Just dill with it… Pickled veggies are good for your gut (see #4 below).
We’ve all heard over and over that it’s important to do healthy things to have a healthy gut in order to be healthy. Even though I know this, I couldn’t intelligently explain to the next person why it’s important and remember what exactly the best healthy things were. Can you? So, for this piece, I spoke with Dr. Bill Miller, a biologist, infectious disease expert and author of “Bioverse: How the Cellular World Contains the Secrets to Life's Biggest Questions,” to explain it, plus give a helpful reminder about the five most important things to do for gut health.
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
You may not have ever thought of yourself as a habitat, but you are one. You’re the home to a community of trillions of intelligent cells called microorgansms, or your microbiome. “They’re not smart like you and me, but they are capable of measuring information, trading resources and collaborating with one another,“ says Dr. Miller. You, the human, have an inherent partnership with these tiniest of beings, and their wellbeing informs your wellbeing.
Your gut microbiome, otherwise known as your gut flora, includes the microorganisms that live in your small intestine and colon. The colon, which functions to absorb water and electrolytes, produce and absorb vitamins, and form poop for elimination, is the most vital area of your gut microbiome for your body, says Miller. Your body’s metabolites, which are substances made or used during metabolism, are produced in the small intestine and colon.
What Are Examples of Metabolites and Why Do They Matter?
There are all kinds of metabolites. One example includes a short chain fatty acid called butyrate that is produced when the “good” bacteria in your gut help your body break down dietary fiber in your colon, which in turn supports maintaining normal glucose and blood pressure. Pretty essential. So if your lifestyle isn’t supportive of the gut microbiome, these essential metabolites might not function properly to support your body in different ways.
What Are We Doing That Makes for an Unhealthy Gut?
We’re not being good partners to our gut cells, Miller says. We’re eating, drinking and leading lives in many ways that is completely opposite of how humans lived even just 200 years ago. Our gut microbiome evolves with us but it hasn’t evolved as quickly as humans have so our modern-day habits can hurt it if we’re not balancing them out with the following good gut practices.
So Here Are the 5 Things We Can Do to Save Ourselves:
1. Up the Fiber Intake
This is the MOST CRITICAL thing, says Miller. “Unrefined foods with very high levels of fibers, soluble [dissolves in water] and insoluble, are critical.” A good rule of thumb is to have fiber in every meal. Good sources of fiber are plant foods, such as vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains.
“Take extra plant food into your diet because that provides the critical nutrition that feeds gut microbes that helps them produce the metabolites that help you stay well,” Miller says.
2. Cut down on sugars
This is the second most essential thing you can do, as sugar carries metabolic harm. “This is just pure science; it’s basic human biological chemistry,” Miller explains. “Almost all sugars were absent until the last couple hundred years. We haven’t evolved to digest it well.”
Sugar is everywhere but a good place to start is looking at the grams in your drinks, cereal and breakfast foods. Remove pastries, sugary drinks and juices and sugars in your coffee for starters. (Personal anecdote: I started cutting sugar out of my morning coffee several years ago and I can attest to the fact that your tastebuds will adjust, and you’ll never want to add sugar back once you get used to coffee without it!)
3. DON’T USE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Miller admits that when artificial sweeteners were invented, they were considered a fabulous advance for health. “Now, a couple of extra decades of studies show that they don’t help diets or weight loss. In fact, for many susceptible people—and it’s not fully understood why—artificial sweeteners adversely stimulate metabolic syndrome, which can include fat around the waist, hypertension, insulin sensitivity, high blood glucose and cardiovascular disease,” he says. With one exception: Stevia. “There’s something different about its molecular architecture. But it takes time to know [if it’s really better].”
4. ADD PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS TO YOUR DIET
What’s the difference between these two almost-identical-sounding things, prebiotics and probiotics?
Prebiotics are non-digestible compounds within foods or supplements that feed “good” bacteria in your gut. They can be found in foods such as artichokes, chickpeas, watermelon, asparagus, kidney beans, apples and wheat bread. A lot of vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole-grain foods have prebiotics in them.
Probiotics are foods or supplements that contain living bacteria intended to maintain or improve the "good" bacteria in the body. They can be found in foods like yogurts, kimchi, miso, kombucha, tempeh, kefir and pickles. A lot of fermented foods have probiotics in them.
“What really seems to have an awful lot of evidence behind it is taking a well-designed supplement to help boost metabolic resilience and immune resilience,” says Miller, who recommends looking for a reputable probiotic/prebiotic supplements company that has a roster of real scientists on its staff/board instead of just a marketing team.
5. SLEEP AND EXERCISE
Number five is a combo, and isn’t about anything you should put in or leave out of your diet. Miller goes back to the partnership idea between your metabolism, body cells and microbiome. “They are all co-partnering together. And intelligent cells have circadium clocks. You want everybody to be in synchrony,” he says of setting a regular sleep schedule between six and nine hours, depending on what your body needs, so that your microbiome can run smoothly.
As for exercise, though many modern jobs and lifestyles don’t support it, our bodies crave it and we were meant to be highly active. “The critical energy expenditure that comes from exercise is part of sustaining the metabolic state of the microbiome,” Miller says. Even just 30 minutes per day of mild or moderate exercise, such as walking or yoga, is highly beneficial.
Everything in Moderation and with Common Sense
Let’s get to know each other on a cellular level. Dr. Miller’s “Bioverse” explores meaningful solutions for health and more through a microscope.
As with anything, moderation and common sense are key. If you’re a diabetic, you may do better with artificial sugar than real sugar in a food or drink because it could mess up your insulin dose. If a high-fiber diet causes you to have constipation or diarrhea, it’s a sign you need to dial it back. First and foremost, listen to your body.
And if you’re doing all five things above, you’re doing freaking amazing! Pat yourself on the back and enjoy your life.
Related reads: Everything You Need to Know About Drinking Kombucha and Are the Gut Benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar All Hype?