IN THE WORLD OF WELLNESS AND A CHORUS OF OPINIONS IT CAN BE HARD TO FIND A VOICE AS PASSIONATE AND INFORMED AS BROOKE KELLY.
AS A CLINICAL NUTRITIONIST AND DEDICATED COOK, BROOKE BELIEVES THAT FOOD IS MORE THAN JUST FUEL IT IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR CONNECTION, CREATIVITY, AND LONG-TERM HEALTH. IN THIS CONVERSATION, SHE SHARES HER PHILOSOPHY ON BALANCE, THE IMPORTANCE OF GUT HEALTH, AND HOW DAILY HABITS CAN TRANSFORM OVERALL WELL-BEING. SHE ALSO DIVES INTO THE SYNERGY BETWEEN NUTRITION AND IKKARI'S FORMULATIONS, OFFERING INSIGHTS ON HOW TO SUPPORT THE BODY FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
Through your own eyes, who is Brooke Kelly?
I’m a Clinical Nutritionist and cook who probably would have been a chef if I hadn’t ended up in the wellness industry. Safe to say, I’m pretty obsessed with food - it’s a powerful catalyst for fostering connection, creating memories and plays a large role in determining our health. I love my job because it allows me to tap into both my creative and nerdy sides!
When do you feel your most Vital highest self?
It’s taken some practice coupled with many learnings over the years in finding my most vital and highest self. I used to think wellness was about doing everything perfectly, however what I found was the complete opposite! My philosophy on health is everything in moderation and I truly believe when I'm incorporating equal amounts of consciousness and flexibility, all of life’s ailments disappear.
What I've found works best is building in those daily habits that form the base and allowing room for balance. Whenever I'm feeling depleted or disconnected from the self, I return back to the thing that I love most, which is cooking - it’s the greatest form of self love there is! I think being in the kitchen and coming up with new recipes is where I feel the most vital and highest version of myself because it puts me back into a state of flow, creativity and purpose.
Can you explain the importance of gut health in overall well-being?
The health of our gut is intricately linked to our health through what we call the ‘gut microbiome’ which is basically the collection of all microbes, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses that naturally live on in our digestive tract. In order to be the healthiest version of ourselves, prevent illness and disease, and glow from the inside out we need to ensure a balance of the good bacteria in our gut. Every day we uncover more research about how certain mechanisms in the gut work together to support our metabolism, immunity, brain function, skin health and mood.
Many people I see in the clinic present with issues such as hormonal imbalances, low energy, skin concerns or autoimmune disease. What’s fascinating is that oftentimes these are being driven by imbalances in the gut - this is because about 70% of our immune system is actually hosted in our gut lining which is why it’s essential we are always looking at the microbiome in both the management and prevention of illness.
How does nutrition play a role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome?
Essentially, what you eat directly influences the composition and diversity of the microbes that populate the gut which impacts our overall health. Dietary fibre from fruits, vegetables and whole grains are key as they contain prebiotics like insulin and resistant starch which act as a food source for beneficial bacteria. Probiotics such as fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso or kefir are also essential as they work in unison with these prebiotic fibres to help ‘fertilise’ the beneficial bacteria within the gut.
Consequently, when these healthy bacteria break down the fibres from our food, they go on to produce beneficial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which play an important role in not only protecting the gut barrier, but they also help regulate our appetite, metabolism and nervous system.
There is also the impact of specific nutrients such as the polyphenol compounds such as those found in berries, cacao or green tea, as well as fatty acids like omega-3 in fatty fish, walnuts or flaxseeds which have positive anti-inflammatory effects within the gut and body.
When it comes to a diverse gut microbiome, variety is key! I’m not a fan of long-term restrictive or ‘FAD’ dietary protocols because they remove so many of the foods that these bacteria need to thrive. On the flip side, too many processed and nutrient-deprived foods that are low in fibre and high in added sugars can adversely impact the balance of good gut bacteria. At the end of the day it really is all about balance and focusing more on what you can put in, instead of what you can take out.
