Today we celebrate WORLD MICROBIOME DAY and for me it’s a great opportunity to seize the moment to share something very valuable with you… something that has changed many lives for the better all around the world.
17 years ago the scientific community embarked on a journey to catalogue all the microbes living in and on the human body and subsequently to determine what role they played in our physical and mental well-being-our very existence… and the results were astonishing… especially the microbes that were found in our large intestine and the activities they performed – it was literally like a master control for what took place elsewhere – like our brain , our skin, our fat cells, our liver , our pancreas and more …
I’ve been a healthcare provider since 1995 and when I started The Gut Nerd Caribbean project in 2021 , it’s because the wealth of information coming out of quality research around the world needed to be shared with the wider public …in a way that was easy to grasp and embrace and put into action in our daily lives… Fortunately there are hundreds of dedicated people spreading the news and I know it’s only a matter of time that the revolution in our understanding of FOOD will allow us to take back control of our health outcomes and quality of life by making OUR GUT MICROBIOME our WEAPON AGAINST DISEASE…
So to get you revved up to get on this journey of TAKING BACK CONTROL…
I’m going to share with you my top FIVE tips for getting the best out of your food so you may FEED YOUR GUT what it needs and in turn it will be your LOYAL PARTNER IN A LIFELONG RELATIONSHIP…
Here goes
TIP 1- GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT
There’s a lot of information bombarding you every day from multiple sources so to clarify – The Gut microbiome consists mainly of bacteria with some viruses, fungi, and protozoa. These bacteria are found mainly in our large intestine with a smaller amount in the stomach and small intestine. By the latest estimates, as of 2024, there are about 40 trillion of them in the adult body and collectively they weigh about a 400 grams /close to 1 pound but here’s the thing that was a major surprise and blew my mind…their genetic pool is roughly 2 million genes- that’s 100 times that of our human genome…let’s soak that in- it means they carry more genes responsible for our survival than we do…
TIP 2- FEED THEM THE RIGHT STUFF
It’s no longer a secret what they love – OUR GUT MICROBIOME THRIVES ON SOLUBLE FIBER . So your meals and snacks should include an abundance of soluble fiber. But have no fear, soluble fiber is already included in your vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, seeds, herbs and spices… so tailor your meals and snacks – items that you will already be consuming – to feed you and your 40 trillion friends … what’s even more amazing is the gut bacteria utilise our waste . After we have digested the carbs, protein and fats, the undigested part of our meal , which is mainly fiber, makes its way to the large intestine to become the raw material for keeping your gut microbiome factory up and running.
So it’s a beautiful relationship if we do it right…
TIP 3 – FEED THEM THE RIGHT AMOUNT
So what’s the right amount of SOLUBLE FIBER to consume – for adults and children over 5 years it’s roughly 30 grams per day. For those under 5, 20-25grams per day.
How did we arrive at this figure? It stems from the collection of stool samples and corelating the health profiles of thousands of people in some of the largest crowd sourced gut microbiome studies in the last 10 years showing that the healthiest subjects consumed between 25 and 35 grams of fiber per day .
I recommend that you start with small changes and work your way up to give your gut time to adjust and minimise any bloating or discomfort as more fiber becomes a routine part of your life.
How long will it take for your microbiome to improve?- The studies show it takes JUST TWO WEEKS for a significant shift in your gut bacteria towards a more balanced and functional profile.
Those same studies also show that DIVERSITY MATTERS! If you eat from diverse sources of vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, seeds, herbs and spices you build a more robust and resilient microbiome
How diverse you ask? Roughly 30 different plants PER WEEK from the various plant groups I have listed- so the majority will come from your vegetables and fruits but don’t overlook the value of the molecules that come from nuts, seeds, herbs and spices . . In other words avoid monotony, shake things up and keep the spice alive!
TIP 4 – DON’T HARM YOUR GUT MICROBIOME
To do no harm , we must learn what is harmful to our good gut bacteria.
A gut microbiome that has been subjected to harmful elements goes into a state of DYSBIOSIS. Gut dysbiosis occurs when there is an imbalance in your bacteria population. There is a loss of beneficial microbes and expansion of pathogenic ones.
We have learnt over the years that highly processed foods, refined sugar, artificial sweeteners , significant alcohol consumption, inappropriate use of antibiotics ,poor sleeping habits and sedentary lifestyle all contribute to negative shifts in your gut population. I know it sounds pretty daunting if you are currently hooked on sweetened beverages and snacks, ultra-processed foods , if you don’t exercise, if you’re not getting 6-8 hours of restful sleep BUT I encourage you to not be intimidated .
Take on ONE SMALL HABIT CHANGE at a time and build on it and celebrate your strength as you see those small changes coming together and use that positive reinforcement to add more of the good stuff …
TIP 5- EMBRACE A CARIBBEAN MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE
What do I mean by this? Well the Mediterranean way of eating is not a manufactured diet but an observed way of life of the people living in the Mediterranean region in the 1950’s -a time of economic recovery from World War two when there was more produce available but before the climb in socioeconomic status introduced processed foods, industrialised food production and larger amounts of meat.
The traditional Mediterranean diet involves a relatively high consumption of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains, seafood eaten several times a week a week, with low amounts of red meat and meat products eaten a few times per month and the occasional sweet dessert. There is a preference for unsaturated fats coming chiefly from olive oil, fish, nuts, and seeds.
It has been shown to have numerous benefits including a reduction in obesity, heart disease and diabetes, improvement in cognitive and mental health and cancer prevention.
With the abundance of herbs and spices used in our cooking , I can see that a Caribbean Mediterranean way of eating will be the ideal combination of TASTY MEETS HEALTHY.
In our household we became guinea pigs for testing Caribbean Mediterranean recipes and creating a repertoire that we can share with patients. Many of the meals that meet the criteria are traditional items like Pelau or stewed lentils that we tweak by adding more vegetables to increase the fiber content…
As I close today’s SPECIAL EPISODE , I wish you strength to persevere in your journey to becoming a hero of your own health and a CHAMPION FOR YOUR GUT MICROBIOME !
