We've all heard of inflammation, and research shows that it's a bad sign for your health. But what does it have to do with the microflora in your gut? It turns out that both are interconnected, and what impacts your microbiome is directly linked to inflammation as well. We reached out to Dr. Susan Hewlings, [...]
While probiotics and prebiotics can help improve and maintain a healthy gut balance, there are many other factors that can impact the microbiota. For example, environmental factors, including one's diet, play a huge role in shaping the composition of the intestinal microbiome. In fact, dietary changes can account for up to 57% of changes in [...]
The idea that you need to detox or cleanse to get rid of toxins in the body has become very popular and has created a big market for drinks, diets, fasts, supplements, and enemas. However, according to Natural Standard, an organization that analyzes and validates scientific data on integrative medicine, there is insufficient evidence to [...]
Recently, there has been a lot of attention in the media about the overuse of antibiotics and their associated negative side effects. In some cases, this is justified because antibiotics can affect the composition and function of the human gut microbiota, usually through a loss of bacterial diversity that may lead to dysbiosis. While oftentimes [...]
Our microbiome is formed through childhood and reaches its adult composition by the age of two. It develops and adapts with us throughout our lives and alters its own composition in response to our changing environmental conditions [1]. Several environmental factors influence the microbiome, but dietary intake may be one of the most immediate and [...]
With the widespread attention paid to maintaining a healthy gut, it might come as a surprise that there is no clear definition of a “healthy microbiome.” This might lead you to wonder, what does a healthy gut look like? Unfortunately, that question is difficult to answer in one sentence. Since everyone’s microbiome is very unique, [...]
A gluten-free diet (GFD) is a diet that omits all sources of wheat, barley, and rye. While it has long been the only treatment for those with Celiac disease, it has recently become very popular among non-celiac individuals with gastrointestinal discomfort. Today it is one of the most popular diets worldwide [1]. However, the question [...]
The lining of the GI tract is the body’s largest barrier to the outside environment. As the first line of defense against the potentially harmful substances present in the foods we ingest, it provides a permeable barrier that limits what substances can cross into the body while allowing nutrients to be absorbed. The spaces [...]
When it comes to gut health, there is a list of common terms you may see and hear and think “what does that mean?” In this post, we’re going to define some of those words so you can finally understand their meaning and how it affects you. Is there a word you want to know [...]
There seem to be two primary camps among health gurus: intermittent fasters and those who eat all day long. In the context of gut health, who’s correct? Should we be intermittent fasting or eating six meals a day? Let’s take a look. About Intermittent Fasting for Gut Health Intermittent fasting is the practice of constraining [...]
