Hannah Holscher, a registered dietitian and microbiome researcher, balances her professional expertise with the demands of motherhood. As an educator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she shares her passion for nutrition with students while managing a busy household with two young boys. Despite her hectic schedule, Holscher places significant importance on maintaining gut health through her dietary choices.
Holscher's dietary approach is practical yet focused on essential nutrients. Her mornings typically start with a nutritious breakfast of overnight oats, including whole rolled oats, chia seeds, flax seeds, milk, berries, and honey. She complements this with high-fiber cereal and yogurt topped with granola. Holscher emphasizes the importance of fiber for optimal gut health, aiming to incorporate it into her meals whenever possible.
"I work really hard to try to prioritize consuming different plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes." – Holscher
Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, an expert in gut health, underscores the significance of fiber in maintaining a healthy microbiome.
"What happens is, if you don't get enough fiber, then the bugs, or the microbes that are very important [and] that line your entire gastrointestinal system, they don't get what they need. So they don't have that good material to chomp on [and] they start chomping on the gut lining," – Petrucci
Holscher’s daily goal is to consume approximately 25 grams of fiber, surpassing the recommended intake of 10 to 15 grams as advised by Harvard Health Publishing.
"[I] try to get my recommended amount of fiber every day, which is going to be right around 25 grams." – Holscher
Balancing her career and family life often means opting for lighter lunches, focusing on snacks rather than large meals. However, dinner in the Holscher household is a different affair. Her husband, who enjoys experimenting with various cuisines, takes charge of meal preparation.
"Dinner can get really interesting. My husband does all of our cooking in our household. I'm super lucky," – Holscher
His culinary talents shine through diverse menus influenced by his Pakistani heritage. Recently, he prepared chicken burrito bowls featuring chicken, avocado, black beans, and homemade corn and onion salsa.
"Just last night, he made chicken burrito bowls. So we had chicken, avocado, black beans and a corn and onion salsa that he made," – Holscher
Holscher's professional work extends beyond personal practice as she leads research analyzing biological samples like blood, stool, and urine. Her team examines extensive data sets from existing microbiome studies to develop insights into dietary impacts on health and well-being. This research informs how individuals can adjust their diets to maintain or enhance their health.
"He likes to experiment with different types of menus, and he's Pakistani." – Holscher
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