Gut Check — How to Nourish Your Microbiome

Sep 26

Written By Nancy Van Brunt

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In Today's Issue:

Quick Takes: Nourishing the gut microbiome can curb your appetite, reduce inflammation, and improve your mood!
Community Buzz: It's all about food this month, from fermented options, to nutty-butter and basil seeds.
Member Spotlight: For Dr. Kaitlin Dupuis, knowledge is power; equipped with data, she's competing against herself.
In the Know: Save Oct 22 for Nutrition for Health & Longevity, the last in our webinar series with Velocity Sports Medicine.

QUICK TAKES

Kaitlin & Nancy's takeaways from recent content we've discovered

Go With Your Gut

Based on The Ultimate Human podcast, "Fermented Foods: The Simple Habit That Could Change Your Health."

The gut microbiome is a remarkable ecosystem made up of trillions of microbes—bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeast—that inhabit various parts of the body, especially the gut. With about 38 trillion microbes in the colon alone, they outnumber our human cells! Each person’s microbiome is unique, like a fingerprint, with diverse personalities and roles.

Dietary fibre is essential to the microbiome. When the fibre we eat passes to the colon, it feeds the gut bacteria, making it a "prebiotic." The bacteria then go to work fermenting the fibre, producing valuable short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The resulting SCFAs are a type of "postbiotic."

These SCFAs stimulate our gut to produce GLP-1, which is a powerful regulator of metabolism and appetite. Interesting fact: semaglutide medications (e.g., Ozempic) work largely by mimicking GLP-1. SCFAs support our gut health, regulate blood sugar levels, enhance feelings of fullness, and even interact with our immune system to reduce inflammation. Incredibly, SCFAs do this by promoting gene expression that regulates metabolism and immune function, keeping us healthier and preventing disease! SCFAs can also help stimulate the production of serotonin, to improve mood and mental wellbeing. These are just a few of the many benefits of SCFAs, created through fibre consumption.

We need to consume enough fibre to feed the microbiome. Canadian guidelines suggest 25 grams a day for women and 38 grams for men -- which most experts agree is too low -- and still, most Canadians are only getting half of this. Many Americans also fall short, with more than 90% of women and 97% of men not meeting recommended levels. Good sources of fibre include lentils, berries, avocados, chia seeds. Strive for 50 grams of fibre daily! Just like exercise, it may take your gut time to adjust so start low and go slow.

Fermented foods, which contain live microorganisms can further enrich our gut health. Foods with live micoorganisms are "probiotics." When we consume fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, or kefir, their microorganisms can multiply in our gut (more of the good bacteria!) Additionally, fermented foods already contain those powerful SCFAs as a byproduct of their own fermentation process.

*The role of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics in the gut microbiome.*

Finally, variety is the spice of life when it comes to our gut. The American Gut Project highlights that those with the healthiest microbiomes consume at least 30 different plant foods each week. Challenge yourself to eat a wide variety of plants, including fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and legumes!

By prioritizing a diversity of fibre-rich plants, and incorporating fermented foods, we can support the health of this vital ecosystem in the gut, leading to extensive benefits, including improved metabolism, stronger immunity, and better mental wellbeing. Embrace the journey to a healthier microbiome—it's a delicious path to better overall health!

Additional sources:
Health Canada nutritional guidelines
USDA dietary guidelines
The American Gut Project

COMMUNITY BUZZ

Highlights from Benchmark's community forum

Nuts 'n' Seeds 🌰

Speaking of variety, we discovered a delicious nutty-seed- (seedy-nut?)-butter concoction, combining 12 nutrient-rich nuts and seeds, from NuttyHero, a company based in Burlington (just like us!) The unsweetened option has tons of flavor and minimal sugar (none added), and the other varieties are a delicious indulgence. For more seeds, we're still chia devotees, but have been branching out with basil seeds. They hydrate really well in a pudding mixture, creating a great fibrous snack or smoothie add-in. ZenBasil is a good source (🇨🇦 Amazon.ca / 🇺🇸 direct).

Sour Power

Microbes on the mind, fermented foods in the fridge...Kaitlin's currently enjoying sauerkraut, specifically the carrot ginger kraut from Naturally Amped. It ships across Canada, but not yet south of the border. Emily took it one step further and made her own sauerkraut! Photo below. 👏 Others recommend kimchi from the brand Live., if you can find it in your grocery store.

👀 Tip: look for refrigerated fermented foods, which retain live probiotics and more nutrients, supporting gut health and digestion. Canned fermented foods are often pasteurized, killing beneficial bacteria and reducing their nutritional value.

Psst -- we're on the lookout for a good low-sugar kombucha; if you have one to recommend, we're all ears!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS

Featured members and their health journeys

Dr. Kaitlin Dupuis

Dr. Kaitlin Dupuis did her Benchmark to get objective data on her health. It then enabled her to set personal goals for improvement. "The more you know, the better you can do."

Kaitlin says that while our system is excellent at treating illness, it misses the mark on prevention, but we can change that...more

IN THE KNOW

Updates for newsletter insiders

🗓️ Save the date: Tuesday Oct 22, 8PM ET for a webinar on nutrition for optimal health and longevity, with live Q&A, hosted with Velocity Sports Medicine. Watch our Instagram for details, or email us for a link.

NOTE: This newsletter is informational only; it is not medical advice.
We have no stake in the products or brands we highlight here.

Nancy Van Brunt https://mybenchmarkhealth.com