What is collagen?

It is the most abundant protein in your body, being the main component of connective tissues. It is vital for healthy maintenance of muscles, skin, ligaments and tendons. To discover more reasons you need collagen for health, read on.

There are 28 types, but here are the four most common –

• Type I is the most common type which is found in all connective tissue.
• Type ll is found in skeletal joints and in the cushions between your vertebrae.
• Type lll is found in skin and blood vessels.
• Type lV is a component of your kidneys, surrounds organs and helps with eye and ear health.

In recent years, these supplements have become unbelievably popular. Hydrolysed collagen supplements make it much easier for your body to absorb, so if you’re on the lookout for a supplement ‘collagen peptides’ is the type you want. Hydrolisation breaks down the long chains, making it easier for your body to use.

Dietary sources of collagen

Diet-wise foods that contain gelatine provide collagen. Bone broth is a superb example of this.
Found in the connective tissue of animals, it is plentiful in foods such as chicken, pork, beef and fish. Egg white is another great source.

Vitamin C is crucial for collagen synthesis, so you should also ensure you’re eating foods rich in this vitamin, such as citrus fruits, broccoli, and kiwis.  Supplementation with Vitamin C is useful for numerous body functions, including collagen synthesis.

For more help and practical guidance to ensure you’re eating the best diet for your gut, and health in general, click here.

If you’re worried your diet is impacting your gut health, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support both your digestive sysem and hormone health, whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods.

Here are a few ways to use collagen for health –

Gut Health – leaky gut

Collagen supplementation may be a useful part of your regime to support leaky gut. It will support your body in knitting together your gut wall cells, helping to prevent toxins from travelling around your body.

To read more about leaky gut click here.

Muscle mass

It is also an important component of skeletal muscle.
So much so that numerous studies have demonstrated those who supplemented with collagen gained significantly more muscle mass through training, than those who did not.

Nail health

Collagen can be useful in preventing nail brittleness, and some people find it helps the health of their hair.

Bones and joints

Collagen maintains the integrity of your cartilage, which is the flexible tissue which protects your joints. As we age the the amount of collagen we produce decreases, therefore our likelihood of developing conditions such as osteoarthritis increases. Fortunately numerous studies have found that supplementation with collagen helps to reduce these symptoms.

Similarly, as collagen production decreases, your bone mass may take a hit. Supplementation may therefore help with symptoms of osteoarthritis and decrease risk of fractures.

Collagen is typically very well tolerated (continue to avoid marine collagen if you’re allergic to fish) and is easy to take. It is flavourless and can easily be mixed into warm drinks.

A dairy-free diet excludes foods that contain milk and milk products. People who discover they don’t tolerate dairy products very well may choose to reduce or completely eliminate foods that contain milk. On the other hand some find they may be able to tolerate small amounts of dairy, fermented dairy or raw dairy without suffering too many consequences. More on that later on, but for now let’s look at some of the reasons people think there may be a problem with dairy, and why you may want to avoid dairy.

People follow a dairy-free diet for different reasons, but for most people, they’re searching for relief from –

• Digestive issues
• Bloating
• Skin problems
• Respiratory issues (like excess mucus) that come from eating dairy products.

If you’d like to learn more about ensuring you’re eating well whilst avoiding certain foods, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods. 

1. If you’re bloating, that could mean a problem with dairy

If you find you become bloated after eating dairy you’re definitely not alone!

So what’s actually going on here?

This may be due to an underlying imbalance with your digestive system – you may not be digesting proteins, or breaking down sugars efficiently. This may be down to dysbiosis, AKA an imbalance between your ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria.

 You can get the lowdown on dysbiosis here.

3. If you suffer with your skin, it may be a problem with dairy

There are plenty of studies which demonstrate a link between eating dairy, and the development of skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
So if you suffer with anything like this, a diary-free diet together with certain probiotic supplements may really help you support your skin’s healing.

Have you thought about taking probiotics but are unsure where to start? Have a look here.

