Tag Archives: gut flora

Questions & Answers

The Connection Between The Gut, Heart Disease, And Stroke

Stroke and heart disease continue to be serious public health problems.

New research conducted by Dr. Brunch at the University of Colorado has something exciting to say about those conditions. This study demonstrated that when you change of microbiome of older mice, you reduce the production of a toxic compound (TMAO) in their gut. TMAO is associated with higher rates of heart disease and stroke.

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a very toxic compound. By the time you’re sixty years old, you’ve got a 70% chance of having TMAO in your body. By the time you’re in your 80s, only about 10-15% of people are free of this toxin. The change in TMAO levels comes along as the gut ages, and the composition of the GI flora starts to shift. In particular, there is a loss of beneficial bacteria. As TMAO levels increase, so does your risk of stroke and heart disease.

The lead investigator in this study worked with a group of young mice and a group of older mice. She wiped out their gut flora using a broad-spectrum antibiotic. As a result of wiping out their GI bacteria, the older mice no longer produced the same amount of toxic compounds in their gut. Their circulatory and cardiac healthy improved so much, it was almost equivalent to that seen in young mice.

Further readings:

The researchers went on to document that the gut bacteria of the older mice had changed after it was wiped out by the antibiotics. Now, I’m not suggesting for one minute that antibiotics are the fountain of youth. In fact, in my opinion, antibiotics do more damage than good.

But the take-home point from this study is that altering your gut bacteria can alter your health. Even heart health is connected to the gut.

If you want to combat the changes that occur to the gut flora with age, include things n your diet that can improve your gut health. Foods like kefir, yogurt, and kombucha can all be helpful.

So there you have it. To keep your gut in great shape as you get older, consider cultured and fermented foods, keep active, and you may well have a chance of staving off some of the biggest killers of older people – circulatory problems, heart disease, and stroke.

Sources:

Questions & Answers

The Impact Of Physical Activity On The Gut Flora

Many people don’t like to exercise, but it has incredibly beneficial effects on the body.
Exercise improves sleep, mood, and physical fitness.

Scientists have now found that people with excellent cardiorespiratory fitness have healthier gut floras. In these individuals, their lungs and circulatory systems work well together to supply ample oxygen to the body, and they have a much more diverse gut flora. The explanation for this association is still unclear. What is clear is that people with good air exchange and an excellent resting pulse have more species of bacteria in their GI tract. The opposite is true of people who are sedentary.

Further readings:

If you look at indigenous populations, a group that wouldn’t know much about being sedentary, their gut flora is particularly diverse. I believe their activity level helps explain their low rates of cancer and diabetes.

I believe a healthy, diverse gut flora comes out of an active lifestyle, where you have to work hard for your food. Good mental health is linked with diverse flora, which may explain why physically fit people often have better mental health than average. Conversely, it could also help explain why so many people who are sedentary have high levels of depression and anxiety.

Sources:

Questions & Answers

Why You Should Keep Your Gut Flora Balanced

What’s the difference between good and bad bacteria?

It wasn’t that long ago when scientists thought that most bacteria were bad and needed killing. The importance of bacteria to human digestion and health hadn’t been recognized. But now we know very differently.

Bacteria help keep us alive. An imbalance in bacteria causes problems, but bacteria are vital to human well-being.

There are many species of bacteria in the gut. Some have the potential to cause a lot of problems. Some even have the potential to kill you.

All bacteria need to be kept in balance. Even bacteria that are generally beneficial can cause problems if there counts go to high.

Scientists have done enough research to recognize the difference between the good, bad, and the ugly bacteria in the gut. For example, Clostridium perfringens can cause severe problems when it grows too fast. Antibiotics can trigger the imbalance that allows Clostridium to get out of control, sometimes to the extent of being fatal.

Further readings:

Salmonella is another bacterium that lives in the gut but, through food poisoning, it can increase in numbers and make a person very, very sick.

Parasites and viruses can upset the bacterial balance in the gut. Remember that most of these microorganisms live in the body in tiny amounts in normal circumstances. They don’t cause any problems until their numbers increase and they shift the balance in the gut.

Imbalances can be triggered by medication, stress, traveling, or a poor diet. One of the reasons I recommend eating cultured or fermented foods is that it helps keep the gut flora balanced. One of the best things you can do to keep your gut balanced is to avoid taking antibiotics if at all possible.

If you go back in time, you’ll see that people have been eating cultured and fermented food as far back as we go. They knew that these foods settled the tummy.

You shouldn’t have to fear bacteria. Most people tend to keep a good balance in their gut. Do your best to keep it that way.

Sources:

Questions & Answers

Gut Flora And Weight Loss

Which gut bacteria is the best for facilitating weight loss?

Well, it’s more complicated than that. Let’s look at fiber as an example. It’s the bacteria in our gut that actually digest the fiber we eat. The fermentation process that breaks down the fiber really powers us up. Bacteria also help us access the B vitamins and folate in food.

In one study of 62 people, the subjects were given a considerable amount of fiber to eat. When they conducted stool testing on the participants, they found that some people had higher levels of Prevotella bacteria. Prevotella is particularly adept at breaking down fiber and resistant starch.

Another group of bacteria, Bacteroidetes, were found in higher levels in people who ate diets high in meat and fat. If you follow the keto diet, we’d expect that you would have more Bacteroidetes than Prevotella in your gut. In contrast, vegans would have more Prevotella.

Further readings:

Prevotella levels have a stronger association with weight loss than Baceroidetes. The people who lost the most weight during the study period were those with the highest level of Prevotella. This group of subjects lost an average of 5.1 pounds.

The authors of the study concluded that it isn’t so much what you’re eating that determined weight loss; it’s what you’re digesting. Digestion also has an impact on your metabolic rate.

To my mind, this study proves the point that eating large amounts of meat and animal fat is not going to provide long term health benefits. It will also shift your gut flora towards including groups that are less adept at fermentation and digestion.

I know the body can make energy from ketones obtained from fat and protein, but I still don’t see a high-protein diet as a healthy approach for the long term. I recommend eating foods high in fiber to build up the Prevotella and other bacteria that increase your metabolic rate.

Sources:

Questions & Answers

Vitamin C And Weight Loss: What’s The Connection?

Can vitamin C help you lose weight?

A study from the mid-2000s demonstrated that vitamin C has a definite effect on burning fat (thermogenesis) in some people.

When people have adequate vitamin C stores, their ability to burn off body fat is 30% higher compared to people with low vitamin C stores.

The benefits of vitamin C aren’t new. Look at the work by Mathias Rath and Dr. Linus Pauling, who got two Nobel prizes, I believe. Dr. Pauling was ridiculed by scientists for many years, but one day his work on vitamin C will be vindicated.

Further readings:

Vitamin C has a profound effect on the adrenal system. One of the highest levels of ascorbic acid in the human body is found in the adrenal cortex. An expert once told me that vitamin C used to be measured in the body by measuring the levels in the adrenal gland.

The body needs sufficient ascorbic acid levels to produce adrenal hormones such as the stress hormone, cortisol. You can extrapolate from that that low vitamin c levels might contribute to adrenal exhaustion. The fatigue associated with adrenal dysfunction can promote weight gain as it interferes with normal physical activity and can lead to snacking on high-calorie foods.

Vitamin C has a role in immune function, energy levels, skin integrity, and thermogenesis. That’s why I recommend people keep their vitamin C intake high. Make sure you include ample vitamin-C rich foods in your diet.

Sources: