Image:Schroeder, Bjoern O. “Fight them or feed them: how the intestinal mucus layer manages the gut microbiota.” Gastroenterology Report 7 (2019): 3 - 12. It’s now up to us to harness the right microbes within us and we’re going to do this with, you guessed it, fiber! The Gut Lining Our gut lining can either be strengthened or weakened depending on the amount of mucins available. The higher the amount of mucins, the stronger the gut lining.

Akkermansia and Bifidobacteria work together to strengthen the gut mucus layer in a synergistic relationship. When you think of the F word, it's time to start thinking about fiber. Dr. B offers us the science behind why fiber and gut health are both the way towards a healthier lifestyle, but he also gives us a solid plan to follow to reach optimum health. Next came a couple of years of creeping cholesterol numbers at the doctor, body changes (hello early menopause!), and a nagging belief that diversity was key to my health. My sister told me about this book as I was telling her that I needed to add more fiber to my diet and everything started coming together for me. Dispelled by science, via a huge number of well-done studies, was my former belief that bloating and gas meant food intolerance which had lead me to cut out more and more foods reducing my food diversity and therefore my microbiome diversity. Dr. B's very accessible approach to explaining these studies and the science behind what is going on in our guts (to the best of our knowledge right now) makes it easy to get on board with understanding that eating a diverse plant based diet is an excellent goal. Foods devoid of fiber and stripped away from their fiber matrix will feed dysbiotic bacteria and it's as simple as that. Your Most Important Bacteria The science-based research surrounding how our gut microbes affect every system in our body, and the fuel we feed it being the best course of action for preventing chronic medical issues, is our roadmap to optimal health. I've made it my life's mission to teach what I know and share the science in a digestible way so that others can make empowered decisions about their health.How many of these little engine-drivers, or microbes, do you think that you have in your digestive system? Dr. B says that there are an astonishing thirty-nine trillion micro-organisms that take up residence in our colons. It's difficult to conceptualize a number this enormous. So, imagine looking up at a clear night sky, and seeing every star in the Milky Way. Then take the number of stars you can see, and multiply this by a hundred - that's roughly how many micro-organisms live in your colon. I didn't know how to fix myself. I had elite training from institutions like Vanderbilt, Georgetown, and Northwestern, but the pills and procedures in my toolbox weren't going to correct the problem I was facing. He suggests eating 90% of those foods. Anything else (including plant oils, vegan foods, meat/dairy/eggs/processed whatever) are reserved for the other 10% Of course, telling people to switch to a plant based diet is basically laudable, so you can't get too down on this book. And it is useful to have a lot of info organized in one place instead of all over the internet, magazines, and afternoon TV shows. It just felt more like the job of eating instead of the joy of cooking. The body is extremely intelligent in its ability to learn and adapt to our eating habits. For example, if you are eating too much of one food, your body can eventually reject it and develop an allergy. This is why our body, and especially the gut microbiome, thrive on diversity.

It sounds like a bit of a mouthful, but studies show that this compound creates healthy microbes and restores harmony to the gut. But, what's sulforaphane, and where can you find it? Sulforaphane is unique to the cruciferous family of vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. In Conclusion Otherwise known as the anti-obesity microbe, it carries a strong association with overall lean body mass. The main way it does this is by contracting the surface area of the gut. As its surface area decreases and contracts, we naturally absorb less calories from each meal. As Akkermansia populations rise, caloric harvest goes down. All of the following plant-based recipes contain at least 6 grams of fiber per serving. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, and desserts included (yes, dessert can have fiber, too).There's a lot of misconception around fiber and high-fiber diets. For many of us, when we think about fiber, we think of foods that resemble cardboard and cereals that are difficult to swallow. Many of us might remember women in advertising, rubbing their stomachs, advocating for a miracle product bound to keep us all "regular." But, fiber does so much more than just passing through us, and cleaning out our systems. Have you ever known someone who can eat whatever they want and never gain an ounce of body fat? Akkermansia most likely the key contributing factor.

after decades of food sensitivities and gut issues, thanks to Dr. B’s wisdom, I have completely reversed every single sensitivity (including gluten and soy). Fiber Fueled and his Plant Fed Gut course helped me to finally heal. Gone are the days of bloating and pain, and fear of food is now a thing of the past. I’m incredibly grateful to his research and passion to help people. This book starts out with the absolute basics and is cheerfully encouraging if you are new to the nutrition and diet wars. There are clear descriptions of the types and sources of dietary fiber, the differences among pre-biotic, pro-biotic, and post-biotic choices, and the specific benefits of different foods. There are some interesting facts and tips and insights about different foods and diets, and a very engaging and current discussion of short-chain fatty acids. That's about the first quarter of the book. It's sometimes a little bit over the top, but that's fine. All of the Doctor's favorites, (miso, fermented sauerkraut, blueberries, flax seed), are just bursting!! with goodness, and combat!! almost every known disease. There's so much diversity when it comes to eating, and preparing, our daily greens. Even the leaves of some root veggies like beetroot, turnip, radish, and carrots are edible. Popeye was right about spinach. Eating one cup of spinach offers 36% of our daily iron intake, 11% of our daily protein, 4 grams of fiber, and a host of vitamins and minerals. The last half of the book is an actual day by day four week eating regimen, complete with shopping lists and lists of needed pantry items. If you need that kind of rigorous structure to clean up your eating and your microbiome, that is probably an additional benefit and appeal of this book. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of pricey and sometimes complicated recipes.We will also cover why some individuals have trouble digesting raw plant fibers and how we can fix that for good. It all Starts with our Microbes