Create Less Stress on your GI Tract and Your week with this Simple Meal Prep Recipe!

The Connection Between the Brain and Gut. (2019, May 16). Retrieved from https://www.umassmed.edu/nutrition/blog/blog-posts/2019/5/the-connection-between-the-brain-and-the-gut/

Our microbiome is the collection of bacteria in our gut that keep our internal body stable. The gut- brain axis refers to the relationship between the gut and the braining, their way of communicating. Living in harmony with our microbiomes and reaping the greatest rewards is what helps us thrive as human beings, and much of this hinges on the stability of the microbiome.

Disruption of the gut microbiome can lead to a range of diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Stress is one cause for the microbiome to be destroyed since the stress hormones when elevated cause our levels of other hormones to go all over the place.

The gut-brain axis is one channel which the stability of our microbiomes can be affected. The gut-brain axis refers to the relationship between the gastrointestinal (GI) tract – or gut – and the brain, and involves a ton of two-way communication between the two.

Inflammation, which can be caused by some certain foods and stress, research is starting to indicate that disruption of the gut microbiome can lead to flares of a wide range of diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. This is all because the microbiome has lost its stability and has gone out of control! When one becomes stressed blood levels of hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol get elevated. While this is happening other neurochemicals that regulate our mood and brain functions (e.g. GABA, serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin) start to swing out of their normal levels. These neurochemicals also exert their effects on our gut bacteria.

Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes with Tangy Cucumbers and Yogurt (we doubled this recipe while making it to create four servings instead of two)

By Tamar Adler

Ingredients:

· 3 medium Japanese or Chinese eggplants,

· Kosher salt

· 5 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

· 1 pint cherry tomatoes

· 1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary For the cucumbers

· 1 medium shallot

· 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

· 1/2 English cucumber or 2 small Kirby cucumbers

· Fresh lemon juice, as needed

· Pine nuts, as desired

Directions:

1. Roast the eggplant and tomatoes: Season the eggplant slices generously with salt and put them in a colander in the sink to rinse

2. Meanwhile, position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

3. Tap the colander against the side of the sink to remove excess moisture and salt. Transfer the eggplant to a large mixing bowl, toss with 4 Tbs. of the olive oil, and let sit for five minutes to absorb the oil. Lay the eggplant slices in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

4. Combine the cherry tomatoes or bell peppers (better for inflammation) with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil, the rosemary, and 3/4 tsp. salt.

5. Put the eggplant on the upper oven rack and the tomatoes on the lower rack. Roast the eggplant until light golden and beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Flip and roast until completely soft and light golden, about 15 minutes more.

6. Roast the tomatoes/ peppers until many have collapsed, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the eggplant and tomatoes to separate containers and let cool.

7. Make the cucumbers: Combine the shallot, vinegar, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes to soften the shallot. Add the cucumber(s) and mix well. Season to taste with lemon juice and more salt.

8. For each serving, pack half of each vegetable separately in a segmented lunch box or in its own container (or mix them together). Put half of the yogurt and pine nuts in separate containers (refrigerate the yogurt), and bring along a little jar of olive oil and some pita or crusty bread.

9. Spread the yogurt in the bottom of your bowl and top it with the eggplant, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, drizzle with olive oil, and eat with the pita or bread.