What to eat instead of dairy?

Contrary to what you might have heard, dairy products are not the only, and definitely not the best source of calcium.

Dairy products are high in calcium, but calcium intake needs to be balanced with magnesium in order for it to be utilised properly by the body. If you’re deficient in magnesium this puts you at risk for a deficiency in calcium too – these two minerals work closely together.

If you want to ensure you maximise absorption of the calcium you do eat, ensure you eat plenty of these foods which are rich sources of magnesium –

• Leafy greens
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Figs
• Cocoa

A great balance of magnesium and calcium is found in the following foods:

Seeds – sesame seeds and chias are particularly high in calcium.
Sardines and tinned salmon – these are loaded with calcium thanks to their tiny, edible soft bones.
Nuts – Almonds are a particularly rich source of calcium.
Tofu – this is another great source.

Easier to digest dairy products

If you can source them, raw dairy products tend to be better tolerated by many people who can’t tolerate conventional products.

As far as I’m currently aware, raw dairy is best sourced direct from farmers who supply this service. Raw dairy is not available from supermarkets, although it is becoming increasingly widely available.

Fermented dairy tends also to be better tolerated.

Milk kefir, for example, is very good for you and many people find this is much less likely to cause problems. The fermentation process essentially pre-digests the tricky-to-digest parts, which is great news for your gut!

The same goes for plain, natural yogurt – a lot of people are a lot better off eating this and find it a much better option than milk.

If you’re suffering with any of the issues I mentioned above, maybe have a go at eliminating dairy altogether for two weeks and see if you notice a difference.  Or try only fermented dairy or raw dairy for a while and see how that goes.

Non Dairy Milks

And don’t forget the great array of non-dairy milks we have available now. It’s also easy enough to make your own with seeds or nuts and filtered water. You’ll just need to buy a milk bag to filter it. These taste really great and are extremely good for you – I have to say I find hemp milk fantastic for skin health.

So what’s the problem with dairy? As is always the way with nutrition it’s not always simple, and everyone is unique.  If you have symptoms you can’t get to the bottom of, taking dairy out of your diet for a limited period of time – 2-4 weeks is usually long enough – to see whether or not your symptoms improve may be a good idea.

But do be careful of overly restricting your diet, unnecessarily, for long periods of time.  If you remove diary from your diet and you don’t notice difference there is something else triggering your symptoms which should be investigated through gut testing.

PS: The Ultimate Gut Health Programme includes plenty of inspiration on how to eliminate foods safely, to optimise your gut health, with meal plans, recipes and video lessons.

Having a healthy level of good bacteria is beneficial for a whole host of health reasons, not least to ensure you have healthy digestion.  However, there are a few additional health concerns for which you may wish to consider supplementing with probiotics.

Firstly, if you have symptoms of IBS or any other digestive complaint I would always recommend testing BEFORE trying out any probiotic supplements.

The main reason being that with some conditions, SIBO for example, the addition of probiotics may aggravate your symptoms.

If you’d like to learn more about eating to ensure your gut microbiome is healthy, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods. 

1. Digestive Health

Because so much of your health begins in the complex microbiome of the gut, proper balance of your gut bacteria is crucial to overall health.

If you have specific digestive symptoms then probiotics may well help you out (although in all likelihood they’re not the only course of action you’ll need to take).  Although, as mentioned, bear in mind they may aggravate things if you haven’t tested first.

3. Immune support

A whopping 70-80% of your immune system is located in your gut.  Therefore a sub-optimal gut environment will certainly have a negative impact on your immune health.  In addition to this certain strains of probiotics have been shown to be particularly benefical to immune health, particularly the lactobacillus paracasaii strain.

Taking probiotics, such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, can also help your body to reduce inflammation and inflammatory conditions.

5. During and after antibiotics

You can absolutely take probiotics whilst taking antibiotics to mitigate some of the ill effects.  Just ensure you don’t take them at the same time.  Antibiotics kill off both the good and bad bacteria, so its always nice to give them a helping hand to replenish themselves.

