Microbiome Diet: My experience

For years I've suffered with constant breakouts around my chin and jawline, and no amount of tea tree oil and daily hydration was fixing it.

I've never been on a diet before; if you know me personally, then you'd say I wouldn't need to go on one just based on physicality.

But I had been feeling pretty crappy internally and wanted to boost my overall health and restore my damaged gut. TMI but daily trips to the bathroom at 9:30pm was beginning to annoy me.

Thus I found the microbiome diet. The whole premise behind it is to restore your gut, which is achieved through a whole-food diet of mostly fruit, vegetables and lean protein, but most importantly, PREBIOTICS and PROBIOTICS.

The 'traditional' microbiome diet

The diet was created by Dr Raphael Kellmen and is a three-phase program.

This first phase I found unnecessary and think it is mostly aimed at those who are severely overweight, or do not eat these prebiotic-rich foods on a daily basis, which I generally do.

I did cut out most forms of dairy and grains, and refrained from eating a lot of starchy vegetables (potatoes).

Second is the Metabolic Boost that allows for more flexibility; dairy, eggs and gluten-free grains can be added back, and bananas (YAY) can be eaten once again. You are also allowed 'cheat days', where three-four times per week you can enjoy 'gut-damaging' foods.

I think I am still on this phase, and will probably maintain this for the foreseeable future. I eat wholemeal/low GI bread, avoid large consumption of pasta/noodles each week but did switch to almond milk only after discovering dairy didn't really agree with me.

The third phase is just maintenance of this diet.

So what can you eat?

Non-starchy fruits and veggies: berries, leafy greens, avocados, citrus fruit, tomatoes, asparagus, onions, radishes, leeks, cherries, coconut. These fruits and veggies are thought to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on the body.

Lean protein: You are encouraged to eat grass-fed meat, and if choosing ground meat, look for ones with the lowest fat content.

Low-mercury fish: salmon, trout, whitefish, mackerel, catfish and sardines.

Nuts and seeds: All kinds of nuts and seeds can be eaten EXECEPT FOR PEANUTS which are a type of legume. Nuts are full of healthy fats, protein and fiber, and are good for snacking on during the day.

Prebiotic and probiotic foods: artichokes, leeks, onion, asparagus, bananas (after phase 2), kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, tempeh, miso, kefir and yogurt.

Surprising things you can't eat

Dried fruit and fruit juice is basically off the table, which really sucks for me. I love snacking on dried mangoes and drinking a glass of pineapple juice every so often. If you're like me, consider; cutting up fresh fruits (this can be done in bulk for a few days!) and invest in a juicer to make fresh OJ at home.

My results

Did I wake up one morning suddenly feeling like I had flushed all of the toxins out of my body? Not quite.

It is a slow and ongoing process. They say it takes 9 years for meat to be flushed completely out of your system, so who knows how long this process will actually take.

Did I lose weight? No, but that wasn't the longterm goal.

I did, however, lose the constant appearance of a bloated stomach.

I stopped my nightly trips to the bathroom in absolute agony (most likely due to the reduced consumption of gluten and complete cut of dairy from my diet).

My skin cleared up a bit and now I just struggle with the odd blemish that comes from not washing my face deeply enough.

It's ok to have a slip up every now and then; cheat days are encouraged one you get to the second phase! During the first few weeks, your body is going through a lot of change and your mental and emotional state can sometimes fluctuate to accommodate such changes. Stay positive and you're on the right track to a happy and healthier lifestyle!

Tips for Success!

• Plan ahead of time!

  • Something you should be doing anyway. Plan a full week of meals and shop on the weekend for the week ahead. Consider having staple items that feature in a few meals, like beans or a protein.

• Don't skip meals!

  • Just because the ingredients have changed, doesn't mean your mealtime changes as well. Eating regularly throughout the day stabilises blood sugar levels and keeps your energy level high.

• Don't forget to snack!

  • Again, changed ingredients don't mean snacking is off the table. If you need some snacks to power through the day, swap out a packet of chips for a bowl of grapes or apple slices instead! Consider switching that second or third coffee for a kombucha or green tea.

• Don't feel bad!

  • It's ok to have a slip up every now and then; cheat days are encouraged one you get to the second phase! During the first few weeks your body is going through a lot of change and your mental and emotional state can sometimes fluctuate to accommodate such changes. Stay positive and you're on the right track to a happy and healthier lifestyle!