranberry products are effective.

THE BEST CRANBERRIES

Antioxidants (especially polyphenols) can be lost during processing, making them undetectable in many commercial cranberry products.

So, to gain the greatest level of antioxidants, the best cranberries to eat are:

• 1. organic raw, whole fruit (fresh or frozen).

• 2. freeze dried whole cranberry powder (not juice powder).

• 3. unsweetened organic cold-pressed 100% juice (not reconstituted, not sweetened).

• 4. organic naturally dried, unsweetened cranberries.

Fresh cranberries can be stored in your freezer for up to three months if they are kept in their original sealed packaging or an airtight container.

Because cranberries are not grown in Australia and freeze dried (whole fruit) powders are not always locally available, I usually recommend organic frozen cranberries or cold-pressed organic juice to my clients.

Dried cranberries are higher in carbohydrates, calories, and sugar than fresh ones. But they still contain most of the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in fresh cranberries..

You can also take cranberry supplements and liquid extracts – but I advise working with a naturopath or chemist for advice because practitioner formulas are dosage dependent.

Seek advice for the best formula for your specific health issue.

DAILY AMOUNTS

There are no set guidelines to how much cranberry fruit you should consume per day.

Clinical research though gives us indications for preventative daily amounts to avoid infections like UTI’s and to promote cardiovascular, immune and gut health.

Depending on the type of cranberries you consume, the daily recommended amounts are:

• 100g of raw organic, cranberries (fresh or frozen).

OR

• 9g of freeze-dried whole cranberry powder, which is roughly equivalent to 100 grams of raw cranberries (≅2 flat tsp).

OR

• 100-150 ml of organic, cold-pressed, unsweetened 100% cranberry fruit juice.

OR

• 10g organic, unsweetened, unsulphured dried cranberries.

ABOUT DRIED CRANBERRIES

Cranberries are approximately 90% water so 100 grams of raw cranberries is equivalent to approximately 10 grams of naturally dehydrated fruit.

The problem is that most dried cranberries sold commercially are sweetened with sugar syrup or fruit juice concentrate and coated with oil.

If you can’t find dried cranberries that have no added sugars, juice concentrates, oils, sulphites or preservatives – then avoid them.

As I often tell my clients – sugar feeds infection (and inflammation) like petrol feeds a fire – so avoid sugar sweetened anything.

I highly recommend you read my blog about sugar and disease, Quit Sugar With PURE Monk Fruit.

I recommend pure monk fruit concentrate to sweeten food and drinks because it has been prescribed for centuries in Chinese Herbal Medicine, and promotes the growth of beneficial gut microorganisms.

But make sure you only buy 100% monk fruit concentrate.

There’s a lot of so-called monk fruit products that mix monk fruit with corn syrup or synthetic sweeteners that undermine human health.

It’s a case of buyer beware! Check the labels of everything you buy.

If you prefer to eat whole freeze-dried cranberry fruit, 100 grams of freeze-dried whole cranberries is equivalent to approximately 800g of raw cranberries.

Therefore, a daily recommendation of 100 grams of raw cranberries is equivalent to 12.5 grams per day of whole freeze-dried cranberries.

SIDE EFFECTS

Although cranberries are safe to consume, too much can cause side effects such as an upset stomach and/or diarrhoea.

If that happens, stop consuming cranberries until your symptoms cease.

Then slowly begin again and build up your tolerance.

BEST TIME TO CONSUME

It’s best to consume cranberries just before or two hours after meals.

It’s also important to drink lots of purified or distilled drinking water to flush out bacteria and alleviate the discomfort of bacterial die off.

Die off is also called a ‘herxheimer reaction’, which is an inflammatory reaction to toxins and proteins released from dying bacterial and fungal pathogens.

Some common symptoms of a herxheimer reaction are increased bloating and abdominal discomfort, mild fatigue, muscle aches or even a low-grade fever.

If die off symptoms are severe, cease consuming cranberries and drink lots of pure water until your symptoms settle.

Then slowly begin again.

CAUTIONS

Not everybody can consume cranberries.

Don’t eat cranberries if you take blood thinners, get frequent kidney stones, or you’re allergic to aspirin.

The high concentration of salicylic acid in cranberries provides similar effects as aspirin, which is also a salicylate.

Drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry supplements can help prevent blood clots by acting as a blood thinner – but is not recommended if you are already taking blood thinning medications.

People with a history of kidney stones are also advised to avoid taking cranberry extract products or drinking cranberry juice.

Some researchers argue that drinking cranberry juice lowers the pH of urine, making it more acidic.

Increased acidity can raise the risk of developing calcium oxalate and uric acid stones.

The issue of cranberry and kidney stones is highly contested with mixed research results, and dependent on the type of kidney stones studied.

If you have a history of kidney stones, it’s best to check with your practitioner before consuming cranberries.

PREVENTION RECIPE

Nutrition therapy is a powerful way we can make what we eat our medicine too.

And prevention is always the best cure.

In my blog Nutrition For Health And Weight Loss, I share nutritional guidelines I use with my clients for healing and maintaining health and for achieving healthy weight management.

I recommend you combine balanced nutrition with cranberries to create a healthy lifestyle that protects your health and prevents disease.

Because cranberries aren’t grown in Australia, I often use organic cold-pressed juice recipes for my clients.

Organic cranberry juice is also more convenient and available to buy in Australia.

Please don’t buy sweetened or reconstituted juices.

You need a pure, unsweetened, 100% juice product for this recipe.

And if you can’t find one – defrost organic frozen cranberries and make your own juice in a blender.

Homemade juice from whole cranberries will contain more antioxidants and fibre too.

Just add small amounts of purified water as you blend until you create a juice consistency.

RECIPE

First thing in the morning, before you eat, drink 100ml of cranberry juice added to 100ml of purified water.

It’s such a simple recipe that offers so many preventative health benefits.

And if a 200ml drink is too much for you first thing in the morning, split this recipe and drink half in the morning and half before dinner at night.

RECIPE NOTES

Cranberries are naturally tart.

If you require sweetening to consume cranberries, please don’t use sugar, syrups, or synthetic sweeteners.

Sweeten your cranberry juice with pure 100% monk fruit extract.

If you can’t find pure monk fruit in your local area, we stock Thankfully Nourished pure liquid concentrate at the clinic.

You’re always welcome to call us.

And if you want a pure 100% monk fruit powder with no fillers or synthetic sweetening additives, I buy mine online from The Herbal Connection in Queensland Australia.

If you already take Nourish prebiotic powder first thing in the morning, just add it to your cranberry juice.

Regarding ‘pure’ water – I’ve consumed drinking grade distilled water for decades.

You can’t get a purer water solution than distilled water.

It’s perfect for daily consumption or flushing out toxins.

As for the argument about distilled water lacking minerals, we get our minerals and nutrition mainly from the food we eat – not the water we drink.

Also, there are no contaminants or municipal additives (such as chlorine or fluoride) in drinking grade distilled water.

And you can purchase stainless steel home water distillers at a reasonable price these days.

INFECTIONS RECIPE

I work with clients with all kinds of infections, from UTIs to kidney, candida, gut, bowel, lung, and autoimmune disorders.

With any kind of infection, you need to reduce inflammation and strengthen beneficial gut microorganisms to boost and support your immune system.

The importance of a healthy gut microbiome and strong immune system is why I created Nourish prebiotic drink powder for my clients.

It’s also why I combine Nourish and pure, organic cranberry juice in this recipe.

It’s designed to work in conjunction with whatever prescribed treatment you are undergoing to overcome an infection.

You make this cranberry recipe and take it three times a day – first thing in the morning, before lunch, and before dinner.

And if you’re really struggling with an infection, I tell my clients to have a fourth drink before bed.

Talk to your practitioner for guidance.

RECIPE

Before you eat, make up a drink containing 50ml of pure, organic cranberry juice, 50ml of purified water, and one level teaspoon of Nourish prebiotic powder.

Place the ingredients in a tall drinking glass and use a milk frother to blend them thoroughly.

RECIPE NOTES

I use a milk frother to combine powder ingredients in hot and cold drinks.

I love the Nutra Organics Whizz Stick – but its powerful.

I tell my clients to use short bursts of blending (pulses) to start with until the powders start combining in the liquid.

Otherwise, you’ll have powder flying everywhere like I did the first time. It was even in my hair.

Milk frothers are also great for making mushroom coffee and hot cacao drinks.

I usually add a small amount of soy milk first, add my powders, and then froth away with my stick whiz before stirring in boiling water.

Start with short pulses and froth until you create the perfect foam for your hot drink.

Best kitchen appliance ever!

CRANBERRY SMOOTHIE

I love smoothies because you can boost nutrition quickly in one drink.

The ingredients in our cranberry smoothie recipe are designed to support your gut microbiome and immune system.

You can swap out your morning cranberry juice for a cranberry smoothie twice a week.

RECIPE

1/2 cup fresh or frozen organic cranberries.

1/4 cup of ‘live’* organic coconut yoghurt.

1 tbs organic linseeds (flaxseed).

1 tsp Manuka or raw, unprocessed honey.

1/4 cup unsweetened organic cranberry juice

1 tsp Nourish prebiotic powder.

1/4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon (not Cassia cinnamon).

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth.

If the smoothie is too thick, add a splash more cranberry juice.

RECIPE NOTES

* Make sure whatever organic yoghurt you use contains live cultures and probiotics.

Flaxseed (linseeds) is used to work against infections by soothing inflammation, and increasing urinary volume to flush out bacteria.

I’ve included raw honey in this recipe.

Although classed as a sugar, manuka and raw unprocessed honey contain powerful antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, antibiotic, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties

It’s the one ‘sugar’ I do use to help fight infections, viruses, and fungal overgrowth.

Nourish prebiotic powder is used to promote beneficial gut microorganisms.

Ceylon cinnamon contains powerful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.

You can also add a probiotic capsule to your smoothie to boost your gut microbiome and immune system.

If you prefer a creamier smoothie, simply add more yoghurt or your favourite plant based milk.

Enjoy!

PRACTITIONER SUPPORT

I love sharing general information that can help you create a healthier lifestyle.

But the information I share is not meant to replace professional support.

If you suffer from chronic infections or disease, always seek qualified advice.

Your health is precious so please protect it.

All the very best,

Lisa Rieniets ND.

Shop Nourish

REFERENCES

I’ve included live links to research and studies so you can explore how cranberries can benefit your health and wellbeing.

Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021 Apr;26(2):57-64. doi: 10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336. Epub 2020 Aug 18. PMID: 32817011. (Honey)

Aghababaei F, Hadidi M. Recent Advances in Potential Health Benefits of Quercetin. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023 Jul 18;16(7):1020. doi: 10.3390/ph16071020. PMID: 37513932; PMCID: PMC10384403. (Quercetin)

Al Othaim, A., Marasini, D., & Carbonero, F. (2021). Impact of cranberry juice consumption on gut and vaginal microbiota in postmenopausal women. Food Frontiers, 2, 282–293. (Vaginal health)

Ankola AV, Kumar V, Thakur S, Singhal R, Smitha T, Sankeshwari R. Anticancer and antiproliferative efficacy of a standardized extract of Vaccinium macrocarpon on the highly differentiating oral cancer KB cell line athwart the cytotoxicity evaluation of the same on the normal fibroblast L929 cell line. J Oral Maxillofac Pathol. 2020 May-Aug;24(2):258-265. doi: 10.4103/jomfp.JOMFP_129_20. Epub 2020 Sep 9. PMID: 33456234; PMCID: PMC7802834. (Anticancer effect cranberries)

Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators. Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance in 2019: a systematic analysis. Lancet. 2022 Feb 12;399(10325):629-655. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02724-0. Epub 2022 Jan 19. Erratum in: Lancet. 2022 Oct 1;400(10358):1102. PMID: 35065702; PMCID: PMC8841637. (Antimicrobial resistance)

Blumberg JB, Basu A, Krueger CG, Lila MA, Neto CC, Novotny JA, Reed JD, Rodriguez-Mateos A, Toner CD. Impact of Cranberries on Gut Microbiota and Cardiometabolic Health: Proceedings of the Cranberry Health Research Conference 2015. Adv Nutr. 2016 Jul 15;7(4):759S-70S. doi: 10.3945/an.116.012583. PMID: 27422512; PMCID: PMC4942875. (Gut Microbiome)

Blumberg JB, Camesano TA, Cassidy A, Kris-Etherton P, Howell A, Manach C, Ostertag LM, Sies H, Skulas-Ray A, Vita JA. Cranberries and their bioactive constituents in human health. Adv Nutr. 2013 Nov 6;4(6):618-32. doi: 10.3945/an.113.004473. PMID: 24228191; PMCID: PMC3823508. (Bioactive components cranberries)

Cai X , Han Y , Gu M , Song M , Wu X , Li Z , Li F , Goulette T , Xiao H . Dietary cranberry suppressed colonic inflammation and alleviated gut microbiota dysbiosis in dextran sodium sulfate-treated mice. Food Funct. 2019 Oct 16;10(10):6331-6341. doi: 10.1039/c9fo01537j. PMID: 31524900; PMCID: PMC6800821. (Colon Health)

Christian Heiss , Geoffrey Istas , Rodrigo Feliciano, Timon Weber, Brian Wang , Claudia Favari, Pedro Mena, Daniele Del Rio, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos. Daily consumption of cranberry improves endothelial function in healthy adults: a double blind randomized controlled trial. Food & Function, 2022; DOI: 10.1039/D2FO00080F (Daily cranberry consumption)

Chuang CC, Martinez K, Xie G, et al. Quercetin is equally or more effective than resveratrol in attenuating tumor necrosis factor-{alpha}-mediated inflammation and insulin resistance in primary human adipocytes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92(6):1511-21. (Quercetin)

Dajas F. Life or death: neuroprotective and anticancer effects of quercetin. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012;143(2):383-96. (Quercetin)

Deepika, Maurya PK. Health Benefits of Quercetin in Age-Related Diseases. Molecules. 2022 Apr 13;27(8):2498. doi: 10.3390/molecules27082498. PMID: 35458696; PMCID: PMC9032170. (Quercetin)

Donlan RM. Biofilm formation: a clinically relevant microbiological process. Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Oct 15;33(8):1387-92. doi: 10.1086/322972. Epub 2001 Sep 20. PMID: 11565080. (Biofilm formation)

Elkafas H, Walls M, Al-Hendy A, Ismail N. Gut and genital tract microbiomes: Dysbiosis and link to gynecological disorders. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022 Dec 16;12:1059825. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1059825. Erratum in: Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2023 May 12;13:1211349. PMID: 36590579; PMCID: PMC9800796. (Vaginal Health)

Eteraf-Oskouei T, Najafi M. Traditional and modern uses of natural honey in human diseases: a review. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2013 Jun;16(6):731-42. PMID: 23997898; PMCID: PMC3758027. (Honey)

Hisano M, Bruschini H, Nicodemo AC, Srougi M. Cranberries and lower urinary tract infection prevention. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2012;67(6):661-8. doi: 10.6061/clinics/2012(06)18. PMID: 22760907; PMCID: PMC3370320. (Cranberries Trial  for UTIs)

Jeitler M, Michalsen A, Schwiertz A, Kessler CS, Koppold-Liebscher D, Grasme J, Kandil FI, Steckhan N. Effects of a Supplement Containing a Cranberry Extract on Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections and Intestinal Microbiota: A Prospective, Uncontrolled Exploratory Study. J Integr Complement Med. 2022 May;28(5):399-406. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2021.0300. Epub 2022 Mar 14. PMID: 35285701; PMCID: PMC9127832. (UTI’s and gut microbiota)

Jepson RG, Mihaljevic L, Craig J. Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(1):CD001321. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub2. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(2):CD001321. PMID: 14973968. (UTI’s)

Jurikova T, Skrovankova S, Mlcek J, Balla S, Snopek L. Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Biological Effects of European Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos). Molecules. 2018 Dec 21;24(1):24. doi: 10.3390/molecules24010024. PMID: 30577610; PMCID: PMC6337168. (Antioxidant activity)

Kawatra P, Rajagopalan R. Cinnamon: Mystic powers of a minute ingredient. Pharmacognosy Res. 2015 Jun;7(Suppl 1):S1-6. doi: 10.4103/0974-8490.157990. PMID: 26109781; PMCID: PMC4466762. (Cinnamon)

Khoo HE, Azlan A, Tang ST, Lim SM. Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins: colored pigments as food, pharmaceutical ingredients, and the potential health benefits. Food Nutr Res. 2017 Aug 13;61(1):1361779. doi: 10.1080/16546628.2017.1361779. PMID: 28970777; PMCID: PMC5613902. (Anthocyanins)

Kilty, S.J., Duval, M., Chan, F.T., Ferris, W. and Slinger, R. (2011), Methylglyoxal: (active agent of manuka honey) in vitro activity against bacterial biofilms. International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, 1: 348-350. https://doi.org/10.1002/alr.20073 (Manuka honey)

King’s College London. “100g of cranberries a day improves cardiovascular health, study finds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 March 2022. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220322111245.htm>. (Cardiovascular Health)

Li X, Jin Q, Yao Q, Xu B, Li L, Zhang S, Tu C. The Flavonoid Quercetin Ameliorates Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis by Regulating Hepatic Macrophages Activation and Polarization in Mice. Front Pharmacol. 2018 Feb 9;9:72. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00072. PMID: 29497376; PMCID: PMC5819566. (Quercetin)

Lila MA. Anthocyanins and Human Health: An In Vitro Investigative Approach. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2004;2004(5):306-313. doi: 10.1155/S111072430440401X. PMID: 15577194; PMCID: PMC1082894. (Anthocyanins)

Neto CC. Cranberry and its phytochemicals: a review of in vitro anticancer studies. J Nutr. 2007 Jan;137(1 Suppl):186S-193S. doi: 10.1093/jn/137.1.186S. PMID: 17182824. (Anticancer studies)

Nemzer BV, Al-Taher F, Yashin A, Revelsky I, Yashin Y. Cranberry: Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Activity and Impact on Human Health: Overview. Molecules. 2022 Feb 23;27(5):1503. doi: 10.3390/molecules27051503. PMID: 35268605; PMCID: PMC8911768. (Cranberry antioxidants)

Noreen, S., Tufail, T., Ul Ain, H. B., & Awuchi, C. G. (2023). Pharmacological, nutraceutical, and nutritional properties of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum): An insight into its functionality and disease mitigation. Food Science & Nutrition, 11, 6820–6829. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3662 (Flaxseed/Linseeds – Infection & Inflammation)

OUTBREAK consortium. A One Health antimicrobial resistance economic perspective (2020). Sydney, Australia: UTS (Antibiotic resistance)

Pandey KB, Rizvi SI. Plant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2009 Nov-Dec;2(5):270-8. doi: 10.4161/oxim.2.5.9498. PMID: 20716914; PMCID: PMC2835915. (Polyphenols)

Phaniendra A, Jestadi DB, Periyasamy L. Free radicals: properties, sources, targets, and their implication in various diseases. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2015 Jan;30(1):11-26. doi: 10.1007/s12291-014-0446-0. Epub 2014 Jul 15. PMID: 25646037; PMCID: PMC4310837. (Free radicals and disease)

Prasain, Jeevan & Grubbs, Clinton & Barnes, Stepehn. (2019). Cranberry anti-cancer compounds and their uptake and metabolism: An updated review. Journal of Berry Research. 10. 1-10. 10.3233/JBR-180370. (Anti-cancer compounds)

Rane HS, Bernardo SM, Howell AB, Lee SA. Cranberry-derived proanthocyanidins prevent formation of Candida albicans biofilms in artificial urine through biofilm- and adherence-specific mechanisms. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014 Feb;69(2):428-36. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt398. Epub 2013 Oct 10. PMID: 24114570; PMCID: PMC3937597. (Cranberry and candida infections)

Sun J, Marais JP, Khoo C, LaPlante K, Vejborg RM, Givskov M, Tolker-Nielsen T, Seeram NP, Rowley DC. Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) oligosaccharides decrease biofilm formation by uropathogenic Escherichia coli. J Funct Foods. 2015 Aug;17:235-242. doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2015.05.016. PMID: 26613004; PMCID: PMC4657873. (Preventative effects UTIs)

Teodoro AJ. Bioactive Compounds of Food: Their Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Diseases. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019 Mar 11;2019:3765986. doi: 10.1155/2019/3765986. PMID: 30984334; PMCID: PMC6432691. (Disease prevention)

Teresa M Wozniak, Amalie Dyda, Xing Lee, The Increased Length of Hospital Stay and Mortality Associated With Community-Associated Infections in Australia, Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2022, ofac133, https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofac133 (Antibiotic-resistant infections Australia)

Weh KM, Clarke J, Kresty LA. Cranberries and Cancer: An Update of Preclinical Studies Evaluating the Cancer Inhibitory Potential of Cranberry and Cranberry Derived Constituents. Antioxidants (Basel). 2016 Aug 18;5(3):27. doi: 10.3390/antiox5030027. PMID: 27548236; PMCID: PMC5039576. (Cancer and cranberries)

Yang X, Chen H, Zheng Y, Qu S, Wang H, Yi F. Disease burden and long-term trends of urinary tract infections: A worldwide report. Front Public Health. 2022 Jul 27;10:888205. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.888205. PMID: 35968451; PMCID: PMC9363895. (Global UTIs)

Nourish is a breakfast drink powder we created to encourage multiple prebiotic effects.

Prebiotics are foods and nutrients that feed and promote the growth and activity of beneficial microorganisms (microflora) that live in your gut (your microbiome).

A healthy gut microbiome means a healthier you.

There is not one cell in your body that is not affected by the trillions of microorganisms in your gut.

We tweaked and tested Nourish until we formed a perfect way for your gut microbiome to start each day.

Now, we’re making Nourish available to everyone.

PREBIOTIC DRINK RECIPES

We’ve created two boosting breakfast drink recipes to help you nourish your gut.

The first is a quick breakfast shake recipe you drink before eating other food.

Our quick shake is also perfect for people who are not fans of eating first thing in the morning but can still benefit from a good dose of prebiotics.

Our second Nourish recipe is a high-fibre breakfast smoothie designed to help you meet the recommended daily fibre intake essential for healthy gut function.

You can integrate our recipe ingredients into your favourite smoothies • gut health programs • or as an evening meal replacement for those trying to reduce their food intake – and still feel full.

NOURISH BREAKFAST SHAKE

Ingredients

1 rounded teaspoon of Nourish powder.

¼ cup of organic plant-based milk – Bonsoy, Almond, Coconut, or Hemp milk.

¼ cup hot water.

Instructions

Pour the milk and then the hot water into a sturdy glass or teacup.

Add the Nourish powder and whisk until the powder dissolves into the liquid.

Enjoy every morning before you eat other food.

Recipe Notes

You can buy mini milk frothers, which are ideal for whisking the ingredients together. We stock mini frothers if you can’t find one locally.

Plant-based milk is used in this recipe to create a delicious drink that is rich in nutrients and contains anti-inflammatory properties.

If you drink animal milk, make sure you only use organic dairy products.

You can click on our reference links below for more evidence-based information about our recipe ingredients.

WHY WE CREATED NOURISH

We created Nourish to help people transform their gut microflora using diet and nutrition.

It’s really eye-opening to see the connection between diet and disease.

Dietwise, 9 out of 10 Australians aged nineteen and over do not eat the recommended daily servings of vegetables.

And 4 in 5 adults aged nineteen to fifty do not eat enough fruit.

