Coeliac disease is a common digestive health issue, causing inflammation and damage to the small intestine. It is an autoimmune disease in which individuals have an adverse reaction to gluten

Gluten is a protein found in wheat (e.g. spelt, couscous, bran), rye, barley and oats. Those who have coeliac disease should avoid sources of gluten such as bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, flour, cakes and biscuits.

At first  cooking and eating gluten-free foods can often seem overwhelming and frustrating, however, there are a range of naturally gluten-free foods (including; rice, potatoes, corn, pulses, meat, fish, fruit & vegetables) and gluten-free substitute foods (pasta, breads, biscuits) which are available in the shops.

To celebrate Coeliac Awareness Week try this delicious bread and butter gluten-free pudding:

Gluten-free Apricot and Almond Bread & Butter Pudding

Serves 4

Cook for 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

8 slices of gluten-free sliced white bread, crusts left on

75g (3oz) salted butter, softened

200ml (7fl oz.) whole milk

100ml (3½fl oz.) double cream

4 tbsp. apricot jam

1 tbsp. Demerara sugar

1 tbsp. flaked almonds

1. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C and grease an 18cm (7in) by 23cm (9in) baking dish.

1. Generously butter the bread on both sides, then form into sandwiches and cut into triangle quarters. Arrange these quarters neatly in the dish so that they are overlapping each other.

1. Whisk the milk, cream, eggs and apricot jam together thoroughly. Pour the mixture over the buttered bread and scatter with the Demerara sugar. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.

1. Remove from the oven and scatter over the flaked almonds before baking the pudding for a further 5 to 10 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.

For further information and support on Coeliac disease visit http://www.coeliac.org.uk/

With the weather heating up it is important that we make certain considerations when it comes to hydration. When the temperature rises, the body will attempt to cool itself down by sweating. However, this can lead to dehydration. Along with water loss, there will also be a loss of salts (electrolytes) which are essential for our health and play vital roles in the body, such as supporting nerve and muscle function.

While exercise can contribute to fluid loss, even basic tasks such as shopping or gardening, during the summer months, can lead to dehydration. If exercising, sip on sports drinks which will help to rehydrate as well as replace electrolytes lost. However, do remember that while hydrating, sports drinks are still high in sugar and therefore should be limited if there is little exercise taking place. Also, remember to watch alcohol and caffeine intake as these are both dehydrating.

Don’t forget we also lose water when we sweat and urinate – so even on a chilly day it is important that we consume adequate amounts of water. Signs of dehydration can include; headaches, dark-coloured urine, reduced energy and constipation.

The Department of Health recommends that we drink about 1.2 litres of fluid every day. The healthiest way to reach this target is with water. However, other options such as milk, fruit juices, smoothies, squashes and herbal teas are a few great other options to help contribute to these daily guidelines.

 Here at Love Your Gut, we’ve been contacted by our friends The Antibiotic Action Team, it’s not often we will promote others messages however, we feel their message is extremely important.

New antibiotics are urgently needed for use now and in the future:

No antibiotics – no chemotherapy | No antibiotics – no transplant surgery | No antibiotics – no hip/knee replacements | No antibiotics – no treatment for infectious diseases| No antibiotics – no heart surgery |No antibiotics – no cystic fibrosis treatment | No antibiotics – no kidney transplants

NO ANTIBIOTICS – NO CURE – NO CHANCE

Please join this global initiative – sign the petition on the website:

 www.antibiotic-action.com

Well done to all who ran the 33^rd London Marathon on Sunday! Running is a fantastic form of exercise that can have great benefits for the body. However, the amount of excise required for a marathon can have significant health implication. While moderate exercise has been shown to increase the ability of the immune system, prolonged and intensive exercise can cause temporary depression of it. This can lead to an increased susceptibility to infections, such as upper respiratory tract infections.  Gastrointestinal symptoms are also common complaints experienced during long runs, with symptoms such as bloating, nausea, vomiting and faecal incontinence often resulting. This can be due to a number of reasons such as reduced blood flow to the gut, anxiety and poor nutrition.

Below are a few tips for fuelling your body during periods of intense exercise:

• Always consume a varied well-balanced diet to ensure sufficient intake of vitamins and minerals as well as fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
• Consumption of sufficient fluids is essential during exercise to prevent dehydration and to compensate for mineral loss. Fluids should be consumed prior, during and after. Choose a sports drink which will help fuel the body and replace lost salts. Also, make sure to avoid alcohol as this dehydrates the body.
• Following exercise try to consume a small amount of carbohydrate as soon as possible to help replenish the body. Bananas or fruit juice are great options.

Anyone undertaking any large amount of exercise may benefit from consulting a nutritionist.

Baroness Thatcher, without fail, would wake up and cook Dennis his breakfast every single morning. This got us thinking here at Love Your Gut, in memory of Margaret; let’s prepare breakfast that will help you to Love Your Gut!

