My friend Mo took one of her best friends to Chile for Valentines Day.  Her bike.  Mo and Mr. Trek seem to be having a great time according to the updates that I receive, although some of the food is causing a bit of a concern. Mo refers to such food as “gut bombs.”

A gut bomb is food that causes a disturbance in the midsection. At the very least a gut bomb causes a stomachache, but also may include diarrhea or heartburn. Popular gut bombs are primarily creamy foods like a rich dessert or greasy foods like chicken wings, hamburgers, french fries, pizza and buffet style Chinese food.

Be kind to your stomach. Gut bombs may be avoided by not eating too much of the offending food, drinking extra water or staying away entirely from the foods that make your belly gurgle in digestive pain.

Healthy Diet 101 (read this even if you think you know everything)

• Make small changes, one at a time
• Eat breakfast
• Eat every two – three hours
• Eat protein, fruits and veggies at every meal
• When eating veggies and fruits eat 5 different colors per day (list below)
• Always eat whole grains
• Don’t eat when you are not hungry
• Remember the water and fiber rules that I bring up every week!
• To get the very best results, 90% of your food intake should consist of whole foods. But start with eat healthy 85% of the time (6 days a week) and allow yourself to indulge 15% of the time (one day a week).
• Don’t deprive yourself, eat desert. Just be smart.

Limit this stuff

• Alcohol
• Fried foods
• Non-whole grains
• Fruit juice (full of sugar and no fiber)
• Fatty meats
• Sugar
• Processed foods (anything that’s canned or packaged)

Here are your 5 vegetable & fruit colors. Eat 5 colors each day.

• White – Onion, garlic, horseradish, kohlrabi. They have antibacterial, anti-viral properties and they strengthen immune system.
• Blue/Black ­– Eggplant, blueberries, chokeberry, raisins, blackcurrant, bilberry. They strengthen blood vessels, delay aging, improve vision at dusk and they have also anti-inflammatory properties.
• Red – Apples, tomatoes, cherries, strawberries, watermelons, beets, red cabbage. They have anti-tumor properties. They’re great for your heart as well, because they contain a lot of potassium – what gives counterbalance to salt in your diet.
• Yellow/Orange – Oranges, bananas, carrots, lemons, peaches, corn. Rich in beta-carotene – which has anti-tumor properties. They regulate water management in the body and prevent your eyesight from getting worse.
• Green – Spinach, broccoli, lettuce, kiwi. Rich in vitamin C, folic acid, antioxidants – they cleanse your body out of toxins, improve concentration and prevent skin aging. They protect your retina from damages as well.

If you do find yourself in distress after consuming a Gut Bomb than drinking baking soda and water will help settle your stomach. Frankly that would make me puke but “they” say it works. I say, lay down and pray there’s no explosion.