Instead, most of us overeat food high in energy (calories), sugar, saturated fat, and salt – and low in nutrients, whole grains, and fibre.

These poor dietary habits are putting Australians at risk of developing chronic diseases and health conditions, including:

• Obesity.

• Heart disease.

• High blood pressure.

• Stroke.

• Type 2 diabetes.

• Metabolic syndrome.

• Inflammatory diseases,

• Certain cancers.

• And some neurological disorders.

We are living an unhealthy lifestyle with a diet deficient in fruit, vegetables, and fibre.

And the facts speak for themselves.

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of illness, disability, and death in Australia.

Almost half of all Australians live with at least one chronic disease and one in five live with two or more chronic health conditions.

And much of this suffering is avoidable!

It’s up to all of us to value ourselves enough to change our lifestyles and support our health and long-term well-being.

Blunt as this may sound – we must wake up to what we are doing – to ourselves!

Our poor health is mostly self-inflicted.

And that we can do something about.

We can reduce our risk of chronic diseases by:

• Eating a wide range of nutritious foods.

• Nourishing our gut health.

• Drinking plenty of pure water.

• Exercising.

• Minimising alcohol and drug consumption.

• And better managing stress.

Regarding diet, we need to eat at least 2 pieces of fruit and 5-6 servings of vegetables daily – including different types and colours and legumes (beans).

Don’t get overwhelmed when you start changing your diet.

Start by eating 2 pieces of fruit daily, and gradually build to eating 3 cups of mixed salads and veggies (including beans) spread over your lunch, snacks, and evening meals.

And if you need recipes and inspiration, visit our Healthy Eating Directory.

It’s also recommended that eating 25 grams of dietary fibre for women and 30 grams for men is essential for proper digestion and gut function.

Dietary fibre is found in wholegrain foods, beans, nuts, seeds, fruit, and vegetables.

To help you meet your daily fibre intake and nourish your beneficial gut microorganisms, we created a fibre-boosting, prebiotic smoothie recipe.

NOURISH HIGH-FIBRE SMOOTHIE

The dietary fibre content in our smoothie recipe is approximately 15 grams toward your daily target of 25 grams of fibre for female adults and 30 grams for men.

We are also using Australian metric measuring spoons and cups, which can differ internationally.

We chose high-fibre organic apples for this recipe because they also contain beneficial bacteria and are considered a probiotic food (see the recipe notes).

But – you can also add your favourite ingredients to this recipe.

We’ve added smoothie options to the recipe to keep your smoothies interesting.

PLUS – we’ve included a link to a food calculator so you can track your daily fibre intake.

The Check Your Food nutrition calculator is easy to use, and you can learn all sorts of interesting evidence-based information about the food you eat and what’s in it.

Smoothie Ingredients

1 rounded teaspoon of Nourish (prebiotic action).

1 Granny Smith apple medium size (≈4-5g fibre).

1 tbs Chia seeds (≈5-6g mostly soluble fibre).

1 cup (250ml) unsweetened activated almond milk (≈3-4g fibre).

2 Medjool dates to sweeten (≈1g fibre each).

Instructions

Add the almond milk and Nourish powder to your blender first and blend until combined.

Core the apple to remove the seeds.

Apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanogenic glycoside (cyanide), which can accumulate to toxic levels, especially if you are eating an apple a day.

Leave the skin on and chop the apple into smaller pieces.

Then add the chopped apple and dates little by little until well blended.

Adding the apple and dates slowly won’t overload your blender.

The final step is blending in the chia seeds.

Add more milk if necessary until you create your favourite smoothie thickness.

It’s a simple recipe yet rich in fibre and nourishing for your beneficial gut microflora.

Ingredient Options

You can also alternate or add other ingredients to create a fibre-rich smoothie you love.

• 1 Pear (120 grams ≈ 4 grams fibre).

• ½ cup Blueberries (78 grams ≈ 2 grams fibre).

• 1 Kiwifruit (75 grams ≈ 2 grams fibre).

• ½ Mango (100 grams ≈ 2 grams fibre).

• 1 Banana (95 grams ≈ 1 gram fibre).

• ¼ Papaya. (85 grams ≈ 1 gram fibre).

• 1 small Avocado (120 grams ≈ 4 grams fibre).

• 1 cup baby Spinach (30 grams ≈1 gram fibre).

• 1 heaped tablespoon of Goji Berries dried (15 grams ≈2 grams fibre).

• 1 tbs Linseeds/Flaxseed (15 grams ≈ 4 grams fibre).

• 1 tbs Hemp seeds – hulled (15 grams ≈ 1 gram fibre).

• 1 handful Walnuts (15 grams ≈ 1 gram fibre).

• 100 ml organic Coconut milk – tinned (100ml ≈ 2 grams fibre).

• 1 tbs organic, cold-pressed Coconut oil (15ml ≈ 25% RDA essential amino acids/fatty acids).

• Sugar-free pure monk fruit extract to sweeten. See our monk fruit blog for more information.

• Pure, unprocessed honey to sweeten if needed.

Recipe Notes

We use Australian metric measures for our recipes. One teaspoon is the equivalent of 2.5 grams and 5ml. A tablespoon equals 15 grams and 20ml. One cup equals 250 mls.

We always recommend eating organic or biodynamic food produced without pesticides or chemicals harmful to human health.

Organic apples have favourable health effects on human health, the apple tree, and the environment in contrast to conventional apples, which were found to harbour potential food-borne pathogens (Wassermann et al., 2019).

Medjool dates are a low glycaemic index sweetener rich in fibre and essential nutrients.

You can click on our reference links below for more evidence-based information about our recipe ingredients.

This smoothie recipe focuses on fibre content, but the ingredients also provide other essential nutrients. Check Your Food calculator profiles their complete nutritional information.

A high-fibre smoothie is filling. If you can’t finish it all for breakfast, use a lidded drink jar and refrigerate the leftovers for your morning snack. You’ll stay full until lunchtime.

Some people find they get constipated when they eat fibre. In clinic practice, we see many people suffering from dehydration, which contributes to a sluggish bowel.

When you increase your fibre intake, drink plenty of pure water.

Homemade activated almond milk is delicious, but if you don’t have time to make your own, try Nutty Bruce unsweetened activated milk.

This unsweetened almond milk is certified organic and has no gums, thickeners, preservatives, colours, or added oils.

Nutty Bruce plant milks are widely available in supermarkets and local independent grocery stores in Australia and New Zealand.

You can make your smoothie your way with your favourite ingredients. Then add a teaspoon of Nourish and a tablespoon of chia seeds to gain higher levels of fibre your microflora thrives on.

You can also make smoothie bowls by adding an extra tablespoon of chia to thicken and garnish with fresh fruits, nuts, and seed toppings.

If your mornings are hectic, you can make your smoothie the night before and refrigerate it in sealed smoothie jars, ready to grab and go in the morning.

Be creative and have fun making fibre-rich smoothies you enjoy.

Your friendly gut bugs will thank you.

NOURISH INGREDIENTS

The ingredients in Nourish were chosen because of their prebiotic action in your gut.

You can read more about the importance of prebiotics in my blog, Your Gut Microbiome & Why Prebiotics Are Essential.

A lot of scientific research into prebiotics initially focused on non-digestible, fermentable dietary fibres that could boost the growth and activity of beneficial gut microflora.

It’s now recognised that various foods and nutrients have prebiotic properties that benefit your gut microbiome.

As science evolves, the term ‘prebiotic’ is being updated to reflect a deeper understanding of gut microorganisms.

Marshmallow root contains a type of soft fibre called mucilage that is rich in prebiotic starches (polysaccharides), which help to regulate gut microorganisms.

Elderberry contains antioxidants (polyphenols) that have strong prebiotic effects on your gut microflora. Antioxidants protect our cells from damage.

Lemon Balm supports digestion and the movement of food through your gastrointestinal system.

Graviola leaf (Soursop) supports the growth of Lactobacillus casei (friendly bacteria) in your gut.

Green tea (Matcha) acts as a prebiotic that helps increase your colon’s Bifidobacterium species (friendly bacteria).

Irish moss is a prebiotic mucilage (fibre) that positively influences gut microbial communities.

Aniseed nourishes beneficial gut bacteria and helps stabilise your intestinal microflora.

Licorice root nourishes and helps modify the composition and diversity of your gut microbiota.

These are the ingredients we use in our drink powder to help you nourish your gut.

Nourish is available to everyone, exclusively from our clinic.

And you can download our printable recipe sheet by clicking on this link.

I hope the knowledge we share helps you commit to your health and enjoy the benefits you can create every day with every meal you eat.

CLIENTS FEEDBACK

Many years ago, I asked myself why do I do what I do?

And my answer to myself was because I wanted to help end suffering for people who struggle with sickness and disease.

That commitment to myself keeps me going.

And when my clients come to see me and tell me how they are since their last appointment, their results keep me going.

I am so grateful that I love what I do and I do what I love.

So a big thank you to my amazing clients.

Your efforts to end your suffering, keep me going.

It’s another reason why I created Nourish.

Much love,

Lisa Rieniets ND.

CHRONIC SINUS INFECTIONS

After two months I have no more gut or chest pain or tightness in my stomach.

My thinking is so much clearer too.

My sinus infection cleared up quickly. 

I’m usually so sick I can’t get out of bed for weeks with sinus infections.

This time I wasn’t even bedridden.

I also took up heavy exercise and it didn’t flare up my fibromyalgia.

My muscles are stronger and not sore after exercise.

I am so happy because before if I did any exercise I would be so sore I could hardly walk.

Now I feel like a completely different person and I can’t believe how much healthier I am since I started taking Nourish – Roma, C (Aged 69).

TRAVEL SUPPORT

When you are not particularly healthy on your holidays, and you drink a lot, it maintains stability of your gut.

Improves overall general well-being – Jonah, W. (feedback on Nourish)

BLOATING & GAS

Nourish has given us the ability to be free from any bloating and gas which was a constant problem for us.

Every morning we make up a Nourish shake with the greatest of ease.

Our bowel habits are also back to a normal daily routine.

No more constipation.

Thank you to the people who have developed this amazing product – Heidi, T.

URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS

I had constant urinary tract infections and been through 10 antibiotic prescriptions.

But still I had an irritable bladder with an urgency to wee all the time.

I would go to the toilet, take four steps away, and have to go back to wee again.

It caused a lot of upset in my life.

I came to see Lisa and she made me a Nourish drink in my appointment.

I felt relief straight away.

After 5 days I am now better.

Thank you Lisa – Francis, B.

MICROBIOME & GUT BRAIN AXIS

I’ve felt so much better on Nourish. In fact I haven’t felt this good for years.

I have so much more energy and I’m much clearer in my head. I can remember names and don’t lose words mid conversation.

I feel more confident because of my improved memory.

I love Nourish and I’m hooked on it – Yvonne, D.

REFERENCES

You can read the referenced studies by clicking on the underlined links and discover more about the relationship between food and your health.

For more information about prebiotics, visit our blog – Your Gut Microbiome & Why Prebiotics Are Essential.

Enjoy exploring!