6. Probiotics whilst travelling

You can start taking probiotics a couple of weeks before you plan to travel, if you’re going to a region where you’re likely to become illl with travellers tummy, then take them whilst you’re there and continue for a couple of weeks after you get back.  The strain of benefical yeast saccharomyces boulardii is especially useful here.

If you’re generally in good health and eating a great diet, you really are unlikely to need to take  a specific probiotic supplement.

A great approach is to ensure you’re cultivating an optimal environment for your bacteria to flourish.  They thrive on ‘prebiotic’ foods including leeks, onions, garlic, green bananas and a nice diverse range of different coloured veg (remember to eat a rainbow!)

Probiotic foods

Probiotic foods are a great addition to your diet in order to keep your gut health ticking over nicely.  Include –

• Sauerkraut
• Milk or water kefir
• Natural yogurt
• Certain raw cheeses
• Kombucha
• Miso

Be careful to check labels on shop bought products though, and avoid any added sugar.

PS: The Ultimate Gut Health Programme includes plenty of inspiration on how to eliminate foods safely, to optimise your gut health, with meal plans, recipes and video lessons.

You’re no doubt familiar with phrases such as ‘I have a gut feeling about this’ or saying ‘I have butterflies in my stomach’ if you happen to be feeling a bit nervous. But why is this? Well, it’s all down to the intricate gut brain axis.

Have a look at the video above if you’d like to learn a quick and easy technique to help you feel more relaxed in an instant. 

The more that scientists discover about the microbiome AKA the population of ‘friendly’ bacteria which reside in our guts, the more it’s becoming clear that it is indeed our ‘second brain’.

The nervous system throughout the gut is termed the enteric nervous system. This is a system of nerves – more nerves even than the spinal cord – which is totally separate from the rest of our nervous system.

The enteric nervous system – key to the gut brain axis

The enteric system is believed to be behind the mechanics of food digestion and controls blood flow and other secretions. Although it doesn’t have thoughts or anything like that, the enteric system is in constant communication with our brain via the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is continually sending information both ways from the gut to the brain and back again. This is one of the main components of the gut brain connection.

The microbiome

Another part of the gut-brain axis involves the bacteria within our microbiome that produce substances which are great influencers on our mood –

Serotonin – this is your neurotransmitter which makes you feel happy, a large proportion of which is produced in the gut. You need healthy levels of serotonin for optimal gut function, and to help avoid constipation and diarrhoea. Emph different actions in brain and gut.

GABA – this neurotransmitter helps control feelings of anxiety and fear.

SCFAs – Short chain fatty acids. Your gut microbes produce these, and amongst other things they reduce feelings of hunger.

If you’d like to learn more about eating to soothe your gut, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods. 

So it’s not surprising then that the microbiome has been linked to symptoms such as depression. Researchers have studied extensively the link between irritable bowel syndrome and depression (because there definitely is a very strong link) and have noted great improvements in patients who were given probiotics. As their gut health improved, so did their mental well being.

So how to keep your gut, and therefore your gut brain axis, healthy?

1. Avoid Processed Foods

People who eat a wide variety of plant-based whole foods have a much healthier and diverse range of good bacteria throughout their guts. Ultra processed foods with added sugar and artificial sweeteners can really impact your microbiome in a negative way, so definitely aim to keep these foods to a minimum.

3. Avoid Gluten

Many people find that if they avoid gluten-containing foods their anxiety levels gradually start to slide too. If you can’t face the thought of never having a slice of toast again, maybe try sourdough. Although it does contain gluten, many find it’s much better tolerated than a normal loaf.

Although if you’re coeliac, or very sensitive to gluten you’ll need to avoid it totally.

5. Eat foods high in B-vitamins –

Dark green leafy veg, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils.

These ensure you have healthy levels of neurotransmitters. Vitamin B6 helps with the production of serotonin and neurotransmitters, healthy B6 levels are associated with a positive mood and reducing stress naturally. It’s also been proven to effectively treat mood disorders like depression.