Are there specific IKKARI products that you would recommend for enhancing gut health?
I love the Detox Support Tonic because it contains dandelion, curcumin, green tea and broccoli which are foods that help reduce inflammation and support the body’s natural detoxification process. I also love the convenience of a liquid formula in water as it can be a bit of a challenge trying to include enough of these foods daily.
What’s the difference between probiotics and prebiotics, and how do they benefit us?
Prebiotics are the non-digestible fibres from plant foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains that act as a food source for our gut bacteria. Some foods have specific prebiotic compounds that are especially beneficial such as onions, cabbage, apples, lentils and even sourdough bread.
When it comes to getting enough prebiotics, ensuring enough plant material from fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains is essential. It’s always better to opt for ‘wholegrains’ over the more refined and simple sources. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t ever eat simple carbohydrates - a great hack is to cook and then cool your white rice in the refrigerator overnight as this actually helps to increase the prebiotic levels of the starch making it a richer food source for the gut bacteria.
Probiotics are the bacteria that work together with prebiotics to increase the population of good gut bacteria in the microbiome. They play a very important role in the digestion of food, absorption of nutrients, and supporting the body's immune system. The best sources are found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso or tempeh. Including two servings of fermented foods daily or via supplementation as recommended by a practitioner is the easiest way to ensure you are introducing probiotic bacteria on a daily basis to help nourish your gut.
It’s important to have adequate intake of both pre and probiotics due to their synergistic relationship in creating beneficial metabolic byproducts called ‘post’ biotics. These include vitamins, amino acids and short chain fatty acids which help to regulate the gut microbiome and other bodily systems.
Besides diet, what other lifestyle factors contribute to gut health?
I often have clients come to me saying that they are eating super clean, exercising and taking all the supplements and yet they are still suffering from gut issues. This is because there are a number of lifestyle factors outside of diet that can determine the health of our gut.
Nowadays, stress is a major factor we have to consider - too much cortisol actually shuts down our bodies ability to make enough digestive enzymes which help to break down our food. If our food is not digesting properly, it’s actually promoting the growth of bad bacteria. In conjunction to managing stress, sleep is equally as important as it’s the time whereby the body enters a ‘rest and digest’ state, cleaning up a lot of our cellular waste we’ve accumulated throughout the day. If you aren’t getting adequate sleep, the body simply cannot function optimally.
Another important area to look at when it comes to gut health is our immediate environment. I’m always encouraging people to be mindful of any potential toxins or ‘forever chemicals’ they could be exposed to daily through items like skincare or home cleaning products. There is evidence to suggest that chemicals such as parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, antimicrobials and micro-plastics found in these can act as endocrine disruptors and cause imbalances in the gut microbiome.
How important is it to personalise nutrition and supplement plans when it comes to gut health?
Much like a fingerprint, each and every one of us has our own gut microbiome reflective of our lifestyle, environment, stress levels and most importantly, our diet. A more personalised nutrition and supplement plan is important in treating gut issues due to the unique nature of the microbiome. There isn’t one single treatment for everyone as there are a variety of potential causes we have to look at when it comes to gut health. Treatments could be in the form of simple dietary and lifestyle changes or sometimes we use specific supplementation to target imbalances that are unique to that individual.
Emerging trends in nutrition?
Personalised probiotics is an emerging health treatment which we are seeing more of - currently we know there are specific strains of probiotics such as Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium bifidum that can help with issues like lactose intolerance or improving the body's immune function. I think the potential to treat a range of health issues in a more holistic and individual way is super exciting!
How do you see supplements like those from IKKARI evolving to meet the needs of gut health in the future?
Our skin is a direct reflection of what’s going on internally, especially in the microbiome! When it comes to improving skin health, it’s equally as important we are doing the work on the inside as it is the outside. What I love about the IKKARI range is how the ingestibles work in conjunction with the skincare for a more targeted regime that addresses the route cause.