Table of Contents
Microbiome
The microbiome affects our mood , libido , metabolism , immunity , and even our perception of the world and the clarity of our thoughts . It helps determine whether we are fat or thin , energetic or lethargic . Put simply , everything about our health — how we feel both emotionally and physically — hinges on the state of our microbiome.
You may be surprised to find out that an estimated 80 to 90 percent of the amount of serotonin in your body is manufactured by the nerve cells in your gut! In fact, your gut’s brain makes more serotonin — the master happiness molecule — than the brain in your head does. Many neurologists and psychiatrists are now realizing that this may be one reason why antidepressants are often less effective in treating depression than dietary changes are.
Chinese herbal practices are finally getting the explanation they deserve. It’s the gut bugs that are making use of these herbal compounds first so we can benefit from them.
Belly and Brain on Fire: The New Science of Inflammation
Dr. Alessio Fasano of Harvard to identify the now – established relationship among gluten consumption, increased gut permeability, and widespread inflammation throughout the body antibiotics and other medications, chlorinated water, certain foods, and even stress all play a part in determining the diversity and balance of the gut bacteria.
Omega – 6 fats have been linked to an increased risk for brain disorders as well as heart trouble. Omega – 3 fats, on the other hand — such as the fats found in olive oil, fish and flaxseed. A recent publication in Alzheimer’s Disease revealed an impressive risk reduction for the development of the disease in people who drink coffee.
Moderate drinkers at midlife showed an incredible 65 percent decreased risk for developing Alzheimer’s.
The science is showing that people who stick to a Mediterranean – type diet, rich in healthy , anti-inflammatory fats and proteins , enjoy significantly lower rates of depression. The women who ate the yogurt that contained the probiotics showed decreased activity in both the insula and the somatosensory cortex during the emotional reactivity task.
Stress and anxiety can actually increase gut permeability and change the complexion of the gut bacteria, leading to increased leakiness and inflammation. Study by Dr. Emeran Mayer is likely to lead to an expansion of research aimed at finding new strategies to prevent or treat digestive, mental and neurological disorders.
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Stress
Cortisol is the body’s key stress response hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol correlate with a variety of issues, including depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Chronic stress may be more harmful than acute stress in terms of gut permeability and inflammation. The good news is that this can be reversed just by giving probiotics.
Sugar
Fructose has long – term effects when it’s consumed in large quantities from unnatural sources. Numerous studies show that fructose is associated with impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, high blood fats, and hypertension. It’s a huge burden to the liver, which is forced to expend so much energy converting fructose into other molecules that it risks not having enough left for all of its other functions. One of the fallouts of this energy depletion is the production of uric acid, a consequence linked to high blood pressure, gout, and kidney stones.
Moreover, in another watershed study published in 2013, French researchers had followed more than 66,000 women since 1993 and found that the risk for developing diabetes was more than double for those who drank artificially sweetened drinks than it was for women who consumed sugar – sweetened beverages.
I can’t even begin to list the number of studies that have confirmed the irrefutable connection between gluten sensitivity and neurological dysfunction.
Antibiotics
I can’t talk about the role of antibiotics in the course of human health without paying tribute to them . I know plenty of friends , family members , and colleagues who would not be with us today had it not been for antibiotics . Serious diseases that once killed millions of people each year can easily be treated today thanks to antibiotics . The discovery of antibiotics ( “ against life ” ) in the early part of the 20th century has been one of our most significant medical achievements .
Of course , antibiotics aren’t magic bullets that can eradicate every infection . When used at the right time , however , they can cure many serious and life – threatening illnesses . They have revolutionized medicine, but the pendulum has swung far from those days when antibiotics were rarely available . Today they are everywhere and far too often overused .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has stated : “ Without urgent action we are heading for a post – antibiotic era , in which common infections and minor injuries can once again kill . ” 2 The organization has called antibiotic resistance one of the “ top health challenges facing the 21st century . ”
Alexander Fleming himself warned us about these potential consequences back in 1945 during his Nobel Prize lecture , when he said , “ The time may come when penicillin can be bought by anyone in the shops . Then there is the danger that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and, by exposing his microbes to non – lethal quantities of the drug , make them resistant . ” 3 ( When using antibiotics , “ underdosing ” — taking too little or failing to complete a prescribed round — can be just as problematic as over – using antibiotics in general .
The Pill
Although virtually all medicines have some impact on the microbiome , drugs like the Pill , that are taken daily and often long – term , are the most insidious . Among the many outcomes of long – term use ( more than five years ) are : Decreased thyroid hormone and available testosterone in circulation Increased insulin resistance , oxidative stress , and markers of inflammation
- use of oral contraceptives may be linked with inflammatory bowel disease — in particular , an increased risk of Crohn’s disease , which is characterized by inflammation of the lining and wall of the large or small intestine , or both .
- 16 The lining can become so inflamed that it bleeds .
- But newer studies are now emerging to reveal a twist in the story .
- The genetic combinations that result cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding .
- are corn and soy ( and , by extension , all the products that contain these ingredients ; it’s estimated that GMOs are in as much as 80 percent of conventional processed food ) .
Six Essential Keys
KEY # 1: CHOOSE FOODS RICH IN PROBIOTICS
Fermentation is the metabolic process of converting carbohydrates like sugars into alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids. It occurs in conditions in which organisms are deprived of oxygen. Fermentation was described as “ respiration without air ” by the French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur in the nineteenth century. In this process, good bacteria convert the sugar molecules in the food into lactic acid. In doing so, the bacteria multiply and proliferate. This in turn protects the fermented food from being invaded by pathogenic bacteria because it creates an environment with a low pH.
