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. 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.
