Month: August 2022

What kind of poop is considered healthy/”normal”?

On the Bristol stool scale the perfect poop is type 3 and type 4.

Type 3: If your faeces resemble a sausage with a slightly cracked surface, it indicates that you have consumed a sufficient amount of fibre, but should perhaps be drinking more water.

Try drinking at least two more glasses of water per day.

Type 4: Stool that looks like a smooth and soft sausage or has a consistency that is similar to that of toothpaste indicates a balanced intake of fibre and water.

Poop perfect! 🙌🦄

What kind of colour is normal?

The colour of a normal stool ranges from light yellow to brown and almost black.

The classic brown colour comes from bile in the stool.

What else should you keep in mind about healthy bowel movement?

Note these four things:

1. Once you start feeling the need to poo, you should be able to hold it in for a little before having to go to the toilet.
2. Your poop should be quick and easy to pass, and it shouldn’t take more than a minute.
3. When you go to the toilet, you should empty your bowel completely so that you do not feel like you need to go again right after.
4. You should defecate 1–3 times a day to 3 times a week.

How to achieve the perfect poo?

If you feel that your pooping game needs improvement, do these simple things daily and you’ll soon see the joyful results.

• Keep your body hydrated and drink 8–10 glasses of water per day.
• Be active: walk 15–30 minutes every day.
• Learn to manage your stress levels by meditating or doing mindfulness exercises.
• Eat lots of different plants to get dietary fiber, that helps to normalize bowel movement.
• Want an extra boost? Try our Feel Good Inside fibre mix to get your bowel movements running like clockwork.

Did you know that gut bacteria have an essential role to play in digestion?

Well, they do! Gut microbes produce a large number of compounds that can significantly influence your health – from hormonal balance and skin health to mental well-being.

How to boost friendly bacteria in your gut?

Broadly speaking, there are two types of bacteria in the gut: those that benefit you and keep you healthy, and those that are harmful and can make you ill in the long run.

How can you promote beneficial probiotic bacteria in your gut?

By regularly feeding them the right food, of course!

The correct food to feed the friendly bacteria in your gut is dietary fibre or prebiotics.

It is important to understand that fibre can ONLY be found in plant-based foods and different types of fibre can be obtained from foods from the plant kingdom.

Therefore, to keep your friendly gut bacteria happy, you should eat a wide variety of plant-based foods. The more different plants you eat each day, the better 😊.

Why 30 different plants a week?

Because it is a fun and creative way to improve your gut health by encouraging the growth of good bacteria while also exploring new plant-based foods.

Inspiration for this idea was derived from the ground-breaking book, which we have handy in the Elsavie office, Fiber Fueled, written by the renowned US gastroenterologist Dr. Will Bulsiewicz.

Based on extensive research and his wealth of experience, Will Bulsiewicz has come to the conclusion that:

• people who consume more than 30 varieties of plants per week have the healthiest gut microbiomes;
• the total number of different microbes living in your gut ecosystem is a good indicator of your overall health;
• the diversity of plants on your plate will ultimately be equal to the different families of microbes in your gut which, in turn, will benefit your body.

How to eat 30 plants a week

At first, eating 30 different plant foods in one week may seem like a mammoth task and you might feel like you don’t even know that many different fruits and vegetables. But do not worry – it is easier than you think!

Start by writing down all the plants you already eat in a week, both raw and processed:

• fruits;
• root vegetables;
• vegetables;
• grains;
• seeds;
• nuts;
• berries.

In order for a specific plant to count, you have to eat at least a handful of said plant. If you eat less than that, the plant doesn’t count.

Why does it not count?

For example, if you only eat one nut, it has virtually no impact on your gut health. However, if you eat a handful of nuts, you get a sufficient amount of fibre that can help your gut bacteria thrive.

Take small steps when diversifying your plant intake and every time you’re in the kitchen or every time you go to the supermarket, see it as an opportunity to discover new flavours and gain new experiences.

This will prompt you to browse the shelves you normally walk past at the supermarket and motivate you to try out exciting new recipes.

Top high-fibre plant foods to get you started

Below is a brief overview of the different kinds of fibre you can find in plants.

The most important thing to remember is that diversity is the key to making the good bacteria in your gut healthy and happy.

Inulin stimulates the growth of both bifidobacteria and butyrate-producing bacteria. In addition, inulin also enhances calcium and magnesium absorption.

Sources of inulin include:

• wheat;
• rye;
• barley;
• Jerusalem artichokes;
• onions;
• alliaceous vegetables.

Resistant starch also promotes the growth of butyrate-producing bacteria. Resistant starch is abundant in the following foods:

• legumes (especially field beans);
• green (raw) banana;
• maize;
• potatoes and rice – boiled and cooled down to fridge temperature;
• manioc, or cassava.

