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Why study the Gut Microbiome? Gut health is critical for good health. Gut bacteria chew on fiber and produce chemicals that keep our gut lining healthy. Our gut lining is a single cell layer called the epithelium. Approximately 70% of our immune system lies in our gut wall cells. If our gut lining gets inflamed or permeable, it may start 'leaking', leading to 'leaky gut syndrome', which is associated with myriad health conditions, including autoimmune conditions.
Food affects the distribution of gut bacteria within 1 meal! Basically, these bacteria grow in response to the food we eat. Some bacteria grow in response to plant foods; others grow in response to animal foods (meat, fish, eggs, dairy). Dr Greger explains that guts in which fiber-chewing bacteria are found in abundance are the healthiest. How will these bacteria thrive? Only if we feed them fiber in abundance! Otherwise, they diminish in number.
How to learn about gut microbiome? Gut microbiome articles & videos are always technical. So some patience may be necessary to study the subject:
- Dr Erica Sonnenburg on Gut Microbiome: This 1-hr talk in plain English is a good place to start for those new to this subject. Dr Sonnenburg provides a broad overview of gut microbiome, fiber & chronic diseases.
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Dr Michael Greger on Gut Microbiome: I encourage all of my friends to browse through these videos. Dr Greger has simplified technical knowledge into plain English (to the extent possible) to reach out to lay persons. Microbiome videos are quite technical, but with some patience, we can grasp them.
Dr Greger's videos will explain the relationsihps between 'microbiome', 'good bacteria', 'bad bacteria', 'enterotype', 'gut lining', 'gut leakage', 'short chain fatty acids', 'choline, carnitine, tmao', 'autoimmune', 'cancer risk', etc. At the end of the day, they will help us appreciate why we should really really maximize fiber intake, going way beyond the minimum RDA set by health organizations today.
- CSIRO Microbiome Videos are super technical. About 2 hrs total. Worth watching to dig into details.
After watching the videos above, I'd encourage you to go through Fiber, Resistant Starch, Gastrointestinal Conditions and Autoimmune Conditions. Going through all of these subjects may sound like a lot of work. And it may be difficult work because Dr Greger's videos are often technical in nature. But trust me! It's worth the effort!
Why invest effort in studying gut microbiome, fiber, resistant starch, bowel movements, leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune conditions? Because a large percentage of people today have these problems! And they are all related to our guts! Once we have a gut health problem, it's difficult to treat. Even the food-related protocols that address gut health conditions start becoming complex — they involve some sort of fasting, some sort of elimination protocol and strict adherence to WFPB-SOS, without 'moderation'.
When it comes to gut health, our mantra should be 'PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION!'
A diet that feeds the fiber-chewing bacteria in our guts! A fiber rich diet. In fact, Dr Greger's videos and Dr Sonnenburg's talks may be condensed into a 1-line dietary guideline:
"For a healthy microbiome, eat as much fiber as possible!"
Now fiber is found exclusively in plant-based foods; animal products don't have any fiber. Processed plant-based foods often have low fiber. So what should we do to maximize intake of dietery fiber? We should consume plants in their whole form — unprocessed or minimally processed.
Please click on the high resolution infographic (PNG image) below and then click again to expand it.
Source: Gut Microbiota for Health — Infographics — Our Gut Barrier's Essential Role to Health (Direct link to PNG image).
The infographic above explains that if we don't consume enough fiber, we may trigger inflammation and permeability in our gut membrane, leading to gastrointestinal and autoimmune conditions. A fiber rich diet is essential for healthy gut microbiome!
For details, please watch videos here: Dr Greger on Microbiome.
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