Mechnikov believed that aging was caused by toxic bacteria in the gut and that lactic acid could prolong life. He drank sour milk every day. He was a prolific writer, authoring three books: Immunity in Infectious Diseases, The Nature of Man, and The Prolongation of Life: Optimistic Studies, the last documented in detail the unusually lengthy life spans of several populations that regularly ate fermented foods and bacterial cultures called kefirs. The last of which documented the life spans in detail was that of people who regularly eat fermented foods.
For people sensitive to dairy, coconut yogurt is an excellent dairy – free way to work plenty of enzymes and probiotics into your diet. Kefir is a unique combination of kefir “ grains ” ( a combination of yeast and bacteria ) and goat’s milk. Many of these fermented dairy products are loaded with added sugar, artificial sweeteners, and artificial flavors, so be careful about which brands to buy. It’s also rich in antioxidants and is high in lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.
Make sure any oats you buy are truly gluten – free; some come from plants that process wheat products, causing contamination. I generally recommend limiting non – gluten grains because when they are processed for human consumption (e.g . , milling whole oats and preparing rice for packaging ) , their physical structure can change , and this may increase the risk of an inflammatory reaction Sweeteners : natural stevia and chocolate ( see below about chocolate )
Whole sweet fruit: Berries are best; be extra cautious of sugary fruits
such as apricots, mangos, melons, papayas , plums ( or prunes ) , and pineapples .
KEY #2: GO LOW-CARB, EMBRACE HIGH-QUALITY FAT As Homo sapiens, we are virtually identical to every human that has walked on this planet. And we as a species have been shaped by nature over thousands of generations. For the greater part of the past 2.6 million years, our ancestors’ diets consisted of wild animals and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Today most people’s diets are centered on grains and carbs — many of which contain gut-blasting, microbiome-damaging gluten whose downstream effects reach the brain. Even setting aside the gluten factor, one of the main reasons that consuming too many grains and carbs is so harmful is that they spike blood sugar in ways other foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables, do not. I’ve already presented the facts on what excess blood sugar does to the body and the balance of gut bacteria. The more sugars consumed — even artificial
KEY # 3: ENJOY WINE, TEA, COFFEE, AND CHOCOLATE
The polyphenols in black tea have been shown to increase bifidobacteria, which help stabilize gut permeability. Other Nrf2 activators are chocolate, green tea, turmeric and resveratrol. Drinking a glass of red wine a day can be good for you.
KEY # 4 : CHOOSE FOODS RICH IN PREBIOTICS
We’ve all heard about the benefits of eating fiber . It turns out that the effects of dietary fiber on the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut may well be fiber’s most important aspect . Prebiotics occur naturally in a variety of foods , including chicory , Jerusalem artichoke , garlic , onions , leeks , and jicama or Mexican yam ;
KEY # 5 : DRINK FILTERED WATER
To avoid the gut-busting chemicals like chlorine that are found in tap water, I recommend buying a household water filter. There are a variety of water treatment technologies available today, from simple filtration pitchers you fill manually to under-the-sink contraptions or units designed to filter the water coming into your home from its source. It’s up to you to decide which one best suits your circumstances and budget. Make sure the filter you buy removes chlorine and other potential contaminants. Obviously, if you’re a renter or live in a co-op building, you will be limited as to what you can do, but using filters on your faucets or pitchers with filters can work very well. It’s important that whichever filter you choose, you maintain it well and follow the manufacturer’s directions to assure it continues to perform. As contaminants build up, a filter will become less effective, and it can then start to release chemicals back into your filtered water. You should also think about putting filters on your showerheads. Shower filtration systems are easy to find and inexpensive.
KEY # 6 : FAST EVERY SEASON
No food but lots of water (avoid caffeine) for a twenty – four-hour period. Five core probiotic species that are widely available. Fortifying the intestinal lining and reducing gut permeability. Reducing LPS, the inflammatory molecule that can be dangerous if it reaches the bloodstream.
Lactobacillus plantarum is one of the most beneficial bacteria in your body. It helps regulate immunity and control inflammation in the gut. It also helps fortify the gut lining, fending off potential invaders that might compromise the intestinal wall and sneak into the bloodstream.
Lactobacillus plantarum is essential for fighting infection, controlling inflammation and controlling pathogenic bacteria. In women, it helps to curb the growth of Candida albicans, a fungus that can cause yeast infections. It’s shown to protect engineered mice from having clinical symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Lactobacillus brevis, or Bifidobacterium lactis, is also known to be helpful in fighting foodborne pathogens like salmonella. Fermented milk products like yogurt contain this bug, which is well documented to have a powerful effect on preventing digestive ills.
Bifidobacterium lactis (also called B. animalis): Fermented milk products like yogurt contain this gem, which is well documented to have a powerful effect on preventing digestive ills and boosting immunity. A study published in February 2009 in the Journal of Digestive Diseases found that healthy people who consumed a product containing this type of bacteria each day for two weeks reported improvements in digestive comfort compared to control subjects who followed their usual diet. It’s also known to be helpful in knocking out foodborne pathogens like salmonella, which causes diarrhea.
Remember , your aim will be to consume at least 12 grams of prebiotics . Dandelion greens , for example , are a rich source of prebiotics ; buy a bunch of these
greens for the week and add them to salads and vegetable dishes . To reap the benefits of acacia gum , you can buy acacia powder and mix it with water . Just 1 tablespoon will give you 6 grams of insoluble fiber — the kind of fiber the gut bugs love for their own nourishment . When pan – frying foods , you can use butter , organic extra – virgin olive oil , or coconut oil .
- Source: Brain Maker, Perlmutter, David