When preparing your breakfast, remember that fibre is an important part of a healthy diet. It keeps everything moving through your digestive system and helps achieve optimal bowel movements. Try to choose wholegrain or brown bread if you enjoy toast in the morning.

To start you day with a high fibre boost choose porridge or a whole grain cereal. To make your porridge/cereal tastier try sprinkling some blueberries or sliced banana (our favourite!) over the top, this will also help to achieve your 5 A DAY!

Keeping hydrated is also an important dietary factor to ensure a healthy gut, so wash your breakfast down with a glass (250ml) of water to ensure your body remains hydrated, you could also try herbal teas or diluted fruit juice.

Here are a few options to try out;

• 40g Porridge made with 250ml semi-skimmed milk. Topped with ½ chopped banana and a handful of blueberries
• 45g Muesli made with 100g natural yogurt and add some prunes or raisins.
• 1 wholegrain bagel topped with cream cheese and strawberries
• 2 poached eggs served on a slice of whole grain toast (and a thin spread of butter)

For many, the long Easter weekend meant excessive indulging in CHOCOLATE, and as we all too easily know, sugar can be very addictive. While we all love a treat sometimes, frequent and regular consumption of sugar laden foods can lead to serious health implications such as obesity, diabetes type II and heart disease. Over the last few centuries the consumption of sugar has dramatically risen. High fat and high sugar foods are notoriously low in fibre and therefore provide little support to healthy bowel movements. As well as being a high energy dense food and placing strain on the pancreas and liver, sugar can also disrupt the natural balance of the gut microbiota.

Below are a few tips to help reduce sugar consumption:

• Dilute fruit juices with water.
• Use sparking water with a fruit squash or a squeeze of lemon instead of a ‘typical’ canned fizzy drink.
• Read labels – the ‘traffic light’ system is used on a lot of products to highlight when sugar is in excessive amounts.
• Replace sugar added to cereals with fresh fruit.
• Make the right choices at meal times. Breakfasts can often be full of hidden sugar. Stick to a whole-bran or whole-wheat product, or try eggs with wholegrain toast.
• Be aware of hidden calories. A lot of low fat products often make up for taste by adding large amounts of sugar. Lots of products such as soups, salad dressings and sauces can contain a lot of hidden sugars.
• Reduce alcohol consumption. Not only is alcohol high in calories, but it is often mixed with high calorie drinks. Furthermore, alcohol can lead to  peaks and troths in blood sugar levels which can contribute to unhealthy eating patterns.

What are you doing this Easter weekend?

Why not try our recipes below for a delicious Easter feast!

Fruity Gammon – ideal for a relaxed entertaining at Easter, as it requires the minimal preparation, is easy to serve and yet looks very impressive.

Preparation time: 15 minutes               Cooking time: 100 minutes                              Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Waitrose British Gammon Joint, unsmoked
• 500ml bottle of Waitrose Vintage English Cider
• 2 red skinned eating apples, quartered, cored and thickly sliced
• 2 ripe pear, peeled, quartered, cored and thickly sliced
• 75g pack Waitrose Semi-Dried Bing Cherries
• 3 tbsp. clear honey
• 25g Waitrose Slivered Almonds

Method

1. Place the gammon in a large saucepan and add the cider, reserving 3 tbsp. Cover and simmer for 1 hour then remove the gammon from the pan.
2. Mix together the apples, pears and cherries with 2 tbsp. of the honey and the reserved cider. Arrange the fruit mixture in a roasting dish and add the gammon joint.
3. Brush the gammon joint with the remaining honey and sprinkle with the almonds. Place in a preheated oven 180°C, gas mark 4 for 40-50 minutes, or until the gammon is thoroughly cooked. Turn the fruit occasionally. Loosely cover with foil if the joint becomes too brown.
4. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before carving into slices. Serve the gammon and fruit with stir-fried green vegetables and boiled baby new potatoes.

Salmon with bacon and mushrooms – this is an alternative for those who are not meat lovers!

Preparation time: 10 Minutes               Cooking time: 25 Minutes                                Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 x 150g salmon (or trout) fillets
• 1 x 250g pack smoked bacon lardons
• 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 x 150g pack baby button mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
• A pinch of sugar

Method

1. Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Season the salmon and fry for 3 minutes skin-side up. Transfer to a plate.
2. Fry the lardons for 4-5 minutes. Add the red onion, fry for 2 minutes, and then add the mushrooms, cook for 5 minutes more and stir in the lemon zest.
3. Put the salmon on top of the onion mixture in the pan (or use an ovenproof dish) and grill on high for 2-3 minutes. Mix the vinegar, the rest of the oil and the rosemary with a pinch of sugar and season.
4. Spoon over the salmon and serve with celeriac mash or crispy roast potatoes.

Finally not to forget the Easter treats – the classic Chocolate Nests!

