October is Gut Health Awareness Month, and here’s a fun fact I didn’t know until recently: a simple yoghurt, granola, and berry bowl (with a stewed pear in the middle) can boost your antioxidant intake by more than 50% in one sitting.

The yoghurt is packed with probiotics, feeding the good bacteria in your gut and supporting digestion, immunity, and mood regulation. Nuts and granola bring fiber and omega-3s, both linked to heart health and steady energy. And the pear? Its pectin fiber is one of the best natural ways to keep your gut balanced. Here are 5 more foods for the gut:

• garlic
• kimchi
• kefir
• sauerkraut
• bananas

We hear so much about gut health these days, and for good reason: it’s central to fighting inflammation, stabilizing energy, and protecting brain health. Sometimes the simplest meals are the most powerful.

This is the perfect meal when you travel because it’s light, nourishing, and keeps your gut calm in the middle of all the change.

Offline Things

1. I’ve been doing a series of book reviews for The Children’s Book Review. If you’ve got kids between 4 and 15, you’ll probably discover a new favorite.
2. I built out a new blog for my own children’s book world, where I’m diving into signs and symbols in nature and sharing research from the kid lit space.
3. I went to see Annie recently. I’d forgotten how much I loved her character — she reminded me of my own protagonist, Ruby Diamond.
4. I attended a lecture on how death is celebrated in different cultures. It’s got me sketching ideas for a new blog series (such a fascinating topic).
5. Did you see the Supermoon? The brightest of the year — called the Harvest Moon.
6. Treated myself to a facial and discovered a new product I love: all natural, proudly South African.
7. Escaped for the weekend to finish writing my second book — and I’ll be blogging soon about the little boutique hotel that hosted me.