Nourish yourself from the inside out and your body will thank you for it, says accredited nutritionist Caitlin Reid.

Many of us spend hours worrying about what we look like on the outside, when really we should be spending more time focusing on our insides. Maintaining a healthy digestive system relies on a healthy balance among the trillions of bacteria that reside within our gastrointestinal tract (also known as the gut microflora). Upsetting the gut microflora can lead to health problems such as indigestion, reduced immunity and bloating.

Role of the gut microflora

Gut microflora is critical for maintaining normal gastrointestinal and immune function, as well as the normal digestion of nutrients. The gut microflora has important metabolic functions including the breakdown of dietary toxins and carcinogens, the synthesis of micronutrients, the fermentation of indigestible food substances, and the absorption of certain electrolytes and trace minerals. It also plays an important role in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), major end products of bacterial metabolism in the gut. SCFA help cells in the colon to growth and differentiate.

Microflora imbalance

A poor diet, excessive alcohol, stress, antibiotics, medications and a lack of sleep can all upset the natural balance of the gut microflora. Antibiotics kill not only the bad bacteria in the gut but also the good guys. Microflora imbalance becomes evident with symptoms of abdominal pain and irregular bowel movements.

Improving gut microflora

You can keep your gut healthy by following these tips:

• Include probiotics and prebiotics: Probiotics are beneficial bacteria, found in fermented milk drinks, some yoghurts and dietary supplements, and are similar to the healthy bacteria living in the gut. Prebiotics are carbohydrates that reach the large bowel undigested. Here they stimulate the growth and activity of probiotics, keeping the gut healthy. Prebiotics are found in bananas, garlic, chicory or added as inulin to yoghurts, bread and milk-based drinks.

• Boost your fibre intake: High fibre foods such as legumes, lentils, wholegrains, seeds, nuts, fruit and vegetables bulk up your stools and keep you regular. Increase your intake of fibre gradually and make sure you get plenty of water.

• Reduce alcohol consumption: Alcohol can interfere with the functioning of the digestive system and irritate and inflame the stomach. Too much alcohol can lead to heartburn and ulcers. Limit alcohol consumption to no more than two standard drinks per day.

• Manage your stress: Too much stress can shut down digestion as blood flow is redirected to other parts of the body. Contractions of your digestive muscles are affected and digestive secretions are decreased. Stress also causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal system making you more susceptible to infection. Find stress-reducing activities that you enjoy and include them regularly.

• Exercise regularly: Exercise helps keep food moving through your digestive tract, reducing the likelihood of constipation. Include at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week.

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Just because you’re eating regularly doesn’t mean you’re getting all the nutrients you need. Accredited nutritionist Caitlin Reid reveals the four common nutrient deficiencies and how to stop them happening to you.

1. Calcium

Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth and plays a vital role in blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve impulses. Yet consumer research shows only 10 percent of Australians are getting enough. Inadequate dietary calcium means the level of calcium in our bloodstream is maintained at the expense of our bones. If calcium is continually leached from the bones, they become weak and have an increased risk of fracture. In fact, inadequate calcium is one of the reasons why every 5-6 minutes someone is admitted to hospital with an osteoporotic fracture.

Up your intake: Eat three serves of reduced-fat dairy products (or calcium-fortified soy alternatives) daily and you’ll get over 300mg of calcium with each serve. Tinned salmon and sardines are also great sources of calcium.

2. Iron

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. According to Australian research, 36 percent of females aged 18-35 suffer some degree of iron deficiency, while one in three Australian toddlers suffer from low iron levels. Athletes and people with chronic inflammatory conditions such as obesity and arthritis are also at risk. As iron plays an important role in transporting oxygen throughout the body, inadequate iron can lead to fatigue, lethargy and reduced work capacity. If allowed to persist, a reduced immune function and impaired cognitive function may result.

Up your intake: Include 3-4 serves of lean red meat weekly and include other iron-rich foods such as oysters, eggs and seafood. Boost iron absorption in the body by adding vitamin C-rich foods to your meals — berries to your iron-fortified breakfast cereal and capsicum to your stir-fry.

3. Iodine

Iodine is essential for brain and nervous system development yet reports dating back to 2001 show Australian’s aren’t getting enough. Children with low iodine levels may have their hearing, coordination and alertness affected, while mild iodine deficiency can impair development and cause subtle deficits in intelligence. These conditions are reversible in very young children, so it’s important to ensure they’re getting enough. In a bid to raise iodine levels in Australians, all bread bakers are required to use iodised salt in their products. Salt-free breads and organic breads are exempt from these food regulations.