Recipe Ingredients

Alalwan TA, Perna S, Mandeel QA, Abdulhadi A, Alsayyad AS, D’Antona G, Negro M, Riva A, Petrangolini G, Allegrini P, Rondanelli M. Effects of Daily Low-Dose Date Consumption on Glycemic Control, Lipid Profile, and Quality of Life in Adults with Pre- and Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2020 Jan 15;12(1):217. doi: 10.3390/nu12010217. PMID: 31952131; PMCID: PMC7019638. (Dates)

Baker A, Garner MC, Kimberley KW, Sims DB, Stordock JH, Taggart RP, Walton DJ. Cyanide Toxicity of Freshly Prepared Smoothies and Juices Frequently Consumed. Eur J Nutr Food Saf. 2018 Oct-Dec;8(4):215-224. doi: 10.9734/ejnfs/2018/44004. Epub 2018 Sep 3. PMID: 33313363; PMCID: PMC7731941. (Apple seed toxicity)

Ben Necib R, Manca C, Lacroix S, Martin C, Flamand N, Di Marzo V, Silvestri C. Hemp seed significantly modulates the endocannabinoidome and produces beneficial metabolic effects with improved intestinal barrier function and decreased inflammation in mice under a high-fat, high-sucrose diet as compared with linseed. Front Immunol. 2022 Sep 26;13:882455. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.882455. PMID: 36238310; PMCID: PMC9552265. (Hemp seed)

CheckYourFood.com is free to use on a basic level, with over 2000 ingredients and over 900 recipes, all displayed with their full nutritional content & health benefits. doi: https://www.checkyourfood.com/ (Food Calculator)

Dreher ML. A Comprehensive Review of Almond Clinical Trials on Weight Measures, Metabolic Health Biomarkers and Outcomes, and the Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 2021 Jun 8;13(6):1968. doi: 10.3390/nu13061968. PMID: 34201139; PMCID: PMC8229803. (Almonds)

Goh YX, Jalil J, Lam KW, Husain K, Premakumar CM. Genistein: A Review on its Anti-Inflammatory Properties. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 24;13:820969. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.820969. PMID: 35140617; PMCID: PMC8818956. (Soy Milk)

Muñoz-Labrador A, Lebrón-Aguilar R, Quintanilla-López JE, Galindo-Iranzo P, Azcarate SM, Kolida S, Kachrimanidou V, Garcia-Cañas V, Methven L, Rastall RA, Moreno FJ, Hernandez-Hernandez O. Prebiotic Potential of a New Sweetener Based on Galactooligosaccharides and Modified Mogrosides. J Agric Food Chem. 2022 Jul 27;70(29):9048-9056. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01363. Epub 2022 Jul 13. PMID: 35830712; PMCID: PMC9335866. (Monk Fruit)

Schell KR, Fernandes KE, Shanahan E, Wilson I, Blair SE, Carter DA, Cokcetin NN. The Potential of Honey as a Prebiotic Food to Re-engineer the Gut Microbiome Toward a Healthy State. Front Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;9:957932. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.957932. PMID: 35967810; PMCID: PMC9367972.(Honey)

Wassermann B, Müller H, Berg G. An Apple a Day: Which Bacteria Do We Eat With Organic and Conventional Apples? Front Microbiol. 2019 Jul 24;10:1629. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2019.01629. PMID: 31396172; PMCID: PMC6667679. (Apples)

Nutrition & Health References

Australian Government Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022). Chronic conditions and multimorbidity. doi: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/chronic-conditions-and-multimorbidity

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2022). Australian Burden of Disease Study 2022. doi: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/burden-of-disease/australian-burden-of-disease-study-2022/contents/about

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2018, Nutrition across the life stages. Cat. no. PHE 227. Canberra: AIHW, DOI 10.25816/5ebcaca1fa7e2, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/food-nutrition/nutrition-across-the-life-stages/formats.

Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the New Zealand Ministry of Health (MoH) 2006, Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes, Commonwealth of Australia 2006, ISBN Online 1864962437. doi: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/dietary-fibre

Gropper SS. The Role of Nutrition in Chronic Disease. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 28;15(3):664. doi: 10.3390/nu15030664. PMID: 36771368; PMCID: PMC9921002.

National Health and Medical Research Council (2013) Australian Dietary Guidelines Educator Guide, Canberra: National Health and Medical Research Council, Online version: www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/n55b.

Zinöcker MK, Lindseth IA. The Western Diet-Microbiome-Host Interaction and Its Role in Metabolic Disease. Nutrients. 2018 Mar 17;10(3):365. doi: 10.3390/nu10030365. PMID: 29562591; PMCID: PMC5872783.

Nourish Ingredients

Aquino, Jailane de Souza, et al. ‘Models to Evaluate the Prebiotic Potential of Foods’. Functional Food – Improve Health through Adequate Food, InTech, 2 Aug. 2017. Crossref, doi:10.5772/intechopen.69174. (Prebiotic Potential of Foods)

Aubert P, Guinobert I, Blondeau C, Bardot V, Ripoche I, Chalard P, Neunlist M. Basal and Spasmolytic Effects of a Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Melissa officinalis L. on Intestinal Motility: An Ex Vivo Study. J Med Food. 2019 Jul;22(7):653-662. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2018.0154. Epub 2019 Apr 16. PMID: 30990736; PMCID: PMC6653806. (Lemon Balm)

Authier H, Bardot V, Berthomier L, Bertrand B, Blondeau C, Holowacz S, Coste A. Synergistic Effects of Licorice Root and Walnut Leaf Extracts on Gastrointestinal Candidiasis, Inflammation and Gut Microbiota Composition in Mice. Microbiol Spectr. 2022 Apr 27;10(2):e0235521. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02355-21. Epub 2022 Mar 9. PMID: 35262409; PMCID: PMC9045305.(Licorice Root)

Carlson JL, Erickson JM, Lloyd BB, Slavin JL. Health Effects and Sources of Prebiotic Dietary Fiber. Curr Dev Nutr. 2018 Jan 29;2(3):nzy005. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzy005. PMID: 30019028; PMCID: PMC6041804. (Sources of Prebiotics)

Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, Seifan M, Mohkam M, Masoumi SJ, Berenjian A, Ghasemi Y. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods. 2019 Mar 9;8(3):92. doi: 10.3390/foods8030092. PMID: 30857316; PMCID: PMC6463098. (Prebiotics Revised Definition)

Dybka-Stępień K, Otlewska A, Góźdź P, Piotrowska M. The Renaissance of Plant Mucilage in Health Promotion and Industrial Applications: A Review. Nutrients. 2021 Sep 24;13(10):3354. doi: 10.3390/nu13103354. PMID: 34684354; PMCID: PMC8539170. (Marshmallow root)

Jin JS, Touyama M, Hisada T, Benno Y. Effects of green tea consumption on human fecal microbiota with special reference to Bifidobacterium species. Microbiol Immunol. 2012 Nov;56(11):729-39. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2012.00502.x. PMID: 22924537. (Green Tea)

Kasprzak-Drozd K, Oniszczuk T, Stasiak M, Oniszczuk A. Beneficial Effects of Phenolic Compounds on Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Apr 2;22(7):3715. doi: 10.3390/ijms22073715. PMID: 33918284; PMCID: PMC8038165. (Anise)

Kassem IAA, Joshua Ashaolu T, Kamel R, Elkasabgy NA, Afifi SM, Farag MA. Mucilage as a functional food hydrocolloid: ongoing and potential applications in prebiotics and nutraceuticals. Food Funct. 2021 Jun 8;12(11):4738-4748. doi: 10.1039/d1fo00438g. PMID: 34100507. (Mucilage)

Liu J, Kandasamy S, Zhang J, Kirby CW, Karakach T, Hafting J, Critchley AT, Evans F, Prithiviraj B. Prebiotic effects of diet supplemented with the cultivated red seaweed Chondrus crispus or with fructo-oligo-saccharide on host immunity, colonic microbiota and gut microbial metabolites. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015 Aug 14;15:279. doi: 10.1186/s12906-015-0802-5. PMID: 26271359; PMCID: PMC4535385. (Irish Moss)

Meza-Gutiérrez NN, Magallón-Servín P, Balois-Morales R, Pérez-Ramírez IF, López-Guzmán GG, Berumen-Varela G, Bautista-Rosales PU. Growth Promoting Activity of Annona muricata L. Leaf Extracts on Lactobacillus casei. Plants (Basel). 2022 Feb 22;11(5):581. doi: 10.3390/plants11050581. PMID: 35270049; PMCID: PMC8912565. (Graviola Leaf)

Reider S, Watschinger C, Längle J, Pachmann U, Przysiecki N, Pfister A, Zollner A, Tilg H, Plattner S, Moschen AR. Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Prebiotic Intervention with Polyphenols Extracted from European Black Elderberry-Sustained Expansion of Akkermansia spp. J Pers Med. 2022 Sep 9;12(9):1479. doi: 10.3390/jpm12091479. PMID: 36143265; PMCID: PMC9504334. (Elderberry)

Tsirulnichenko, L. and Kretova, J., 2020. Prebiotic properties of licorice root extracts. doi: https://dspace.emu.ee/xmlui/handle/10492/5598 (Licorice root)

Prebiotics

Bosscher D, Breynaert A, Pieters L, Hermans N. Food-based strategies to modulate the composition of the intestinal microbiota and their associated health effects. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2009 Dec;60 Suppl 6:5-11. PMID: 20224145.

Bull MJ, Plummer NT. Part 1: The Human Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2014 Dec;13(6):17-22. PMID: 26770121; PMCID: PMC4566439.

Manning TS, Gibson GR. Microbial-gut interactions in health and disease. Prebiotics. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2004 Apr;18(2):287-98. doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2003.10.008. PMID: 15123070

Roberfroid M, Gibson GR, Hoyles L, McCartney AL, Rastall R, Rowland I, Wolvers D, Watzl B, Szajewska H, Stahl B, Guarner F, Respondek F, Whelan K, Coxam V, Davicco MJ, Léotoing L, Wittrant Y, Delzenne NM, Cani PD, Neyrinck AM, Meheust A. Prebiotic effects: metabolic and health benefits. Br J Nutr. 2010 Aug;104 Suppl 2:S1-63. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510003363. PMID: 20920376.

Sonnenburg ED, Sonnenburg JL. Starving our microbial self: the deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates. Cell Metab. 2014 Nov 4;20(5):779-786. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2014.07.003. Epub 2014 Aug 21. PMID: 25156449; PMCID: PMC4896489.

Almost every disease is connected to the state of the trillions of microorganisms (microflora, microbiota) that live in your gut.

YOUR GUT MICROBIOME & DISEASE

As a naturopath, I help my clients learn how to rebuild, maintain, and protect their health.

And the ability to protect your health begins within your gut.

In a healthy gut, you have rich and diverse numbers of beneficial microflora.

BUT when there is an imbalance between healthy and unhealthy microbes in your gut (gut dysbiosis), you become more susceptible to sickness and disease.

I liken gut health to our solar system.

Imagine Earth as it revolves around our sun.

The sun powers all life processes on Earth.

Your body functions in a similar way.

Your gut microbiome is like the sun to the systems that maintain your life.

Your health is directly affected by the trillions of microorganisms living in your gut.

Like the sun, your gut microbiome powers your life processes.

GUT HEALTH EQUALS STRONGER HEALTH

Your immune system is your defence against sickness and disease.

And the strength of your immune system is totally dependent on your gut microbiome.

Gut dysfunction is a driver of disease because your gut microflora and immune system are inseparable.

Beneficial gut microorganisms (microbiota, microflora) regulate both your innate and adaptive immune balance.

A healthy gut microbiome communicates with your immune cells and controls how your body responds to infection.

Having ‘optimal’ gut microflora increases your resistance to disease-causing pathogens and reduces your risk of cancer too.

FOOD HEALTH BENEFITS

The food you eat every day (your diet) is critical to your health.

The nutrients in food enable your cells and systems to perform their vital functions.

Food health focuses on giving your cells the ingredients they need to function properly.

If you don’t get the right balance of nutrients from your diet, metabolic processes decline, and health deteriorates.

Imagine the diet-related diseases and disorders we could change if we treated the food we eat as our medicine.

A healthy diet is related to a flourishing microbiome, a strong immune system, and a lower risk of disease.

Diet is also a key factor of healthy longevity in cultures where people live long lives.

Studies found that our gut microbiome is causally associated with how long and how well we live.

The relationships between your diet, gut microbiome, health, and disease are obvious.

Feeding your gut microbiome the right nutrition is essential for health and healing.

PREBIOTICS FEED YOUR MICROBIOME

Using targeted nutrition to induce microbial change in your gut offers promising health benefits.

