THE ANALOGY OF a garden epitomises our gut on many levels. Consider too many potentially ‘bad’ microbes in the gut, food and lifestyle triggers as the weeds, the terrain of the gut as the soil, gut-supportive foods and nutrients as fertilisers and beneficial microbes as seeds. Would you plant seeds in a garden full of weeds with depleted soil? Think about caring for your gut in the same way. Springtime is when the weather turns a bit warmer, leaves start to appear on trees and flowers begin to bloom, so it might also be a good time for gut horticulture. The first important thing to note is that each and every one of your gardens will need diff erent tending and will have its own specific weeds. Moreover, if you have long-standing gut issues or experience pain, blood or mucus in your stools, then you should seek the advice of your GP. For those of you who simply want to give your gut garden a spring clean, in my upcoming columns, I’ll be guiding you on how to weed, seed and feed your gut to help create a vibrant and blooming garden.
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