Transform Your Microbiome With Plants
You’re probably wondering…‘How Do I Transform My Health With Plants?’
It’s easy to be suspicious hey? With SO many claims and promises.
But when it comes to eating PLANTS you should NOT be asking…“is this going to work?”
You should be asking… “Do I want to Change my Life?” and if the answer is “YES” then you’re on the right track because…
EATING PLANTS IS GOING TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
Pretty bold statement hey?
But the research is strong…
“Masters that manipulate the gut microbiota are the phytochemicals within specific types of F&V (Fruit and Vegetables), where polyphenols account for the largest proportion, along with alkaloids, terpenes, nitrogen-containing compounds, polysaccharides and natural pigments present in plants. These bioactive compounds exhibit the regulative influences on gut microorganisms characterised by rescuing dysbiosis of gut microbiota, increasing/decreasing microbial abundance, restructuring microbial composition, and rebalancing gut microbial homeostasis”
“F&V-rich diets provide abundant source of fibres that promote the growth of gut microbiota by serving as prebiotics”
And if you’re worried about your PROTEIN… don’t be because Plant proteins are considered to be a ‘superior protein’ and meets the daily requirements when provided in a balanced diverse diet…
“An intake of plant protein was significantly inversely associated with all-cause mortality as well as cause-specific mortality from cardiovascular disease and stroke in both males and females. They reported that replacement of just 3% of protein intake with plant protein versus animal was associated with a 10% reduction in overall mortality across both men and women”… and…
“While there was no clear association between animal protein intake and mortality, an inverse association was found between plant protein intake and cardiovascular disease risk. These studies support a benefit of substituting more plant protein into the diet in place of animal protein in terms of longevity and mortality.”
But more than that… I’ve actually seen, firsthand how lives have been transformed by working with over a thousand individuals who have a diet rich in PLANTS.
Read on as I explain five reasons why eating Plants will change your life… You’ll learn why it’s so effective – and how to get off to a flying start!
Just a side note… we’re not talking about being VEGAN… we’re talking about MORE plants in your diet!!
Five Reasons Why Eating Plants Transforms Your Health
REASON #1: Feed your MICROBIOME with it’s Main Food Source - FIBRE…
You’re probably wondering.. “Why am I feeding my Microbiome and NOT me?”.
Because your Microbiome IS YOU. You have a Inner Garden (that needs feeding) that outnumbers your human cells 10:1. In fact, there are over 4 million bacterial genes and just 22,000 human genes! Your Microbiome FLOURISHES with Fibre and you can find it abundantly in plants… fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds… the list goes on… Feed your Microbiome and it will do this for YOU…
Sustain your gastrointestinal tract, keeping it in good condition.
Assist in the digestion of food, harvesting calories and extracting vitamins and minerals.
Help you to maintain an appropriate appetite.
Keep your metabolism working at optimal speed so you effortlessly remain at an ideal weight.
Stimulate gut hormone release, slowing gastric emptying and small intestinal transit. Inhibit fat accumulation associated with obesity.
Metabolize nutrients.
Regulate your immune system: 70-80% of immune cells are located within your intestines.
Regulate neurotransmitters – one in particular – Serotonin which regulates your mood, appetite, sleep and gastrointestinal motility.
Produce Vitamins B & K – giving you an abundance of energy (Vit B) and keeping your capillaries healthy (Vit K)
Produce natural antibiotics – to ward off infections, colds and us etc.
REASON #2: When you Eat Plants You Can Eat MORE…
And finally achieve your ideal weight!
Eating LESS and trying to DIET will leave you feeling “HANGRY” (hungry and angry) not a good combo! The stress of counting ‘calories’ harms your Microbiome which can result in ‘Putting on Weight!' Aaaaggghhh! You see when you’re stressed it takes your body through a process. It sends a message to the brain to release cortisol – to get your body ready to take on the stress. Oh, and a side note, the brain doesn’t differ from a ‘real’ or ‘perceived’ threat. So just the action of you thinking about ‘dieting’ can cause the release of cortisol. So how does this cause weight gain? A number of ways but I’ll just cover a couple of the most relevant…
The release of Cortisol slows digestion by about a third. What this means is you don’t metabolize food properly. Lack of nutrient absorption equals the body producing more ‘hunger’ signals to the brain – making you ‘crave’ more food.
Cortisol is an inflammatory response. Inflammation is the opposite of fat-burning. More inflammation = increased weight.
Eating plants equals eating nutrients, that don’t stress your body, is the secret for sustainable health without ever having to restrict food again or go on another fad diet.
This leads me into my next reason…
REASON #3: Inclusion NOT exclusion…
While Vegetarian and Vegan diets are defined by what they exclude, eating PLANTS is defined by what it includes — lots of whole foods - plant foods! This means eating more veggies, fruits, beans, peas, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds.
It’s no longer front page news that many of our nations are over-fed and undernourished from foods high in empty calories with little or no nutrition – leaving people ravished with hunger, and fatter as ever!
