All this talk about microbiome, gut flora, prebiotics, probiotics…what does it all mean, and how important is it to our health? Learn all of this and ways to foster that perfect balance!
In this Episode:
- 03:33 – Ways to Die in the Future: A Near Earth Asteroid
- 08:03 – Recipe of the Week: Gut-Healthy Hummus
- 09:52 – Understanding the Microbiome and its Role
- 41:15 – A Diversified Microbiome
- 45:45 – Outro
Magnificent Microbes!
As we continue our series about ways to slow our march toward the end of life, our topic this week is about our microbiome. You have probably heard of this term, but may wonder what it means and how it applies to you.
Our gut microbiome are microbes, and their genetic material is found in our gastrointestinal tract. Bacteria in our gut affect everything from our digestion to our mental health.
What does Our Microbiome do for Us?
Marianne shares the evolution of our microbiome and how it develops diversity. This is important because different bacteria help us digest food, produce vitamins, increase absorption, helps our immunity, and prevent bad bacteria from taking over.
Why is Balance Important?
When something disrupts the balance, such as antibiotics, it can allow “opportunistic growth” of organisms such as Clostridium difficile (C. diff), a germ that causes diarrhea and colitis.
How to Increase your Gut Diversity
We talk about several ways to foster diversity in your microbiome. See the video below for more tips and details!
Recipe of the Week: Hummus
Hummus is high in soluble fiber, which is perfect for those gut flora. But if you’re not a hummus fan, so biggie. We have actually 20 recipes for you from Martha Stewart: 20 Recipes That Will Boost Your Gut Health, According to Registered Dietitians
Related Episodes:
- S5E4: Inflammation: What it is, How It Causes Disease, and How You Can Decrease It
- S5E23: Slow Ride…Taking the Longer Road to Death
- S5E16: Colorectal Cancer is Increasing in the Young: What You Need to Know
References:
- 7 Ways to Die in the Future: https://futurism.com/7-ways-die-future
- Increase Gut Bacteria Diversity Here’s How: https://www.drberg.com/blog/increase-gut-bacteria-diversity-heres-how
- Building a Healthy Gut Microbiome: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/weight-management-1/newsfeed-post/building-a-healthy-gut-microbiome/
- Clark, TA, Butler, K, Wilson, DR. (2024) CE: Gut microbiome and health. American Nurse Journal,19(4):6-11. doi:10.51256/anj042406 https://www.myamericannurse.com/gut-microbiome-and-health/
- Microbiome: https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/science/microbiome
- Prebiotics vs. Probiotics: What’s the Difference? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/prebiotics-vs-probiotics-whats-the-difference
Resources:
- Human Microbiome and Normal Flora of The Human Body: https://microbenotes.com/normal-human-microbiota/
- Super Size Me (2004) – IMDb
https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/
Everyone Dies: and yes, it is normal!
Everyone Dies (and yes, it is normal) is a story about a young boy named Jax who finds something special on the beach where he and his grandpa Pops are enjoying a wonderful day. Pops helps Jax understand that death is a normal part of life. This book provides an age appropriate, non-scary, comfortable way to introduce the important topic of mortality to a preschool child. Its simple explanation will last a lifetime. Autographed copies for sale at: www.everyonediesthebook.com. Also available at Amazon
Mourning Jewelry
We offer a way to memorialize your loved one or treasured pet with a piece of handmade jewelry. When people comment on it and the wearer can say for example “I received this when my mother died” which opens the conversation about this loss. All our jewelry is made with semi-precious stones and beads, vintage beads, and pearls. You can choose between earrings or bracelets and the color family. Learn More