6. Eat Nuts

Nuts such as walnuts, cashews and almonds are rich in serotonin. If you find nuts too harsh on your digestion, try soaking them for a few hours first – this way they can be easily added to smoothies, or alternatively add them to an overnight oats recipe.

Seeds such as sesame seeds will also help with your mood as they contain an amino acid called tyrosine which is known to boost dopamine levels.

PS: The Ultimate Gut Health Programme includes plenty of inspiration on how to eliminate foods safely, to optimise your gut health, with meal plans, recipes and video lessons.

The general sentiment around alcohol is that a couple of drinks each week is unlikely to do you much harm.  In fact, one or two drinks may even do you some good when you factor in the fun and social interaction that it tends to go hand-in-hand with. But what about alcohol and your gut? If you suffer with digestive issues, should you avoid it altogether?

The trouble with alcohol is it slowly becomes habitual, and the amount you consume may creep up very easily without you really noticing.

The jury’s still out, however, on whether or not moderate drinking may have some benefits long term or not – but, how unhealthy is it to regularly drink alcohol, especially if you have digestive problems?

Here’s how indulging in a quick drink after work ‘to unwind’ might affect you

• You become very tired due to not sleeping well after any amount of alcohol, no matter how small
• You drink less water and other ‘hydrating drinks’ while you’re drinking alcohol
• The wine/beer/G&Ts you’re drinking add to this, causing considerable dehydration
• You likely won’t feel inclined to exercise the following day
• Your blood sugar levels will be all over the place, causing additional food cravings.
  Because of all these things (and more!) your mood takes a nosedive

If you’d like to learn more about eating to soothe your gut, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support your digestive system whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods. 

The drinks themselves, the cravings, and the lack of exercise may lead to weight gain, which in turn may lead to some fat build up in the liver. This may exacerbate any damage already being caused directly by alcohol.

The connection between drinking alcohol and your digestive symptoms may not immediately seem obvious, as often the side effects only appear after there has been damage. But the more you drink, the greater the damage will become.

So, how does alcohol actually affect the gut?

1.  Drinking can damage the tissues in your digestive tract, which may affect the way you absorb nutrients.

2. Having one too many can also lead to:

• Gassiness
• Bloating
• A feeling of fullness in your abdomen

4. Pancreas

Alcohol is really bad for your pancreas. It causes the over-activation of pancreatic enzymes which may lead to inflammation, this is known as pancreatitis. This is a long term condition which may have serious consequences.

6. Constipation

Now to the other end of the spectrum: Drinking large amounts of alcohol can slow digestion down causing constipation. Which may in turn cause hemorrhoids.
If you’d like to learn more about constipation, have a look here.

So who does alcohol affect the most?

People with bowel diseases are more prone to experiencing alcohol-induced diarrhoea. Including those suffering from –

• Coeliac disease
• IBS
• Crohn’s/IBD

This shouldn’t really come as too much of a surprise, as if you’re suffering with any of those conditions your gut is likely to be very sensitive, and will react to alcohol more dramatically.

Alcohol and sleep

People with irregular sleeping patterns, surprisingly, seem to be more affected by the adverse affects of alcohol. For example –

• Shift workers
• New parents
• Those who like to party all night …

These groups tend to experience diarrhoea after drinking alcohol more than other people.

Why?

Because it has been shown that a lack of regular sleep makes the digestive tract very sensitive. Simply because your gut needs rest too, and if it’s not getting the rest it needs it’ll start to get cranky.

So if you’re a nurse, or you’ve got small children who wake you at night, and you were wondering why even a small amount of alcohol makes your guts feel a bit iffy – now you know why, it’s not just your imagination!

If you’re worried about your sleeping patterns, you keep waking up at night, or you have difficulty dropping off in the first place, have a look here for all the ways you can help yourself.

These are just a few of the problems which may arise with your gut, and general health, if you drink alcohol. Of course there are many, many other ways alcohol can disrupt your health.