Eating prebiotic food improves your intestinal health and immune status by increasing the population of protective microorganisms.

PREBIOTIC POWER FOODS

Prebiotic research originally focused on non-digestible, fermentable dietary fibres that could boost the growth and activity of beneficial gut microflora.

It’s now recognised that a wide variety of foods and herbs have prebiotic properties that benefit your gut microbiome.

The following lists are some of the foods beneficial gut microflora thrives on.

To promote better gut health, include 5-7 serves of prebiotic foods in your daily diet.

Organically grown food is always best.

FRUIT & VEGETABLES

Asparagus

Apples

Artichokes

Arugula

Avocado

Bananas

Beet greens

Beetroot

Berries

Broccoli

Cabbage

Celery

Dandelion greens

Dark leafy greens

Eggplant

Endive

Fennel

Garlic

Grapefruit

Green beans

Green peas

Heritage potatoes

Jerusalem artichoke

Kale

Kiwi fruit

Leeks

Mango

Mushrooms

Onion

Pomegranate

Radicchio (Italian chicory)

Seaweed

Snow peas

Spinach

Spring onion

Sweet potatoes

Swiss chard

Tomato

Unsulphured dried fruit

Watercress

Watermelon

RAW NUTS

Almonds

Brazil nuts

Cashew nuts

Chestnuts

Hazelnuts

Macadamia nuts

Pecans

Pistachio nuts

Walnuts

WHOLE GRAINS

Amaranth

Barley

Black rice

Brown rice

Buckwheat

Chia seed

Linseeds (flaxseed)

Oat bran

Psyllium

Quinoa

Rye

Spelt

LEGUMES

Black beans

Chickpeas

Kidney beans

Lentils

Pinto beans

Soybeans

White beans

HERBS & SPICE

Black pepper

Burdock root

Cayenne pepper

Chicory root

Chillies

Cinnamon

Curcumin

Ginger

Ginseng (red ginseng extract)

Licorice root

Marshmallow root

Oregano

Panax ginseng (berries extract)

Rosemary

Slippery Elm

Turmeric

DRINKS

Cacao

Green tea

Jiaogulan (gynostemma) tea

Pu-erh (fermented black tea)

SWEETENERS

Monk fruit

Raw honey

GUT HEALTH RECIPES

Eating a healthy diet can be delicious when you know how to create dishes you fall in love with.

The good news is there are some amazing chefs that freely share healthy plant-based recipes on YouTube and their blogs.

If you want recipe ideas for creating better gut health, visit our Healthy Eating Directory blog.

We also share recipes and a delicious Boost Porridge on our blog that are ideal for nourishing beneficial gut microorganisms.

You can also join our Pinterest page, which has folders full of inspiring recipes.

Explore the many ways food can delight your taste buds and be good for your health.

And if you haven’t seen my blend created to promote beneficial gut bacteria, click on the link to NOURISH Prebiotic Breakfast Drink.

All the very best,

Lisa Rieniets ND

REFERENCES

We have included live links in our references so you can explore gut microbiome and disease, diet and longevity studies, and the role of prebiotic foods in human health.

GUT MICROBIOME & DISEASE

Belkaid Y, Hand TW. Role of the microbiota in immunity and inflammation. Cell. 2014 Mar 27;157(1):121-41. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.03.011. PMID: 24679531; PMCID: PMC4056765.

Bosscher D, Breynaert A, Pieters L, Hermans N. Food-based strategies to modulate the composition of the intestinal microbiota and their associated health effects. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2009 Dec;60 Suppl 6:5-11. PMID: 20224145.

Bull MJ, Plummer NT. Part 1: The Human Gut Microbiome in Health and Disease. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2014 Dec;13(6):17-22. PMID: 26770121; PMCID: PMC4566439.

Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, Seifan M, Mohkam M, Masoumi SJ, Berenjian A, Ghasemi Y. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods. 2019 Mar 9;8(3):92. doi: 10.3390/foods8030092. PMID: 30857316; PMCID: PMC6463098.

Davis CD. The Gut Microbiome and Its Role in Obesity. Nutr Today. 2016 Jul-Aug;51(4):167-174. doi: 10.1097/NT.0000000000000167. PMID: 27795585; PMCID: PMC5082693.

Guinane CM, Cotter PD. Role of the gut microbiota in health and chronic gastrointestinal disease: understanding a hidden metabolic organ. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2013 Jul;6(4):295-308. doi: 10.1177/1756283X13482996. PMID: 23814609; PMCID: PMC3667473.

Johansson ME, Sjövall H, Hansson GC. The gastrointestinal mucus system in health and disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013 Jun;10(6):352-61. doi: 10.1038/nrgastro.2013.35. Epub 2013 Mar 12. PMID: 23478383; PMCID: PMC3758667.

Levy M, Kolodziejczyk AA, Thaiss CA, Elinav E. Dysbiosis and the immune system. Nat Rev Immunol. 2017 Apr;17(4):219-232. doi: 10.1038/nri.2017.7. Epub 2017 Mar 6. PMID: 28260787.

Li Y, Yao J, Han C, Yang J, Chaudhry MT, Wang S, Liu H, Yin Y. Quercetin, Inflammation and Immunity. Nutrients. 2016 Mar 15;8(3):167. doi: 10.3390/nu8030167. PMID: 26999194; PMCID: PMC4808895.

Lin L, Luo L, Zhong M, Xie T, Liu Y, Li H, Ni J. Gut microbiota: a new angle for traditional herbal medicine research. RSC Adv. 2019 Jun 7;9(30):17457-17472. doi: 10.1039/c9ra01838g. PMID: 35519900; PMCID: PMC9064575.

Llewellyn SR, Britton GJ, Contijoch EJ, Vennaro OH, Mortha A, Colombel JF, Grinspan A, Clemente JC, Merad M, Faith JJ. Interactions Between Diet and the Intestinal Microbiota Alter Intestinal Permeability and Colitis Severity in Mice. Gastroenterology. 2018 Mar;154(4):1037-1046.e2. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.11.030. Epub 2017 Nov 23. PMID: 29174952; PMCID: PMC5847454.

Manning TS, Gibson GR. Microbial-gut interactions in health and disease. Prebiotics. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2004 Apr;18(2):287-98. doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2003.10.008. PMID: 15123070

Najmi N, Megantara I, Andriani L, Goenawan H, Lesmana R. Importance of gut microbiome regulation for the prevention and recovery process after SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viral infection (Review). Biomed Rep. 2022 Apr;16(4):25. doi: 10.3892/br.2022.1508. Epub 2022 Feb 14. PMID: 35251612; PMCID: PMC8889546.

Paone P, Cani PD Mucus barrier, mucins and gut microbiota: the expected slimy partners? Gut 2020;69:2232-2243

Peterson CT, Sharma V, Uchitel S, Denniston K, Chopra D, Mills PJ, Peterson SN. Prebiotic Potential of Herbal Medicines Used in Digestive Health and Disease. J Altern Complement Med. 2018 Jul;24(7):656-665. doi: 10.1089/acm.2017.0422. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29565634; PMCID: PMC6065514.

Roberfroid M, Gibson GR, Hoyles L, McCartney AL, Rastall R, Rowland I, Wolvers D, Watzl B, Szajewska H, Stahl B, Guarner F, Respondek F, Whelan K, Coxam V, Davicco MJ, Léotoing L, Wittrant Y, Delzenne NM, Cani PD, Neyrinck AM, Meheust A. Prebiotic effects: metabolic and health benefits. Br J Nutr. 2010 Aug;104 Suppl 2:S1-63. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510003363. PMID: 20920376.

Rooks MG, Garrett WS. Gut microbiota, metabolites and host immunity. Nat Rev Immunol. 2016 May 27;16(6):341-52. doi: 10.1038/nri.2016.42. PMID: 27231050; PMCID: PMC5541232.

Roy S, Dhaneshwar S. Role of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics in management of inflammatory bowel disease: Current perspectives. World J Gastroenterol. 2023 Apr 14;29(14):2078-2100. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i14.2078. PMID: 37122604; PMCID: PMC10130969.

Schippa S, Conte MP. Dysbiotic events in gut microbiota: impact on human health. Nutrients. 2014 Dec 11;6(12):5786-805. doi: 10.3390/nu6125786. PMID: 25514560; PMCID: PMC4276999.

Sonnenburg ED, Sonnenburg JL. Starving our microbial self: the deleterious consequences of a diet deficient in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates. Cell Metab. 2014 Nov 4;20(5):779-786. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2014.07.003. Epub 2014 Aug 21. PMID: 25156449; PMCID: PMC4896489.

Takiishi T, Fenero CIM, Câmara NOS. Intestinal barrier and gut microbiota: Shaping our immune responses throughout life. Tissue Barriers. 2017 Oct 2;5(4):e1373208. doi: 10.1080/21688370.2017.1373208. Epub 2017 Sep 28. PMID: 28956703; PMCID: PMC5788425.

Wu HJ, Wu E. The role of gut microbiota in immune homeostasis and autoimmunity. Gut Microbes. 2012 Jan-Feb;3(1):4-14. doi: 10.4161/gmic.19320. Epub 2012 Jan 1. PMID: 22356853; PMCID: PMC3337124.

DIET & YOUR MICROBIOME & LONGEVITY

Badal VD, Vaccariello ED, Murray ER, Yu KE, Knight R, Jeste DV, Nguyen TT. The Gut Microbiome, Aging, and Longevity: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020 Dec 7;12(12):3759. doi: 10.3390/nu12123759. PMID: 33297486; PMCID: PMC7762384.

Clements SJ, Carding SR. Diet, the intestinal microbiota, and immune health in aging. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2018;58(4):651–61.

Ekmekcioglu C. Nutrition and longevity – From mechanisms to uncertainties. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020;60(18):3063-3082. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1676698. Epub 2019 Oct 21. PMID: 31631676.

Fadnes LT, Økland J-M, Haaland ØA, Johansson KA (2022) Estimating impact of food choices on life expectancy: A modeling study. PLoS Med 19(2): e1003889. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003889

He, D., Liu, L., Zhang, Z. et al. Association between gut microbiota and longevity: a genetic correlation and mendelian randomization study. BMC Microbiol 22, 302 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-022-02703-x

Khine, W.W.T., Haldar, S., De Loi, S. et al. A single serving of mixed spices alters gut microflora composition: a dose–response randomised trial. Sci Rep 11, 11264 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90453-7

Li Y, Schoufour J, Wang DD, Dhana K, Pan A, Liu X, Song M, Liu G, Shin HJ, Sun Q, Al-Shaar L. Healthy lifestyle and life expectancy free of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2020 Jan 8;368.

Pang, S., Chen, X., Lu, Z. et al. Longevity of centenarians is reflected by the gut microbiome with youth-associated signatures. Nat Aging 3, 436–449 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-023-00389-y

Trichopoulou, A., & Vasilopoulou, E. (2000). Mediterranean diet and longevity. British Journal of Nutrition, 84(S2), S205-S209. doi:10.1079/09658219738855

Trichopoulou A. Traditional Mediterranean diet and longevity in the elderly: a review. Public Health Nutr. 2004 Oct;7(7):943-7. doi: 10.1079/phn2004558. PMID: 15482622.

Wilmanski T, Diener C, Rappaport N, Patwardhan S, Wiedrick J, Lapidus J, Earls JC, Zimmer A, Glusman G, Robinson M, Yurkovich JT, Kado DM, Cauley JA, Zmuda J, Lane NE, Magis AT, Lovejoy JC, Hood L, Gibbons SM, Orwoll ES, Price ND. Gut microbiome pattern reflects healthy ageing and predicts survival in humans. Nat Metab. 2021 Feb;3(2):274-286. doi: 10.1038/s42255-021-00348-0. Epub 2021 Feb 18. Erratum in: Nat Metab. 2021 Apr;3(4):586. PMID: 33619379; PMCID: PMC8169080.