Beta-glucans increase the activity of the immune system, prevent the absorption of cholesterol, and facilitate digestion. They are abundant in two cereals:

• oats;
• barley.

Pectin helps create a feeling of fullness and facilitates intestinal transit. Sources of pectin include:

• apples;
• carrots;
• cabbage;
• currants;
• plums;
• gooseberries;
• rowanberries;
• apricots;
• beets;
• buckwheat.

Cellulose is an important fibre for the stimulation of intestinal function. It can be found in the woody parts, leaves, grain shells, skin, and roots of plants. Sources of cellulose include:

• berries;
• alliaceous vegetables;
• grains;
• cabbage;
• spinach.

Arabinoxylans help rid our bodies of excess cholesterol and regulate insulin levels after eating. Sources of arabinoxylans include:

• whole rye and wheat;
• rye and wheat bran;
• barley;
• beans;
• lentils.

Happy tasting and discovering! 💚

PS! Modern life is fast paced and sometimes you might not hit the 30 plants mark. Then Elsavie fiber supplements come handy. Click on this link to explore more!

Over the past ten years, food supplements have been all the rage among health-conscious people, with everyone making recommendations for all kinds of wonderful supplements.

However, there is one important ‘but’ here…

The food supplement industry is a relatively uncontrolled industry, which means that almost anyone can concoct a product and put it on the market.

On the one hand, it facilitates the entry of new market players, which means that you as a consumer have greater choice, but, on the other, it also means that you have to do more research on your own to find products that have actual health benefits.

When it comes to supplements, ingredient transparency is key

Health is of the utmost importance – for this reason, we want to make sure that you are aware of which fibres Elsavie fibre supplements contain and how they support your well-being.

In cooperation with the Center of Food and Fermentation Technologies (TFTAK), we have developed four dietary fibre supplements containing six different fibres:

1. rye bran;
2. inulin;
3. psyllium;
4. beta-glucans;
5. pectin from citrus fruits;
6. polydextrose.

Rye bran is a milling product that contains grain outer layers and cell walls from endosperm.

Rye bran can be found in whole grain rye products, such as rye flour and rye bread. The rye bran used in Elsavie supplements comes from the Koplimäe Organic Farm in Estonia.

Inulin is a fibre commonly found in wheat, rye, red onions, pearl onions, artichokes, and Jerusalem artichokes. In most cases, it is the Jerusalem artichoke that is used to manufacture inulin.

Inulin improves digestive health, promotes weight loss, and stabilises blood glucose, making it especially beneficial for people with diabetes.

Psyllium (Indian tea leaf husks) is naturally high in fibre, containing 85 grams of fibre per 100 grams of psyllium.

Psyllium has a beneficial effect on the gut. In addition, it helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels and increases the absorption of iron, potassium and vitamin C.

Beta-glucans are naturally present in barley and oats. Beta-glucans help boost the immune system and can bind with cholesterol-rich bile acids in the intestine and transport them out of the body.

We have received feedback from several of our clients that our products have successfully and naturally helped them lower their cholesterol levels.

Pectin from citrus fruits absorbs water and expands, making you feel full for longer. Pectin is also used as a thickener, for example, in jam making. Currants, citrus fruit, apples, beetroot, plums, and buckwheat are all rich in pectins.

Polydextrose is a synthetic polymer of glucose.

Developed in a laboratory, polydextrose has a somewhat negative image, even though there is nothing negative about it, as it is produced from naturally occurring glucose.

Since polydextrose does not get digested by the human body, it makes its way into the large intestine where it is digested by good bacteria, stimulating their growth.

Feel good inside

Feel good inside is the supplement with the highest content of fibre in Elsavie’s product range, containing all six abovementioned fibres. Containing 72% fibre in one serving, it is our most classic and best-selling supplement.

Beauty inside & outside

Beauty inside & outside is our second most popular dietary fibre supplement. It contains psyllium, pectins, and beta-glucans, adding up to a total of 54% fibre per serving.

We also added collagen and zinc to the product, which help boost the immune system and support skin, hair and nail health.

Calm your rumbly tummy

The red Calm your rumbly tummy dietary fibre supplement contains 67% fibre per serving (psyllium, pectins, beta-glucans). This supplement is ideal for people with a sensitive stomach or those dealing with inflammation in the gut.

In addition to fibre, the supplement also contains aloe vera extract, turmeric, and Calendula to further promote anti-inflammatory activity.

Food not only for thought

Containing 48% fibre and 22% protein, the dietary fibre supplement Food not only for thought has been specifically developed for people with an active lifestyle and is an excellent substitute for regular protein drinks.

In addition to protein and fibre (pectin, psyllium, beta-glucans, inulin), the supplement also contains caffeine, potassium, magnesium, and zinc to promote athletic performance, recovery, and digestion all at the same time.

Dietary fibre – a useful supplement

Dietary fibre supplements offer many benefits, but as the name suggests, they are only intended to supplement, not replace, healthy foods.

