Illustration by Kat Frick Miller
Jacqueline Cooper Lemmon is interested in one ecosystem. It is filled with trillions of micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoans and bacteriophage. Each performs a different function: Some ferment compounds, others break down dietary fibre, and some hunt and destroy bacteria. Together, they make the gut microbiome, and it helps our immune system function and prevent autoimmune reactions.
Just under two decades ago, when Dr. Cooper Lemmon decided to change paths from studying to be a traditional doctor to naturopathic medicine, she says people were confused: “At the time, people just didn’t get it.”
In her career as a naturopathic doctor, she has seen patients with gut imbalances that contributed to symptoms including eczema and acne, bloating and stool changes, and intolerances to foods such as lactose.
After graduating from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Dr. Cooper Lemmon began working in private practice. At the time, she says many people did not see the connection between an unhealthy gut and skin conditions. So when patients came to her seeking treatment for acne, for example, one of her first questions – “how are your bowel movements?” – caught many off guard.
“A huge thing that helped them re-establish skin health was addressing the microbiome, the gut,” she says.
Healing the microbiome requires a combination of therapeutic probiotics and a healthy diet, says Dr. Cooper Lemmon, who has since started working as the manager of medical affairs with Nestlé Health Science, the parent company of Genestra Brands, a supplements company.
“Still, we can’t out-supplement an unhealthy lifestyle and diet,” she says.
If she could recommend just one dietary change to improve gut health, it would be this: focus on diversity.
She points to mounting data and studies showing that eating a diet with 30 different plants a week could help improve gut health. Those plants include grains such as rye, pulses such as legumes, fruits and vegetables, as well as spices, which she says all count toward diversity.
Eating produce that is in-season is an easy way to ensure you have variety, she says.
In her own home, where she grocery shops for a family of four – including her husband and two boys who are home from university for the summer – she stocks good quality whole wheat bread, fresh produce and protein, and dry legumes, which she uses to add plant-based protein to meat-heavy meals.
A staple meal in her home is tacos with ground beef, cooked black beans and sautéed onions and peppers. Thrown over some shredded lettuce, leftovers become a quick salad for her to take to work the next day.
“It’s not very sexy, but it’s simple, tried and true,” she says.
How a grocery expert and ‘food professor’ shops
How I save money on groceries: I offset my grocery bill by choosing cheaper protein options such as tofu and dried legumes, and reducing my portions of meat to smaller sizes. The plant-based proteins have added fibre, which support your microbiome.
How I splurge on groceries: I splurge on organic and antibiotic-free meats such as chicken.
The hardest shopping habit to keep up: Rotation and diversity. It’s important for your gut health to eat a variety of vegetables and proteins, but it can be hard to switch things up. I’m trying to be creative.
How I’ve changed my eating habits recently: I try to have three balanced meals a day. There are trends such as high protein and fibremaxxing, but more is not always better. You should meet your needs, but ensure you have balanced meals and three of them a day. Having enough healthy fats, protein and fibre is more important for your microbiome and gut than getting large amounts of just one.
Five items always in my cart
- Blue tortilla chips with flax seeds – Neal Brothers – $5.99: These chips are my treat. I eat them on a rare occasion, but they’re a better-for-you option than regular potato or tortilla chips because the flax seeds give you extra fibre.
- Avocados – $1.79 each: Avocados are a great source of healthy fat and fibre and are easy to make into guacamole, to eat with the chips. They’re also great to add to smoothies, and give it a creamy texture.
- Soy milk – Earth’s Own Organic – $3.47: I really enjoy a soy latte. I have an issue with dairy. My body has become more tolerant to it now, but my usual go-to has become soy milk. You get more protein with soy than with other milk alternatives such as almond or oat milk.
- Rye sourdough bread – Grainfields – $8.75: Sourdough is better for your gut microbiome and takes longer to digest, which prevents blood sugar spikes. I keep it in the freezer so it’s always there. This loaf is a good metric for what people should look for in bread: high fibre content and good protein content. Ace Bakery Sourdough is also great.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Terra Delyssa – $16.99 for 1L: I enjoy this olive oil because it’s organic and tastes great. I think a huge opportunity to add healthy fats into your diet is by making your own salad dressing. I make one with red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and some spices such as oregano. It makes an easy, elevated salad dressing.