Does the gut microbiome affect immunity and other aspects of health? You’ll be surprised how vital our tiny allies are, and how our diet affects their function.
Gut Microbes produce numerous neurotransmitters vital to mental health, synthesize several vitamins, help the body absorb nutrients, and are linked to the immune system. Learn all about these important relationships so you can make the choices to help you live your best and longest life!
In This Episode:
- 01:33 – Is There a Reason to Chose a Non-Profit Hospice?
- 11:24 – Ways to Die in the Future: Hacked Self-Driving Cars
- 15:22 – Recipe of the Week: Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
- 16:42 – The Gut Microbiome: Role in Your Health and Immune Function
- 33:33 – An Anti-Inflammatory Diet
- 36:46 – Outro
A Healthy Life May Just Start with the Gut
This is Part Two in our discussion about the microbiome and how it affects your health. (Part One here: S5E24: What is the Gut Microbiome, and Why Is it Important?).
Your intestinal tract is your largest immune system organ, with about 80% of your immune-producing cells living there. When the gut microbiome is not balanced, disease risk is higher.
The gut microbiome has been referred to as “the last undiscovered human organ.” Microbes within the human gut have significant effects on human health and immune function due to their closeness to the immune environment within the gastrointestinal tract.
Understanding the role of our microbiome is important in our series about slowing down our death march and living our best lives.
Related Podcasts:
- S5E24: What is the Gut Microbiome, and Why Is it Important?
- 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
In S5E16: Colorectal Cancer is Increasing in the Young: What You Need to Know we also discuss how disruptions in gut microbiome have a role in colorectal cancer.
Tips for an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
With all this talk about the role of the microbiome and health, we also share how to decrease inflammation through our diet. Chronic inflammation is a low-grade persistent perception of threat where the body’s immune system can start to target normal tissues. This kind of inflammation has been linked to heart disease and stroke, cancer, and auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus in which our immune system damages our own organs, tissues, or cells.
So how do you improve it? You probably know by now! A varied diet with fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, fish, healthy fats, and staying away from inflammatory foods. Listen to get the whole run-down!
Recipe of the Week: Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Our recipe this week combines the anti-inflammatory and probiotic properties of oats and strawberries to be a healthy treat! Head over to My Baking Addiction to get the full recipe!
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-di - Lee, K.A., Luong, M.K., Shaw, H. et al. The gut microbiome: what the oncologist ought to know. Br J Cancer 125, 1197–1209 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-021-01467-x
- Treating Mental Health Through the Microbiome | Psychology Today
- How to Turn a Box of Strawberries Into 6 Healthy Breakfasts — All Under 400 Calories:
https://www.livestrong.com/article/13727953-strawberry-breakfast-recipe-ideas/ - Blog – The Wellness Living Store (taostar.com) Inflammation 101
- 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/
- Your Gut Microbiome: The Most Important Organ You’ve Never Heard Of
https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/
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