What this means for you? Your body needs 100% of nutrients – vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (nutrients from plants), fibre, protein, fat (essential fatty acids omegas 3&6), carbohydrates (glucose for energy) etc. On the other side let’s look what happens when you eat a meal with meat, white rice a butter bun with a side of veggies. A meal – that frankly – is low in the body’s nutrient needs. And, has less than 60% of your body’s nutrient needs… Well, guess what? Your body is going to send you out to get more food to meet its nutrient requirements.
So, you eat more – another dinner roll, more meat, larger serving of rice… But, if you eat more of the same you’re going to keep eating and eating, craving and craving, until your body’s requirements are met. Unfortunately, by then you have a bulging waist-line! You see, the body needs nutrients for survival. Sorry to say, but it cares little about you or your waistline. So, if the body’s nutrient requirement is not met, then your body signals you to keep eating. Eating whole foods, predominantly plants… works incredibly well because the foods included are nutrient rich. They are whole, fresh, natural, vitamin and mineral-rich, chlorophyll-rich, antioxidant rich, anti-inflammatory delicious foods. The body is nourished and doesn’t need to send you out to get more food!
REASON #4: Drastically Reduces Inflammation…
Eating predominantly whole foods, predominantly plants —provides a significant reduction in body inflammation as they are naturally ‘anti-inflammatory’ foods. Also when your Microbiome takes all this fibre and ferments it – it produces Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) that are your body’s anti-inflammatory workers. Anti (meaning, opposed to or against) – inflammation! I bet if I asked you right now to name the most inflammatory (worst) foods o the top of your head your list would look something like:
Sugar
Deep fried
Chips
Pizza
Cakes
Pastries
Processed meats
Chocolates
Alcohol
Trans fats
Coffee and so on…
And if you name the best ones, what would they be?
Vegetables
Fruit
Nuts and seeds
Beans and legumes
Whole grains
Eating whole foods, predominantly PLANTS gives your body the tools it needs to thrive means MORE of what your Microbiome needs to thrive. And thus naturally reduces the amount of foods (that are absolutely fine in small amounts) such as…
Animal products (Meat and Dairy)
Sugar (natural only, not non-calorific non-nutritive sweeteners_
REASON #5: Common Sense – Its pretty simple…
I can’t imagine I am the only one who ever told to… “Eat your fruits and veggies” !!
There’s a very important, but simple reason for this… Sickness, Disease, Illness in the body thrives in an environment that inflammatory.
Want to live a long, healthy, dis-ease free, ideal weight for life, LIFE style?
EAT whole PLANTS
How to start incorporating ‘more plants’ from today…
Start making your morning and afternoon snack a piece of fruit and a handful of raw unsalted nuts and/or seeds. Go to the markets and buy 14 pieces of fruit i.e. that’s two pieces a day, consisting of (for example) 1 banana, 1 kiwi fruit, 1 green apple, 1 red apple, 1 persimmon, 1 bunch of grapes etc) rather than buying a bag or two of just one type of fruit . Do the same raw unsalted nuts such as a handful of cashews, then almonds, then sunflower seeds etc. Already you have increased your PLANT intake!
Make sure you can see at least 3 plants in every single meal. Having OATMEAL for breakfast? Then top with strawberries and Hemp seeds (that’s 3 plant types right there). Having eggs on toast? Add some fresh lettuce and tomato. Look at having THREE PLANT types at each meal.
STOP buying your lunch. You may think it’s healthy but unfortunately it is often full of processed additives. Make sure that your LUNCH is always your Dinner leftovers. So make sure you make “double the dinners” each night so you always have lunch on hand.
Make 4 of your dinners each week PLANTS only. Not sure HOW to do this? Check out my my Gut Health Recipe Compendium for the simplest most delicious meals that are packed with PLANTS!!
🌿 Ready to Reset Your Gut—and Regain Your Health?
Whether you need a little nudge or full-on support, I’ve got you covered.
⚡Reboot your gut with my 28-Day Gut Reboot Program — daily coaching, nutrition, and lifestyle guidance designed for busy women to restore balance and support long-term health.
🍇 Nourish your way back to health one meal at a time with my Gut Health Recipe Compendium — 850+ delicious, evidence-based recipes designed to heal and fuel your gut.
💬 Not sure where to start? ✨ I invite you to book a 20-minute check-in call with me for just $20 — a small, one-off investment that can make a big difference in getting you moving in the right direction. No pressure, no sales — just support. Whether it's questions about your health issues or what to prioritise, I’m here to help.
Yours in (gut) health, Nat 💚
💬 P.S. If this blog helped you, I’d love to hear from you! Drop a comment below — not only does it help me create more of what you need, but it may help someone else who’s searching for trusted, science-backed gut health support.
REFERENCES
Manipulating Effects of Fruits and Vegetables on Gut Microbiota‐A Critical Review. 2020.
Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function. 2020.
Gut microbiome changes induced by a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. 2021.
The edible plant microbiome: evidence for the occurrence of fruit and vegetable bacteria in the human gut. 2023.
Plant Proteins: Assessing Their Nutritional Quality and Effects on Health and Physical Function. 2020.
Co-consumption of Vegetables and Fruit, Whole Grains, and Fiber Reduces the Cancer Risk of Red and Processed Meat in a Large Prospective Cohort of Adults from Alberta's Tomorrow Project. 2020.