Chantal Lascaris: Giving “Listen to Your Gut” New Meaning
Have you ever been told to “listen to your gut” when making an important decision or walking into unknown territory? Well, Chantal Lascaris gives this phrase a whole new meaning.
After a bout of food poisoning, Lascaris’ gut health was in shambles. As a foodie and chef, she chose to explore ways in which to help her gut recover and become healthier. Evidently, that resulted in her latest cookbook: All Sorts of Healthy Dishes, The Mediterranean Way.
Why You Should Trust Your Gut
It might be time to let go of the fads and social media trends and follow a more natural approach to gut health. In a study by Loma Linda University health, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the body’s ‘feeling’ zone. Have you ever wondered why your stomach hurts before a stressful meeting or big exam? That’s because your GI tract is directly linked to the brain’s signals of love, joy, sadness, worry and cravings.
Furthermore, trillions of microbiota line the GI tract and form a barrier that assists with the absorption of nutrients. In addition, it also defends against infection and helps with immune tolerance. Evidence suggests that if this barrier is depleted or overgrown, your gut is left vulnerable to all sorts of things – physically (nutrient deficiencies) and psychologically (anxiety or depression).
Therefore, keeping your gut healthy is not quite as optional as you might have thought.
How to Listen to Your Gut
After her bout of food poisoning, Lascaris often found herself doubled over in excruciating pain. She was promptly diagnosed with Barrett’s Oesophagus and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). The former occurs when the bacteria lining your oesophagus changes drastically, whilst the latter is self-explanatory.
As someone who “loves to eat and to cook” Lascaris took the diagnosis badly. In fact, she thought it would cause an upset in her work routine and become a social limitation that would restrict her and ruin her quality of life forever.
“I basically had to rethink everything I knew about food and gut health,” said Lascaris. “My usual go-to ingredients – garlic, onion, tomatoes – suddenly became the villains of my diet. And, fermented food? Don’t even get me started! These pH buddies that are unthinkably good for you are not for me.”
Evidently, Lascaris had no choice but to change her eating routines and dining habits in order to escape debilitating stomach cramps and a decreased quality of life.
What to Do to Help Your Gut
Lascaris first tackled the FODMAPS diet, which outlines the foods that irritate the stomach if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or SIBO. Then there is the concept of ‘good carbs’ which are easy to digest, like whole grains, fruit, vegetables, legumes and resistant starches. However, when it comes to gut health, food is not a ‘one size fits all’ and requires personal trial and error.
Once Lascaris had realised what generally works for her versus what does not, she had to develop a sustainable new lifestyle. She says: “It turns out that this kind of conscious living had a whole name of its own: The Mediterranean Diet. Not so much a way of eating, but a way of living your life in the slow food zone.”
Thus, she decided to write up her own recipes and make a dedicated cookbook: “All Sorts of Healthy Dishes, the Mediterranean Way.” In it, Lascaris focuses on prioritising fresh, wholesome meals that contain seasonal and unprocessed ingredients. The way in which she combines the ingredients is creative and imaginative, stomping on the assumption that healthy food is boring and tasteless. Also, she makes her recipes easily adaptable to different dietary needs.
Her cookbook allows you to “discover a lifelong friendship between body and brain that had your back all along.” In the end, “good health (like good food) is all about balance, enjoyment and tuning in to the signals.”
Listen to your gut and try your hand at some of Lascaris’ recipes. We can vouch that they are delicious and creative, and certainly perfect for maintaining a happy tummy.