Up your intake: Six oysters will give you 144µg of iodine, while a 100g sushi roll (containing seaweed) and two eggs provide you with 92µg and 18µg respectively. Iodised salt also contributes iodine to the diet, but adding extra salt isn’t the solution seeing we already eat too much. Instead replace non-iodised salt with iodised salt, wherever possible.

4. Vitamin D

While the exact prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is unknown, it has been detected in up to 80 percent of dark-skinned, veiled or unveiled women during pregnancy, up to 76 percent of elderly people in nursing homes 9 and 23 percent of younger adults. Vitamin D maintains blood calcium levels, increases calcium and phosphorus absorption, and strengthens the skeleton. New research is showing vitamin D may also be important for a healthy immune system, heart and mind.

Up your intake: While there are some dietary sources of vitamin D (oily fish, eggs, vitamin D-fortified margarine and vitamin-D fortified milks), the best source is ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun, which helps our skin synthesis vitamin D. For most people, 5-15 minutes of daily sunlight exposure to the face and upper limbs can prevent vitamin D deficiency. Just remember to be sun smart and avoid going out in the sun without protection during the hottest part of the day.

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Knowing about what you eat is an important part of looking after your health and wellbeing. Food labels carry information about the food such as the nutrition panel, ingredient list, allergens, country of origin and advisory statements. But many food labels can be confusing and the nutrition claims can be misleading. Here we decode the facts behind food packaging.

The ingredients list

All of the ingredients contained in the food must be listed in order of dominance. So the ingredient listed first is present in the largest amount while the ingredient listed last is present in the least amount. Try to avoid choosing foods where sugar is one of the first few ingredients in the list, as this means it is packed with sugar.

Common labelling tricks and traps

Light or ‘lite’

Don’t be misled by labelling tricks. The terms used are often misleading. For example, the term ‘light’ or ‘lite’ doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is low in fat or calories. ‘Light’ may refer to the texture, colour, flavour or texture of the food. Always check the nutrition information panel to find out whether the product really is low in fat by comparing the fat content per 100g on the back with similar products.

Cholesterol free

The claims ‘no cholesterol’, ‘low cholesterol’ or ‘cholesterol free’ on foods derived from plants, like margarine and oil, are meaningless because all plant foods contain virtually no cholesterol in their natural form. However, these products can be high saturated fats which can increase you blood cholesterol when you consume them. For instance, sunflower oil has no cholesterol, but is very high in fat and can contribute to weight gain if used too generously.

Low fat

To be considered a low-fat food, low-fat solid foods must contain less than 3 grams of fat per 100 gram serve; low-fat liquid foods must contain less than 1.5 grams of fat per 100ml. Be careful of percentages: If an item claims to be 90 percent fat free, it actually contains 10 percent fat, which is a large amount. This statement is not a trick, but you do have to think backwards to sort it out.

Oven baked, not fried

Although this sounds healthier, the product may still have just as much fat as a fried product. Check the nutrition information panel to be sure.

Reduced fat / salt

Reduced fat does not mean the product is low in fat, but that the product has at least a 25 percent reduction compared to the manufacturer’s normal product of that type. Check the nutrition information panel to determine the level of fat. The same applies to the term ‘reduced salt’.

This usually means free of sucrose, but other types of sugar may be present which contain the same amount of energy. Some other types of sugar that you may find in the ingredients list include: corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, honey, lactose, maltose, molasses, monosaccharides, sorbitol, sucrose and xylitol.

Read the nutrition information panel

The key nutrients on the nutrition information panel includes energy (kilojoules, kj or calories), total and saturated fat, total carbohydrate and sugars and Glycaemic Index (GI), dietary fibre (only needs to be listed when claims are made) and sodium. The panel also lists ‘per serve’ information and ‘per 100g’.

Energy: Use the per 100g column to compare the energy in similar food products. If you’re watching your weight this will help you to choose products with the lowest kilojoules.

Sugars: Include both naturally occurring (from fruit and milk) as well as added sugars. The healthiest option are foods with 5g sugar or less per 100g.

Saturated fat: This type of fat raises blood cholesterol, so the simple rule is the lower the amount, the better. If the saturated fat is over one third of the total fat content then you should use it sparingly or find a healthier alternative.

Sodium: This is one area that’s very much worth checking out as salt is in so many things not immediately apparent in the ingredient list. Check the sodium content per 100g and opt for anything with 60mg or less.

Look out for food additives

Food additives are chemicals that perform a variety of functions, such as keeping food fresh or enhance its colour, flavour or texture. Additives can be identified in the ingredients list by a number. Some people are sensitive to food additives. Additives that may cause a reaction include flavour enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) 621; colourings including tartrazine 102, yellow 2G107, sunset yellow FCF110 and cochineal 120; and many preservatives.

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