BIOLOGY QUIZ! (Answers this evening) 1. Which has more cells A - the human body B - the bacteria in a human gut 2. APPROXIMATELY (on average) how many pounds of poop (ok, ok - Ill be technical and call it fecal matter) are in a human gut? A. 1/2 pound B. 2 pounds C. 4 pounds D. 10 pounds What? You think this is a trivial topic? On the contrary! Our gut bacteria may influence our risk for insulin resistance (eg diabetes and obesity) to inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies and even psychiatric illnesses. A topic that may not be ready for prime time but a lot of cutting edge of research is being done and definitely something to keep an eye on! Until then some basics to keep healthy gut bacteria would certainly be eat lots of fiber (not necessarily plant exclusive – but certainly at least unrefined plant predominant eating), minimal processed foods, keep total fat (and definitely refined carbs) low; avoid antibiotics unless truly and legitimately necessary (discuss with your prescribing health care provider). These are just some of the evolving information we are learning about how to keep our gut bacteria healthy and helping our health rather than harming our health. Please enjoy the Michael Pollen article attached for some great insights – here is one of many interesting passages from it: His comment chimed with something a gastroenterologist at the University of Pittsburgh told me. “The big problem with the Western diet,” Stephen O’Keefe said, “is that it doesn’t feed the gut, only the upper G I. All the food has been processed to be readily absorbed, leaving nothing for the lower G I. But it turns out that one of the keys to health is fermentation in the large intestine.” And the key to feeding the fermentation in the large intestine is giving it lots of plants with their various types of fiber, including resistant starch (found in bananas, oats, beans); soluble fiber (in onions and other root vegetables, nuts); and insoluble fiber (in whole grains, especially bran, and avocados).
Posted on: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 11:16:15 +0000