PREBIOTICS

Aquino, Jailane de Souza, et al. ‘Models to Evaluate the Prebiotic Potential of Foods’. Functional Food – Improve Health through Adequate Food, InTech, 2 Aug. 2017. Crossref, doi:10.5772/intechopen.69174.

Brosseau C, Selle A, Palmer DJ, Prescott SL, Barbarot S, Bodinier M. Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Preventive Effects in Allergy. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 8;11(8):1841. doi: 10.3390/nu11081841. PMID: 31398959; PMCID: PMC6722770.

Carlson JL, Erickson JM, Lloyd BB, Slavin JL. Health Effects and Sources of Prebiotic Dietary Fiber. Curr Dev Nutr. 2018 Jan 29;2(3):nzy005. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzy005. PMID: 30019028; PMCID: PMC6041804.

Chen, Lei & Tai, William Chi Shing & Hsiao, W.L.Wendy. (2015). Dietary saponins from four popular herbal tea exert prebiotic-like effects on gut microbiota in C57BL/6 mice. Journal of Functional Foods. 17. 892-902. 10.1016/j.jff.2015.06.050.

Dahl SM, Rolfe V, Walton GE, Gibson GR. Gut microbial modulation by culinary herbs and spices. Food Chem. 2023 May 30;409:135286. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.135286. Epub 2022 Dec 23. PMID: 36599291.

Davani-Davari D, Negahdaripour M, Karimzadeh I, Seifan M, Mohkam M, Masoumi SJ, Berenjian A, Ghasemi Y. Prebiotics: Definition, Types, Sources, Mechanisms, and Clinical Applications. Foods. 2019 Mar 9;8(3):92. doi: 10.3390/foods8030092. PMID: 30857316; PMCID: PMC6463098.

De Giani A, Oldani M, Forcella M, Lasagni M, Fusi P, Di Gennaro P. Synergistic Antioxidant Effect of Prebiotic Ginseng Berries Extract and Probiotic Strains on Healthy and Tumoral Colorectal Cell Lines. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Dec 26;24(1):373. doi: 10.3390/ijms24010373. PMID: 36613815; PMCID: PMC9820163.

Dey, P., Sasaki, G. Y., Wei, P., Li, J., Wang, L., Zhu, J., . . . Bruno, R. S. (2019). Green tea extract prevents obesity in male mice by alleviating gut dysbiosis in association with improved intestinal barrier function that limits endotoxin translocation and adipose inflammation. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 67, 78-89. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2019.01.017

Dias ALS, Pachikian B, Larondelle Y, Quetin-Leclercq J. Recent advances on bioactivities of black rice. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2017 Nov;20(6):470-476. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000417. PMID: 28858891.

Green M, Arora K, Prakash S. Microbial Medicine: Prebiotic and Probiotic Functional Foods to Target Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Apr 21;21(8):2890. doi: 10.3390/ijms21082890. PMID: 32326175; PMCID: PMC7215979.

Guarino MPL, Altomare A, Emerenziani S, Di Rosa C, Ribolsi M, Balestrieri P, Iovino P, Rocchi G, Cicala M. Mechanisms of Action of Prebiotics and Their Effects on Gastro-Intestinal Disorders in Adults. Nutrients. 2020 Apr 9;12(4):1037. doi: 10.3390/nu12041037. PMID: 32283802; PMCID: PMC7231265.

Jin JS, Touyama M, Hisada T, Benno Y. Effects of green tea consumption on human fecal microbiota with special reference to Bifidobacterium species. Microbiol Immunol. 2012 Nov;56(11):729-39. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2012.00502.x. PMID: 22924537.

Kaur AP, Bhardwaj S, Dhanjal DS, Nepovimova E, Cruz-Martins N, Kuča K, Chopra C, Singh R, Kumar H, Șen F, Kumar V, Verma R, Kumar D. Plant Prebiotics and Their Role in the Amelioration of Diseases. Biomolecules. 2021 Mar 16;11(3):440. doi: 10.3390/biom11030440. PMID: 33809763; PMCID: PMC8002343.

Kim YK, Yum KS. Effects of red ginseng extract on gut microbial distribution. J Ginseng Res. 2022 Jan;46(1):91-103. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2021.04.005. Epub 2021 Apr 24. PMID: 35035242; PMCID: PMC8753433.

Lamuel-Raventos RM, Onge MS. Prebiotic nut compounds and human microbiota. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Sep 22;57(14):3154-3163. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2015.1096763. PMID: 27224877; PMCID: PMC5646185.

Lin PY, Li SC, Lin HP, Shih CK. Germinated brown rice combined with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis inhibits colorectal carcinogenesis in rats. Food Sci Nutr. 2018 Nov 5;7(1):216-224. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.864. PMID: 30680175; PMCID: PMC6341155.

Liu, Zhibin & Vincken, Jean-Paul & de Bruijn, Wouter. (2022). Tea phenolics as prebiotics. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 127. 10.1016/j.tifs.2022.06.007.

Lu Q-Y, Rasmussen AM, Yang J, Lee R-P, Huang J, Shao P, Carpenter CL, Gilbuena I, Thames G, Henning SM, et al. Mixed Spices at Culinary Doses Have Prebiotic Effects in Healthy Adults: A Pilot Study. Nutrients. 2019; 11(6):1425. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061425

Lu, Q.-Y., Summanen, P.H., Lee, R.-P., Huang, J., Henning, S.M., Heber, D., Finegold, S.M. and Li, Z. (2017), Prebiotic Potential and Chemical Composition of Seven Culinary Spice Extracts. Journal of Food Science, 82: 1807-1813. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.13792

Ma Y, Wu X, Giovanni V, Meng X. Effects of soybean oligosaccharides on intestinal microbial communities and immune modulation in mice. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2017 Jan;24(1):114-121. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2016.09.004. Epub 2016 Sep 9. PMID: 28053580; PMCID: PMC5198993.

Megur A, Daliri EB, Baltriukienė D, Burokas A. Prebiotics as a Tool for the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity and Diabetes: Classification and Ability to Modulate the Gut Microbiota. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 May 29;23(11):6097. doi: 10.3390/ijms23116097. PMID: 35682774; PMCID: PMC9181475.

Muñoz-Labrador A, Lebrón-Aguilar R, Quintanilla-López JE, Galindo-Iranzo P, Azcarate SM, Kolida S, Kachrimanidou V, Garcia-Cañas V, Methven L, Rastall RA, Moreno FJ, Hernandez-Hernandez O. Prebiotic Potential of a New Sweetener Based on Galactooligosaccharides and Modified Mogrosides. J Agric Food Chem. 2022 Jul 27;70(29):9048-9056. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01363. Epub 2022 Jul 13. PMID: 35830712; PMCID: PMC9335866.

Peterson CT, Sharma V, Uchitel S, Denniston K, Chopra D, Mills PJ, Peterson SN. Prebiotic Potential of Herbal Medicines Used in Digestive Health and Disease. J Altern Complement Med. 2018 Jul;24(7):656-665. doi: 10.1089/acm.2017.0422. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29565634; PMCID: PMC6065514.

Schell KR, Fernandes KE, Shanahan E, Wilson I, Blair SE, Carter DA, Cokcetin NN. The Potential of Honey as a Prebiotic Food to Re-engineer the Gut Microbiome Toward a Healthy State. Front Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;9:957932. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.957932. PMID: 35967810; PMCID: PMC9367972.

Sorrenti V, Ali S, Mancin L, Davinelli S, Paoli A, Scapagnini G. Cocoa Polyphenols and Gut Microbiota Interplay: Bioavailability, Prebiotic Effect, and Impact on Human Health. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 27;12(7):1908. doi: 10.3390/nu12071908. PMID: 32605083; PMCID: PMC7400387.

Sugizaki CSA, Naves MMV. Potential Prebiotic Properties of Nuts and Edible Seeds and Their Relationship to Obesity. Nutrients. 2018 Nov 3;10(11):1645. doi: 10.3390/nu10111645. PMID: 30400274; PMCID: PMC6266159.

Wang, Fanghong & Huang, Xiaoyu & Chen, Yueyang & Zhang, Danli & Chen, Danyi & Chen, Lingxin & Lin, Jun. (2020). Study on the Effect of Capsaicin on the Intestinal Flora through High-Throughput Sequencing. ACS Omega. XXXX. 10.1021/acsomega.9b03798.

Wang, Shumin & Xiao, Yue & Tian, Fengwei & Zhao, Jianxin & Zhang, Hao & Zhai, Qixiao & Chen, Wei. (2020). Rational use of prebiotics for gut microbiota alterations: Specific bacterial phylotypes and related mechanisms. Journal of Functional Foods. 66. 103838. 10.1016/j.jff.2020.103838.

Xiao R, Liao W, Luo G, Qin Z, Han S, Lin Y. Modulation of Gut Microbiota Composition and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Synthesis by Mogroside V in an In Vitro Incubation System. ACS Omega. 2021 Sep 21;6(39):25486-25496. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03485. PMID: 34632206; PMCID: PMC8495861.

Zhu Y, Sun H, He S, Lou Q, Yu M, Tang M, Tu L. Metabolism and prebiotics activity of anthocyanins from black rice (Oryza sativa L.) in vitro. PLoS One. 2018 Apr 9;13(4):e0195754. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195754. PMID: 29630662; PMCID: PMC5891023.

]]> https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/gut-microbiome-prebiotics/feed/ 4 https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/gut-dysbiosis-flora-imbalance-recipe/ https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/gut-dysbiosis-flora-imbalance-recipe/#respond Tue, 14 Mar 2023 02:31:48 +0000 https://www.renerhealthclinics.com.au/?p=7042 Our gut dysbiosis recipe is a papaya mousse that powerfully combines nutrients to calm gut inflammation, repair damage, and restore healthy gut flora.

And for those that really don’t like the taste of papaya, you can use mango as your gut-healing substitute ingredient.

UNDERSTANDING GUT DYSBIOSIS

Trillions of microscopic life forms (also called gut flora, gut bacteria, or microbiota) live in your gut and play a vital role in your brain, metabolic, and immune health. BUT when there is a disturbance in your gut flora balance, you become more susceptible to disease.

Symptoms of gut flora imbalance (also called gut dysbiosis) can range from bad breath to digestive problems, bloating, burping, flatulence, gut pain, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhoea, leaky gut, chronic inflammation, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, joint pain, food intolerances, skin rashes, chronic skin conditions, as well as vaginal and rectal infections and itching.

Studies also link gut dysbiosis to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

WHY A GUT DYSBIOSIS RECIPE

Our goal in creating a gut dysbiosis recipe is to use nutrition to help alleviate acid reflux, chronic inflammation, bloating and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms • strengthen your gut health • improve digestion • increase ‘health-promoting’ gut bacteria • repair leaky gut • and boost immune function.

During our recipe planning and testing, we kept busy people in mind and created a recipe you can prep for the week and grab and go.

You eat half a cup (125mL) of papaya mousse every day to provide 5 grams of partially hydrolysed guar gum, which is considered the ideal daily intake for adults.

HEALTH BENEFITS

We thoroughly researched studies and trials on our ingredients and their healing effects.

We’ve included some of those references so you can further explore how powerful nutrition and probiotics (foods that feed healthy gut flora) can be for restoring gut health.

PAPAYA

Papaya is rich in antioxidants, enzymes, and phytochemicals, making it a perfect gut-healing food.

prebiotic • low FODMAP • high amounts of beneficial digestive enzymes • anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer activity • anti-ulcer, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective (liver protection) action • assists digestion of protein and fats • alleviates constipation, bloating, heartburn, and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) • aids digestion • balances blood sugars • wound healing • regulates hormones and menstrual cycle.