For this reason, we encourage you to eat healthy amounts of different fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts and seeds each day, and support this with all the great benefits of our dietary fibre supplements, so that both you and the good bacteria in your gut can stay healthy and happy.

Probiotics have many proven benefits: they improve immune system, digestion and help to alleviate allergies, inflammation and autoimmune diseases. 

Sounds nice, but where do you get them?

One option is to buy and take probiotic supplements (e.g. Elsavie’s Probiom or Probiom+).

The other and much more interesting way is to make them yourself at home by learning to ferment your own foods.

How do you do it? Is it complicated (hint: nope!)? Read on to start exploring the fabulous world of fermenting!

Fermenting is not pickling!

Throughout the centuries people have been really creative when it comes to preserving foods (there were no refrigerators 🥶, you know).

Fermenting is a very old and known way to preserve and store foods over the winter with the help of live bacteria. In addition to having good bacteria that help to preserve your food, they also have a probiotic effect. Therefore – eating fermented foods is really beneficial for your health.

But… fermenting isn’t the same as pickling!

Vinegar is used during the pickling process. The purpose of vinegar is to kill all the live bacteria in the food. For that reason there are no probiotic qualities in pickled foods.

Why is it important to have probiotics in your food?

Fermented foods help with detoxing, preventing oxidative stress and the risk of developing tumors. It has been shown that fermented foods are beneficial with lactose intolerance, inflammations, acne and with some skin diseases like atopic eczema.

These kinds of foods also help to inhibit autoimmune diseases and yeast infections in your body.

In addition, during summertime, when you probably eat more fat and meat heavy meals (barbeque!), bacteria in fermented foods help your gut to digest all of it more quickly, making you feel light again.

How much fermented food should you eat in a day?

It’s good to eat fermented foods regularly, because lactic bacteria don’t live permanently in your gut, but it’s good when they pass through your digestive system every day.

We recommend eating 1 tablespoon of fermented foods every day. Even better when you make it to 3–4 spoonfuls so you can keep the good bacteria in your gut.

What foods can you ferment?

Probiotics occur in every fermented food so you can ferment almost anything! You can use cabbage, radish, carrot, parsnip, garlic, parsley, dill, bell pepper, ginger, beetroot, cucumber, aubergine, blackcurrant leaves, asparagus etc.

Classical combinations are:

• Cucumbers with garlic, dill and blackcurrant leaves.
• Vegetable salad: cabbage, bell peppers, carrots and eggplant.
• Kimchi: cabbage, onion, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and sugar.

Pick your favorites, put them in the jar and ferment away!

Bulletproof recipe for fermenting (7 easy steps)

(Recipe by nutritional therapist Katri Merisalu)

1. Clean your glass jar by using boiling water. NB! Do not use detergent and wash your hands without soap as well because detergent residue can prevent formation of bacteria.

Wash and cut your vegetables into suitable pieces.

• Remember, the smaller the pieces the faster the fermentation process.
• Vegetable mix acidifies faster than one kind of vegetables.

2. Use natural coarse sea salt. Salt is an important ingredient during fermentation, because it protects vegetables from the mold and bad bacteria until you have enough probiotics formed in your jars.

3. Boil 1.5 liters of salt water per one jar and let it cool.

General rule of thumb is 10–15 g of salt per 1 kg of vegetables or 1 tablespoon of salt per 1 liter of water.

4. Put your vegetables tightly in a jar so there is as little air space as possible. Pour the lukewarm saltwater into a jar and make sure that all vegetables are covered with water. Leave 5–8 cm of free space from the upper end of the jar.

5. It is important to make sure that all the vegetables are in the salt water. For that reason place a small, clean plate on top of the vegetables and a heavier object to that (e.g. a small stone). Cover the jar with a clean kitchen towel to prevent dust getting into the container.

6. During the next few days check if your vegetables are covered with salt water. Push them back into the water, if needed.

When foam forms on the water surface then remove it with a clean spoon.

7. Leave the jar at room temperature (18-20 degrees Celsius) until the fermentation starts. It should take 2–3 days to start.

It’s good to give a little taste test on the 3rd day. If you are happy with the taste you can start enjoying your fermented foods. If you don’t eat everything at once, then close the lid tightly and place it in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.

NB!

• If you want to store your jars for the winter, then leave them somewhere cold (fridge or basement) and don’t open your jars before the fermentation process is over. It ends after 4–6 weeks.
  
• Don’t use your fingers or dirty cutlery to pick the vegetables from the jar. Otherwise microbes that slow down the process might get in.
  
• Eat fermented foods without treating them with heat. Otherwise, you lose all the good properties.

It’s that simple! Give it a try and enjoy! 😋🍴

PS! Share your fermented art on Instagram or Facebook by tagging us @myelsavie!