Does everyone need a probiotic supplement?
September 15, 2017
Probiotics are good bacteria. They can restore the biodiversity within the microbiome, fight pathogenic organisms and help heal the gut mucosa.
(more...)Fiber: how much and which kinds should you get?
August 7, 2017
Soluble fiber is a “prebiotic,” or food for the intestinal bacteria. Some of the best sources of soluble fiber are bananas, asparagus, garlic, onion, leeks, dandelion greens and Jerusalem artichokes.
(more...)How the food you eat affects your gut | TED-Ed
Diet is emerging as one of the leading influences on the health of our microbiome. We can manipulate the balance of our microbes by paying attention to what we eat (from TED-Ed).
Gut microbiome: another reason to exercise
April 30, 2017
In 2014, researchers comparing the National rugby team of Ireland and sedentary men reported in the journal Gut that being physically fit was associated with a greater diversity of gut bugs. But correlation vs causation was debated, as with many microbiome studies.
Newer research conducted in rodents has found that exercise, regardless of diet type, improved the makeup of the gut microbiome and raised the levels of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that nourishes the intestinal barrier and helps protect against colon cancer. Rob Knight, director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at U.C. San Diego, told Vogue, “That people who move more have a more diverse microbiome is something that we noticed at my lab several years ago, but we couldn’t prove causality…these studies are incredibly exciting”
The newest research conducted by the same authors of the 2014 study showed that athletes had increases in beneficial fecal metabolites like short-chain fatty acids. “Our earlier work, also published in ‘Gut’, had shown that the microbiome of the athletes differed in composition from that of non-athletes, but now we have found that functional behaviour of the microbiome separates the athletes and controls to an even greater degree,” said Professor Fergus Shanahan, one of the study’s lead authors.
The best medicine doctors don’t tell you about | USA Today
February 24, 2017
By Shilpa Ravella
Food choices are the most important cause of poor health in the United States. But food-as-medicine is still fringe medicine, a practice more likely to be found at a few specialized clinics rather than in the halls of academic medical institutions.
(more...)Scientists can tell if you’re eating healthy by studying your pee | New York Magazine
February 22, 2017
By Shilpa Ravella
Most people overreport their consumption of healthy foods and underreport unhealthy foods. A new diet test may one day be able to figure out what you eat.
(more...)Telomeres, the key to longevity, show food may be the best anti-aging treatment
February 8, 2017
By Shilpa Ravella
Today we are learning more about the molecular pathways underlying aging and how the foods we eat can affect these pathways to slow down or speed up the clock. We do have an anti-aging secret, one that can keep us young inside and out, and it’s the best-kept one to date.
(more...)Prevent and treat heartburn
Lifestyle choices, including the food you eat, can help prevent or treat acid reflux. Some quick tips:
Manage stress
Get good sleep
Maintain a healthy weight
Avoid smoking
Avoid or limit spicy, fried or fatty foods, chocolate, onions, garlic, citrus fruits and juices, tomato-based foods like pizza, caffeine, alcohol
Eat whole foods high in fiber. They can protect against acid reflux and esophageal cancer
Eat small meals and avoid overeating
Don’t lie down after a meal and don’t eat too close to bedtime
If you have heartburn at night or while trying to sleep, elevate the head of your bed.
Foods that can cause diarrhea
December 14, 2016
In general, most cases of acute diarrhea are infectious and more likely viral than bacterial. As diarrhea persists, noninfectious causes become more common. Inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and malabsorption syndromes can all cause diarrhea. Food can also be responsible for gastrointestinal symptoms. Common foods that cause diarrhea include sugar substitutes, coffee, alcohol, dairy, wheat, FODMAPs, spicy food and fast food.
(more...)Meal planning for intestinal disease
Specific diet plans are often prescribed for gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating or gastrointestinal diseases like short bowel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and motility disorders. These diets often involve manipulating the amount of fiber, FODMAPs and fat you eat.
(more...)