PARTIALLY HYDROLYSED GUAR GUM (PHGG)

Partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG) is a prebiotic, water-soluble dietary fibre used to regulate gut function and promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria to relieve gastrointestinal symptoms.

anti-inflammatory • prebiotic • supports digestive health • alleviates irritable bowel (IBS) and gut dysbiosis symptoms in adults and children • reduce flatulence, bloating and indigestion • reduces fatty liver disease • soothes intestinal mucosal inflammation • promotes healthy gut micro-organisms (microbiota) • improves stool form • regulates bowel function • improves faecal transit time • relieves abdominal pain • prevents sarcopenic obesity • enhances iron absorption • alleviates the symptoms of various intestinal diseases and metabolic syndrome • low FODMAP.

GOLDEN LINSEED (FLAXSEED)

Flaxseed (linseed) is commonly used to improve digestive and intestinal health.

prebiotic • anti-inflammatory • promotes diversity of healthy gut bacteria • encourages regular bowel movements • reduces the amount of dietary fat you digest and absorb • lowers high cholesterol • prevents obesity • increases intestinal bulk • improves insulin sensitivity • regulates metabolic syndrome • low FODMAP in 1 tablespoon serves.

BANANA

Bananas offer a variety of health benefits due to their high nutritional value.

prebiotic • supports digestive health • improves insulin sensitivity • rich in health-promoting bioactive phytochemicals that lower the risk of various chronic diseases, including heart disease • neurodegenerative disorders • stroke • gastrointestinal disorders •certain types of cancer •hypertension, • age-related degeneration • skin conditions, lowering of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol • and improved immune function.

MANGO

Mango offers multiple health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, gastro-protective, and anticancer properties.

prebiotic • modulates gut dysbiosis • gastrointestinal health • digestive health • cholesterol balance • inflammatory bowel diseases • gut dysbiosis • bowel regularity • insulin resistance • focus and attention • immunity • vitality and endurance.

MONK FRUIT

Monk fruit has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to relieve inflammation (heat), lubricate the intestines, and heal constipation.

Sweet ingredients like monk fruit slow down acute reactions and detoxify the body.

prebiotic • aids digestion • relieves sore throats, cough, cold symptoms • reduces phlegm • fructose and glucose free • antioxidant, anti-cancer properties • anti-fatigue, anti-diabetic and anti-hyperglycemic properties • 300 times sweeter than sucrose so use sparingly.

CEYLON CINNAMON

True Ceylon cinnamon contains powerful anti-inflammatory and medicinal properties.

inhibits candida • enhances fat metabolism • increases lean body mass • decreases abdominal fat • improves fasting blood sugar • improves insulin resistance • promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria • protects colon health • anti-inflammatory • rich in antioxidants • autoimmune symptoms • bacterial infections • blood pressure (hypertension) • brain food • central nervous system • cholesterol • cognitive decline • dental health • diabetes • gut dysbiosis • fungal infections • protects against cardiovascular disease • neurodegenerative disorders • viral infections • weight management • wound healing.

GUT DYSBIOSIS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

3 cups blended fresh red papaya.

1 cup of Bonsoy soy milk, or plant milk of choice.

I really ripe banana.

4 teaspoons of golden flaxseed (1 tsp per cup).

8 teaspoons of PHGG (2 tsps per cup).

1/8 – 1/4 of a teaspoon of pure monk fruit powder.

1/4 teaspoon Ceylon (true) cinnamon.

METRIC MEASURES USED

1 cup is 250 mL 

1 tablespoon is 15ml

1 teaspoon is 5ml

1/2 a cup is 125mL or 8 metric tablespoons.

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the skin and seeds from the papaya, ready to place the fruit in a high-speed blender. 

You’ll need approximately half a large red papaya. 

Start blending the papaya in stages.

Add, blend, and adjust amounts as you go until you have 3 cups of fruit pulp.

Blend in plant-based milk and the ripe banana.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and thoroughly blend until you have a smooth texture.

Your mousse will set overnight in the fridge. Don’t worry if it appears too ‘runny’.

Store in sealed glass containers (jars) in the fridge. 

For best results, eat within 7 days.

You eat half a cup (125mL) of papaya mousse daily to provide 5 grams of partially hydrolysed guar gum, which is considered the ideal daily intake for adults.

When and how you eat your papaya mousse is up to you.

You can store your gut-healing mousse in 125mL glass jars (for portioned convenience) and eat it for breakfast each day.

You could eat 4 tablespoons of mousse with your breakfast and another 4 tablespoons after dinner.

You could add half a cup of mousse to a post-workout smoothie.

Or, you could serve your mousse with fresh blueberries and coconut yoghurt.

Do whatever works best for your lifestyle.

RECIPE NOTES

Some people really don’t like the taste of papaya. If that’s you, use fresh or frozen mango (defrost it). Or use half mango and half papaya to disguise the taste and gain maximum enzyme benefits.

Only buy pure monk fruit powder or liquid. Avoid monk fruit products that contain fillers or other sweetening ingredients.

Research on PHGG recommends consuming 5-7.5g per day. And it’s important to start slow, at half of the full dose for the first week.

When you begin taking PHGG fibre, you might notice gurgling and flatulence for a few days as your gut adjusts to the increase in fibre. Keep going; it doesn’t last long. You’ll probably also notice bulkier bowel movements, which is good. The PHGG fibre is doing its job.

Be patient as you heal your gut. Several trials used a 6 to 12-week administration of PHGG to gain significant improvements in IBS symptoms.

Healthy nutrition is a lifelong choice. Health and healing require healing foods as an integral part of your lifestyle.

If you are travelling or too stretched for time to make our mousse recipe, include the ingredients in your daily diet:

• Eat papaya and mango every day.

• Add a teaspoon of PHGG to yoghurt or a smoothie every day.

• Add golden flaxseed to your breakfast cereal.

• Add a dash of cinnamon to your drinks.

Use pure monk fruit instead of sugar to sweeten food and beverages.

Because this recipe increases your fibre intake, drink at least 6-8 glasses of fluid daily – either pure water or herbal teas – to help regulate your bowel movements. Constipation and dehydration go hand in hand, so drink plenty of water.

And if you suffer from chronic inflammation (swelling, pain, discomfort), check out our anti-inflammatory aloe vera and lemon water recipe.

LEARN TO LOVE YOUR GUT

Gut balance is central to your overall health.

There is a direct link between gut health and your immune strength and disease.

Many health conditions begin with gut dysbiosis – an imbalance in your gut microflora.

To gain and maintain vibrant health, learn all you can about nutrition that nourishes your gut.

Have fun discovering all the foods and flavours that promote a robust and healthy gut environment (microbiome).

And if you need help to heal your gut – we are here. Our practitioners specialise in gut health and nutrition.

Tracee Blythe – nutrition and naturopathy.

Mike Reid – naturopathy, acupuncture, and live blood analysis.

You can click on the links to explore our website – Our Services and Our Team – or call our receptionists on 9330 2922 to find the right practitioner for you.

You can visit our blog for other gut health guidelines and recipes.

You can also purchase PHGG, golden flaxseeds, and pure aloe vera pulp juice from our online store if you have problems sourcing ingredients locally.

All the very best,

Lisa Rieniets ND
Shop Now

REFERENCES

Chong PP, Chin VK, Looi CY, Wong WF, Madhavan P, Yong VC. The Microbiome and Irritable Bowel Syndrome – A Review on the Pathophysiology, Current Research and Future Therapy. Front Microbiol. 2019 Jun 10;10:1136. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01136. Erratum in: Front Microbiol. 2019 Aug 13;10:1870. PMID: 31244784; PMCID: PMC6579922.

Fujii T, Chiba Y, Nakayama-Imaohji H, Onishi S, Tanaka A, Katami H, Kaji T, Ieiri S, Miki T, Ueno M, Kuwahara T, Shimono R. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum alleviates small intestinal mucosal damage after massive small bowel resection along with changes in the intestinal microbiota. J Pediatr Surg. 2019 Dec;54(12):2514-2519. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2019.08.048. Epub 2019 Sep 2. PMID: 31515113.

Giannini EG, Mansi C, Dulbecco P, Savarino V. Role of partially hydrolyzed guar gum in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. Nutrition. 2006 Mar;22(3):334-42. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2005.10.003. Epub 2006 Jan 18. PMID: 16413751.

Ghaffari, P., Shoaie, S. & Nielsen, L.K. Irritable bowel syndrome and microbiome; Switching from conventional diagnosis and therapies to personalized interventions. J Transl Med 20, 173 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-022-03365-z

Gunawardena D, Karunaweera N, Lee S, van Der Kooy F, Harman DG, Raju R, Bennett L, Gyengesi E, Sucher NJ, Münch G. Anti-inflammatory activity of cinnamon (C. zeylanicum and C. cassia) extracts – identification of E-cinnamaldehyde and o-methoxy cinnamaldehyde as the most potent bioactive compounds. Food Funct. 2015 Mar;6(3):910-9. doi: 10.1039/c4fo00680a. PMID: 25629927.

Ianiro G, Pecere S, Giorgio V, Gasbarrini A, Cammarota G. Digestive Enzyme Supplementation in Gastrointestinal Diseases. Curr Drug Metab. 2016;17(2):187-93. doi: 10.2174/138920021702160114150137. PMID: 26806042; PMCID: PMC4923703.

Ikram, E. H. K., Stanley, R., Netzel, M. and Fanning, K. (2015) Phytochemicals of papaya and its traditional health and culinary uses – A review. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 41 . p. 201. ISSN 08891575

Jiwan S Sidhu, Tasleem A Zafar, Bioactive compounds in banana fruits and their health benefits, Food Quality and Safety, Volume 2, Issue 4, December 2018, Pages 183–188, https://doi.org/10.1093/fqsafe/fyy019

K. Netshiheni, Rinah, et al. ‘Banana Bioactives: Absorption, Utilisation and Health Benefits’. Banana Nutrition – Function and Processing Kinetics, IntechOpen, Jan. 2020. Crossref, doi:10.5772/intechopen.83369.

Kajla P, Sharma A, Sood DR. Flaxseed-a potential functional food source. J Food Sci Technol. 2015 Apr;52(4):1857-71. doi: 10.1007/s13197-014-1293-y. Epub 2014 Feb 28. PMID: 25829567; PMCID: PMC4375225.

Kawatra P, Rajagopalan R. Cinnamon: Mystic powers of a minute ingredient. Pharmacognosy Res. 2015 Jun;7(Suppl 1):S1-6. doi: 10.4103/0974-8490.157990. PMID: 26109781; PMCID: PMC4466762.

Ma J, Sun J, Bai H, Ma H, Wang K, Wang J, Yu X, Pan Y, Yao J. Influence of Flax Seeds on the Gut Microbiota of Elderly Patients with Constipation. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2022 Oct 20;15:2407-2418. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S379708. PMID: 36299564; PMCID: PMC9590345.

Menees S, Chey W. The gut microbiome and irritable bowel syndrome. F1000Res. 2018 Jul 9;7:F1000 Faculty Rev-1029. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.14592.1. PMID: 30026921; PMCID: PMC6039952.

Muhammad Faizan Afzal, Waseem Khalid, Sidra Akram, Muhammad Armghan Khalid, Muhammad Zubair, Safura Kauser, Khalid Abdelsamea Mohamedahmed, Afifa Aziz & Shahida Anusha Siddiqui (2022) Bioactive profile and functional food applications of banana in food sectors and health: a review, International Journal of Food Properties, 25:1, 2286-2300, DOI: 10.1080/10942912.2022.2130940

Muñoz-Labrador A, Lebrón-Aguilar R, Quintanilla-López JE, Galindo-Iranzo P, Azcarate SM, Kolida S, Kachrimanidou V, Garcia-Cañas V, Methven L, Rastall RA, Moreno FJ, Hernandez-Hernandez O. Prebiotic Potential of a New Sweetener Based on Galactooligosaccharides and Modified Mogrosides. J Agric Food Chem. 2022 Jul 27;70(29):9048-9056. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01363. Epub 2022 Jul 13. PMID: 35830712; PMCID: PMC9335866.

Niv, E., Halak, A., Tiommny, E. et al. Randomized clinical study: Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) versus placebo in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Nutr Metab (Lond) 13, 10 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-016-0070-5

Ojo B, El-Rassi GD, Payton ME, Perkins-Veazie P, Clarke S, Smith BJ, Lucas EA. Mango Supplementation Modulates Gut Microbial Dysbiosis and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Production Independent of Body Weight Reduction in C57BL/6 Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet. J Nutr. 2016 Aug;146(8):1483-91. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.226688. Epub 2016 Jun 29. PMID: 27358411.

Swaroop A, Bagchi M, Moriyama H,et al.Health Benefits of Mango (Mangiferaindica L) and Mangiferin Japan Journal of Medicine. 2018; 1:2.

Pandey, A. K., and O. P. Chauhan. “Monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii)-health aspects and food applications.” Pantnagar J. Res 17 (2019): 191-198.

Russo L, Andreozzi P, Zito FP, Vozzella L, Savino IG, Sarnelli G, Cuomo R. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation: effects of gender, age, and body mass index. Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2015 Mar-Apr;21(2):104-10. doi: 10.4103/1319-3767.153835. PMID: 25843197; PMCID: PMC4392570.

Santana LF, Inada AC, Espirito Santo BLSD, Filiú WFO, Pott A, Alves FM, Guimarães RCA, Freitas KC, Hiane PA. Nutraceutical Potential of Carica papaya in Metabolic Syndrome. Nutrients. 2019 Jul 16;11(7):1608. doi: 10.3390/nu11071608. PMID: 31315213; PMCID: PMC6682863.

Scarpellini E, Basilico M, Rinninella E, et al. Probiotics and gut health. Minerva Gastroenterology. 2021 Dec;67(4):314-325. DOI: 10.23736/s2724-5985.21.02910-7. PMID: 33978391.

Sharma, Ashutosh & Joshi, Archana & Sharma, Priyanka & Bachheti, Rakesh & Husen, Azamal. (2020). Phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, nanoparticle fabrication, commercial products and waste utilization of Carica papaya L.: A comprehensive review. Current Research in Biotechnology. 2. 10.1016/j.crbiot.2020.11.001. 

Swaroop A, Bagchi M, Moriyama H,et al.Health Benefits of Mango (Mangiferaindica L) and Mangiferin Japan Journal of Medicine. 2018; 1:2.

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Wu H, Pan A, Yu Z et al. Lifestyle Counseling and Supplementation with Flaxseed or Walnuts Influence the Management of Metabolic Syndrome. The Journal of Nutrition 140. 11 (Nov 2010): 1937-42. 2010.

Your gut microbiome significantly influences your health, mental well-being, and immune function.

Disruptions to your gut flora (gut microorganisms, gut microbiota) are associated with harmful health outcomes and disease.

That’s why I also highly recommend we quit consuming sugar and synthetic sweeteners.

WHY WE NEED TO QUIT SUGAR

To restore balance and function, I work with my clients to change their diets – particularly sugar consumption.

Clients who don’t think they consume a lot of sugar are shocked at the amount of hidden (added) sugar in their daily food intake.

When you start looking at food labels, you begin to realise what is actually going into your body.

Most of us eat much more sugar than is recommended for a healthy diet.

Consumption of hidden sugar includes all sugars added in processing or preparing foods and beverages (especially soft drinks).

Excessive sugar consumption contributes to gut bacteria imbalance (dysbiosis) • leaky gut • metabolic syndrome • inflammation and joint pain • obesity • fatty liver disease • diabetes • gout • heart disease • tooth decay • high levels of uric acid in your blood • depression and mood disorders • cell ageing • neuroinflammation (brain and nerves) • dementia • cognitive decline • and cancers.

It’s worth watching the following videos about why getting rid of added sugar in your diet is one of the best things you can do for your health.

When you learn what your body needs to be healthy and what poisons it, making healthier choices becomes much easier. And that’s when change and healing can take place.

How Sugar Is Making Us Sick

Sugar &  Inflammation

Sugar & Obesity 

Sugar & Cancer

SUGAR SUBSTITUTES

Sugar substitutes have grown to meet a worldwide epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and lifestyle diseases related to unhealthy diets and inactivity.

A sugar substitute is a food additive that provides sweetness like sugar but contains little food energy (calories).

Sugar substitutes include artificial (synthetic) sweeteners and plant-based sugar alcohols.

The growing question for many practitioners and researchers is – are sugar substitutes a safer alternative for human health?

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS?

Artificial sweeteners include saccharin (Sweet‘n’Low), acesulfame, aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), neotame, and sucralose (Splenda).

Synthetic sweeteners are chemically synthesised and non-nutritive (contain zero or little carbohydrates, calories, or nutrition).

Concerns have been raised that some artificial sweeteners could actually be increasing the obesity epidemic.

Side effects from artificial sweeteners can range from digestive symptoms, bloating, changes in gut bacteria (dysbiosis), metabolic syndrome, glucose intolerance, weight gain, and increased risks of several cancers.

SUGAR ALCOHOLS?

Sugar alcohols (polyols) include sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, and isomalt.

Polyols are low-calorie carbohydrates with a sweet taste. They occur naturally in certain fruits and can be manufactured into ‘sugar-like’ products.

BUT are sugar alcohol sweeteners really a healthy alternative?

Polyols are considered safe if they are consumed in ‘moderation’. But they can have unpleasant side effects including indigestion, colic, flatulence, bloating, and diarrhoea.

Some sugar alcohol sweeteners are also not recommended if you suffer from gut inflammation • irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) • leaky gut • ulcerative colitis • or for those with underlying cardiac risk factors (see erythritol cardiac risk study).

I’ve included research references at the end so you can investigate the growing concerns regarding sugar, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols.

YES TO MONK FRUIT

So where does that leave us with sweeteners?

In terms of nutrition and promoting a healthy gut microbiome – organic dates, pure raw honey, unsulphured black strap molasses, and pure maple syrup are healthier alternatives than processed sugar or some sugar substitutes.

However, where health conditions require a sugar-free diet, I recommend pure monk fruit (Momordica grosvernor) because it is a nutritive, zero glycaemic index sweetener that is better tolerated by those with gut conditions.

MONK FRUIT BENEFITS

Monk fruit (Lo Han Kuo) has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

As a plant food medicine, monk fruit is used in TCM to treat lung congestion • inflammation • gut, kidney, and heart health • constipation • scrofula • insomnia • depression • to promote longevity • and as a natural sweetener.

Lo Han Kuo is also used externally in TCM to treat psoriasis, carbuncles, and boils.

Monk fruit is prebiotic. It feeds and promotes the growth of beneficial gut microorganisms.

Naturopaths use monk fruit to aid digestion and weight management • relieve sore throats, coughing, bronchitis, and cold symptoms • reduce phlegm and swollen lymph glands • promote gut health • and support immune function.

Monk fruit medicinal herb actions include antioxidant • anti-fatigue • anti-inflammatory • antimicrobial • anti-diabetic • antihistamine • anti-hyperglycaemic, and anti-cancer properties.

BUYING MONK FRUIT

When you are buying monk fruit, make sure to check the product label.

Some monk fruit sweetening products have a small percentage of monk fruit combined with erythritol.

Don’t be fooled by packaging. Only buy pure monk fruit powder or liquid.

USING MONK FRUIT

A good thing about pure monk fruit is it doesn’t have that weird aftertaste that some sugar substitutes give you.

However, you will need to experiment with the amount of monk fruit you use in cooking and drinks.

Pure monk fruit is high in unique antioxidants called mogrosides that are 100–250 times sweeter than regular sugar.

My advice is to use it sparingly.

It is best to add a little bit at a time.

MONK FRUIT LIQUID

We stock Thankfully Nourished monk fruit concentrate liquid at the clinic because it is pure with nothing added. 

Thankfully Nourished Monk Fruit Liquid is non-GMO and super concentrated, with 330 serves per bottle.

Suggested Liquid Use:

You’ll need to play with the number of drops you use to sweeten food and drinks. 

Start low and taste as you go.

• Use between 2-6 drops for drinks.

• 15-30 drops are recommended for baked goods.

Refrigeration will also extend shelf life by 12 months but is not essential.

MONK FRUIT POWDER

If you enjoy baking, you may prefer to use organic monk fruit powder.

I recommend that you shop around because some brands charge a fortune for pure monk fruit powder, or they combine other sugar substitutes and call it monk fruit. Check the labels.

You can buy pure monk fruit powder in bulk for a better price and share it between family and friends.

If you bulk buy, store your monk fruit powder in dark glass jars with a food-grade silica sachet to keep it dry. And keep your jars in a cool place.

We highly recommend Australian bulk food supplier The Herbal Connection for pure monk fruit powder. The smallest amount you can buy online is 250 grams, but the quality and savings are worthwhile.

The Herbal Connection monk fruit powder is additive free, organic, and naturally brown in colour.

Suggested Powder Use:

A little monk fruit goes a long way, and conversion rates for baking with pure monk fruit powder will vary depending on the level of mogrosides (sweetness). 

You will need to experiment and add a little powder at a time. 

As a rough guide for using monk fruit powder:

• A third of a cup of sugar = ¼ to 1 teaspoon of pure monk fruit powder.

• A half cup of sugar = ⅓ to 1½ teaspoons of pure monk fruit powder.

• One cup of sugar = ⅔ to 3 teaspoons of pure monk fruit powder.

Start low and taste as you go.

You can download a How To Use Monk Fruit info sheet here to print and keep as a handy reference for experimenting with pure monk fruit.

HEALTH & HEALING

No matter the state of your health, nutrition (the chemistry in food necessary for your body to function effectively) is essential for healing and restoring balance.

Monk fruit helps you reduce sugar consumption and restore your gut microbiome.

I always tell my clients that the human body is designed to be healthy when you give it what it needs to be healthy.

Do all you can to reduce your consumption of added sugar in your diet.

A healthy gut is essential for gaining and maintaining health.

Learn all you can about improving your gut health.

Get involved with what you allow to go into your body every time you eat and drink.

Look at food labels when you are grocery shopping.

Eat mostly ‘whole’ (unprocessed) foods and fresh food – particularly vegetables.

Because a healthy diet (what you consume all of the time) makes a huge difference in your health outcomes.

You reap what you eat!

All the very best,
Lisa Rieniets ND.

REFERENCES

Asgari-Taee F, Zerafati-Shoae N, Dehghani M, Sadeghi M, Baradaran HR, Jazayeri S. Association of sugar sweetened beverages consumption with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Nutr. 2019 Aug;58(5):1759-1769. doi: 10.1007/s00394-018-1711-4. Epub 2018 May 14. PMID: 29761318.

Chen WJ, Wang J, Qi XY, Xie BJ. The antioxidant activities of natural sweeteners, mogrosides, from fruits of Siraitia grosvenori. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2007 Nov;58(7):548-56. doi: 10.1080/09637480701336360. PMID: 17852496.

Chen Yuan, Hee-Kyung Joh, Qiao-Li Wang, Yin Zhang, Stephanie A Smith-Warner, Molin Wang, Mingyang Song, Yin Cao, Xuehong Zhang, Emilie S Zoltick, Jinhee Hur, Andrew T Chan, Jeffrey A Meyerhardt, Shuji Ogino, Kimmie Ng, Edward L Giovannucci, Kana Wu, Sugar-sweetened beverage and sugar consumption and colorectal cancer incidence and mortality according to anatomic subsite, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 115, Issue 6, June 2022, Pages 1481–1489, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac040

Epner M, Yang P, Wagner RW, Cohen L. Understanding the Link between Sugar and Cancer: An Examination of the Preclinical and Clinical Evidence. Cancers. 2022; 14(24):6042. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14246042

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