Ingredients

• Wholegrain mini wheat
• Milk chocolate
• Speckled mini eggs

Method

1. Melt the milk chocolate and leave to cool
2. Mix together crushed mini wheat and melted milk chocolate then spoon into a muffin tray.
3. Chill until set and serve filled with mini chocolate eggs or chocolate-dipped grapes for some Easter fun.

With all the chocolate treats over the Easter break, why not make it healthier by enjoying a bowl of fruit salad along with the chocolate treats. Use the vibrant coloured fruits that are now in season; strawberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple, peaches, cantaloupe melon and watermelon – all very refreshing!

Happy Easter everybody!!!

Make sure you pick up a range of foods, which will make your diet varied and interesting. A diet based on starchy foods such as rice and pasta, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and lentils, and some milk and dairy foods (and not too much fat, salt or sugar) will give you all the nutrients that you need.

So try to include different food groups in your shopping basket;

• Fruit and vegetables
• Meat, fish, eggs and beans
• Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta
• Milk and dairy foods
• Foods and drinks high in fat and sugar (treats once on a while)

But achieving a healthy balanced diet in the modern life can be tricky. After a long day, it is very tempting to grab the first ready meal on the supermarket shelf, which is OK occasionally. But the nutritional labels on these foods show that many ready meals contain high levels of fat, added sugar and salt. If you eat ready meals too regularly, they’ll upset the balance in your diet.

So why not pay attention to the “traffic light” labelling system on the packaging of many foods in the supermarkets. Foods with red labels contain a high amount of sugar, fat or salt. Foods with a green label contain less sugar, fat or salt so will be a healthier option.

So when placing things in your basket, why not opt for foods with more green labels on its packaging?

Happy food shopping this week!

It’s not just about being trim and looking good for the beach, but also avoiding the risk of tummy upsets that are common and can make many holidays become miserable. A survey conducted by Yakult showed that a staggering 10 million Brits have had their holiday hampered due to digestive problems. One in five people have suffered from either diarrhoea or constipation whilst being on holiday. The risk of developing travellers’ diarrhoea is between 5-10% if you’re visiting places such as North America, Northern Europe, Australia and New Zealand but this increase to about 50% for places such as North Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.

Long periods of inactivity on the plane or sitting by the pool, changes in air cabin pressure, dehydration, and different eating and drinking habits, can all contribute to holiday bloating, constipation or diarrhoea. Obvious precautions you can take once abroad include; avoiding local tap water and ice, peeling fruit and veg, and avoiding foods that look as though they have been kept in the warm for hours. However, not many people realise there are actions you can take to help protect your gut prior to traveling. By taking these precautions you can minimise the chances of digestive health problems when you arrive so that you can enjoy your much deserved holiday!

A few tips to consider before and during your travels:

• Look after your gut – Before traveling try to improve the health of your gut through diet. Consider including prebiotic foods in your diet such as asparagus, onions, and artichokes, eating a well-balanced diet and taking a regular probiotic product.
• Be prepared – pack some high-fibre cereal or dried fruits in your suitcase so you can have it for breakfast or as a snack. It is often a challenge to eat enough fibre whilst being on holiday, which can soon effect on your digestion.
• Stay hydrated – Dehydration is a major cause of gut problems when you’re on holiday so drink plenty of water and juices throughout your holiday, especially if you’re in the sun or on the plan as the dry cabin air can dehydrate you.
• Stay active – long periods of inactivity can make the digestive system sluggish so if you’re travelling on the plane do your leg exercises as suggested in your flight handbook or walk up and down the aisle every so often. When you’re relaxing by the pool or lying on the sun loungers, get up and move around every hour.
• Finally visit your GP prior to travelling to see if there are any vaccinations you may need to have before travelling to your chosen destination.

Basil and Lemon Chickpeas with Mackerel

Ingredients:

•3 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 bunch spring onion, sliced

• 1 large garlic clove, crushed

• Zest of 1 lemon and squeeze of juice

• 2 cans of 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 150ml vegetable stock

• 85g sun blush tomatoes, halved

• 4 mackerel fillets, with skin

• 1 large bunch of basil

Method:

1. Using a large shallow pan, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Add the spring onions, garlic and lemon zest and cook for 2mins until the onions are tender but still green. Add the chickpeas and coat well in the onion mixture. Crush the contents in the pan lightly with a potato masher. Add the vegetable stock and tomatoes and simmer for 3-4mins, until the liquid is reduced. Set aside to cool.

2. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan. Season the mackerel fillets on both sides and fry on each side for 3mins, starting with the skin side down.

3. Add the basil and lemon juice to the chickpea mixture and season to taste. Spoon the chickpea mixture on a serving plate and place mackerel fillet on top.

There you have it – a healthy, low GI meal!What’s great about this meal is that it is low GI so you will feel fuller for longer and you are consuming your one of three portions of oily fishes per week.

A healthy balanced diet contributes to a healthy digestive system – resulting in health benefits such as boosting energy levels and mood, feeling great inside and outside! Having an unhealthy digestive system may cause gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.