This February, love is in the air, and we’re focused on matters of the heart. It’s the perfect time to dive into the foods that feed not just your soul, but your heart. We’re exploring the surprising, cutting-edge science behind the gut and heart connection.
This link suggests the key to a stronger, healthier heart starts in your stomach. The link between the food you eat, your gut health, and the health of your major systems is still being uncovered. Here is the scoop on why loving your gut is the best Valentine’s gift you can give your heart.
Your Inner Garden Party: Understanding the Microbiome
Imagine your gut (your intestines) is like a giant garden. Living in that garden are trillions of tiny bacteria, collectively known as your microbiome. We used to think these bacteria only helped us break down food, but we now know they act like a control center for your health.
In this garden, you have a mix of good bacteria and bad bacteria. When your microbiome is diverse and healthy, it produces helpful compounds that actively protect your heart. When the balance is off, it can lead to silent inflammation. This inflammation can stress your heart and lead to issues like higher blood pressure over time.
The Gut-Heart Connection
Your gut and your heart are constantly talking to each other through a sort of secret phone line. The process that drives this connection is called fermentation.
When you eat high-fiber foods like oats, beans, seeds, fruits, and colorful vegetables, the good bacteria in your gut feast on that fiber, as they digest and ferment it, they produce helpful chemicals that lower inflammation, ensuring your blood vessels stay stretchy and healthy.
When your gut is healthy, and your heart is pumping efficiently, your brain receives a steady supply of nutrients and oxygen. This is why people with heart-healthy diets often report improved focus, clearer thinking, and even better moods!
Show Your Heart Some Love (With Lunch!)
Keeping the gut garden happy and your heart healthy is simpler than you think. You can do it by focusing on two key food components:
Feed the Good Bugs (Prebiotics): Remember, they love fiber! Think of fiber as fertilizer for the good bacteria. Loading up on colorful vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes keeps them well-fed.
Send in Reinforcements (Probiotics): Probiotics are the live, healthy bacteria you can eat. You find them in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Eating these is like planting new flowers in your garden.
Eat for a Healthy Gut: February LTO
We know that eating for gut health sounds complicated, but we want to make it delicious and easy this February.
Our February Limited Time Offer (LTO) features ingredient highlights that fuel the gut-heart connection. We’ve curated a menu packed with fiber-rich goodies and gut-friendly flavors. Come by and give it a try. Your taste buds will thank you, and your heart will, too!