The Path to Health Is Through the Gut - Laura Lee CNNC

The Path to Health Is Through the Gut
I recently attended a continuing education seminar on “The Neuroendocrine Immunology of
Mucosal Immunity” (sounds fancy, right?) with Dr. Preston that re-inspired me to look at my own
diet as well as re-ignited my passion for helping others feel better through diet and lifestyle
changes.
So what did we learn?
In a nutshell: Health is based on the diversity of your gut microbiome.
If you’re sick, you likely have a limited microbiome, which contributes to a large variety of
health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, irritable bowel disease (IBD)
and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), just to name a few biggies. The more diverse your
microbiome, the fewer health problems you are likely to experience.
The gut microbiome makes its own nutrients, which are far superior to any supplements you
could take. But to do that, it needs fuel. The fuel is a diverse plant-based diet that is rich in short-
chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
SCFAs are created when fiber ferments in the colon. The main SCFAs are butyrate, acetate, and
propionate. The greater the variety of plants you consume, the more enzymes you create, which
stimulates the production of more diverse and beneficial organisms in your microbiome.
It’s a beautiful cycle of health when it’s working…or it can be a nightmare when you’ve got a
barren ghost town of a gut microbiome.
So if you want to create a beneficial party in your gut, follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to the grocery store. Buy a variety of vegetables. Go heavy on the ones you rarely eat,
hate to eat, and/or never tried.
Step 2: Roast said vegetables until they are soft enough to blend. (If you are fortunate enough to
have a Vitamix or something similar you can skip this step.)
Step 3: Blend roasted vegetables with water to desired consistency.
Step 4: Drink your health elixir.
If you are really sick and want to jumpstart the cycle, you may want to consider a SCFA
supplement, such as butyric acid. Not all supplements are created equal, so make sure to talk to a
trusted healthcare practitioner.
Yes, it can be that easy, especially when you get support and accountability from your friendly
health coach. If you’d