‘I have a salad with dinner’
Prof Niharika Duggal, 37
Assistant Professor in Immunity and Ageing, Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham
“It’s going to sound so simple and everyone knows it, but having your five a day is crucial to your gut health and big studies have shown that having a healthy microbiome [gut bacteria] composition increases longevity and the length of time you spend disease-free.
“When you think of bacteria, you may think it’s something bad, but of course there’s beneficial bacteria like lactobacillus or bifidobacteria. From your central nervous system development, to your food metabolism, to your cardiovascular health, and your immune system, healthy bacteria in your gut are now being recognised as one of the central key factors affecting your long-term health. But as we age, we get more pathogenic (harmful) bacteria in our guts. We need to maintain a balance between the two.
“Thankfully, your gut bacteria is easily modified by the food you eat. That’s not only about eating fermented foods and drinks (probiotics). These can put the healthy bacteria into your gut, but something has to crucially make them grow and proliferate and that is fruits and vegetables. These are known as prebiotics because they feed the beneficial bacteria and help them expand.
“You need a variety so I try to follow a rainbow diet. My snack after lunch is fruits and that subsides my craving for desserts. At dinner time, we have a big portion of salad and different types of vegetables every night. I try to follow a Mediterranean diet because it’s strongly associated with immune health. It’s also anti-inflammatory, improves your cardiovascular health and your cognition and it’s very rich in the dietary fibres that your gut bacteria loves. Plus, it’s easy.”
