01/07/2022
It turns out the microbiome is likely the most important regulator of our overall health. There are 100 trillion microbes in you, 10 times the number of your own cells, and 100 times your DNA. We have 20,000 genes. Your microbiome contains 2 to 5 million microbial genes, all making proteins, cell-signaling molecules, messengers of health or disease. Some scientists estimate that a third to half of all the molecules in our blood come from microbial metabolites. They interact with our genes, hormones, immune system, brain chemistry, and every single process in our biology. Our gut microbes also provide us with essential vitamins: vitamin K and biotin.
Sadly, our gut microbiome ain’t what it used to be. We eat gut-busting foods, live a gut-busting lifestyle, and take gut-busting drugs. Want to grow toxic w**ds in your gut? Feed them a processed diet high in sugar and starch, food additives, and the microbiome-destroying w**d killer glyphosate, used on 70 percent of all crops.
The bad bugs drive inflammation, which is at the root of almost all chronic diseases and obesity. Sixty percent of your immune system is in your gut, right under a one-cell- thin layer of gut lining.
A few simple steps to fixing your gut are:
1. W**d. Follow the Pegan Diet, and remove all sugars, artificial sweeteners, starchy foods, gluten and wheat, and processed foods. You may need a functional medicine practitioner if you have bad bacterial or yeast overgrowth or parasites.
2. Seed. Eat probiotic-rich foods like tempeh, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi. Or take a daily probiotic.
3. Feed. Eat prebiotic- and fiber-rich foods from garlic, onions, avocado, and green leafy vegetables. If you have severe bacterial overgrowth, introduce these foods slowly. Lightly cooking vegetables makes them easier to digest. Steam, sauté, or stir-fry instead of eating them raw.
You can learn more in my latest book, The Pegan Diet. PeganDiet.com
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