What makes for a
flourishing garden?
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.33
It's underground.
00:00:03.37\00:00:04.70
Rich, fertile, living soil
is what helps plants ward off
00:00:04.73\00:00:08.57
pests and diseases, and
results in the greatest yield.
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When we talk about living soil,
part of what we're referring to
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is the diverse
microbial population
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that lives in the soil.
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Yeah, microbes such
as fungi and bacteria.
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Like the soil in the garden,
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your gut contains
bacteria and fungi.
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We call it the gut
microbiota, or microbiome.
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And like soil, it's dynamic,
vulnerable to how we treat it.
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It changes outcomes
and plays a phenomenal role
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in causing you to flourish.
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Which is exactly
what you were made for.
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It's time, not only
for another great program,
00:00:58.69\00:01:02.32
but it's time to gut it.
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Meaning, let's do this
thing of taking care of our gut.
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The first step is,
don't feed it junk food.
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Because remember,
anything you put into your mouth
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that goes into your stomach
eventually will go and be
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communicating
directly with the microbiome.
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That's why one of the
foods or products that I'm most
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against and strongly
advise my patients against using
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is the artificial sweeteners.
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Because they
devastate the microbiome.
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That's interesting that
Dr. Youngberg brought up
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sugar substitutes.
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Now we tend to look at
sugar substitutes as having
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no affect upon us because they
don't contain calories or carbs.
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The majority of it literally
goes straight through our
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digestive system unabsorbed.
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But on its way through,
non-nutritive sweeteners
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cause harm and destruction
to our gut microbiome.
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People choose sugar
substitutes because they
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think they're better for them.
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And yet, they've been
found to negatively affect us,
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raise blood sugar levels,
trigger insulin resistance,
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and can cause weight gain,
especially around the abdomen,
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all without any
carbs or calories.
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They are not the health
food we thought they were.
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What else affects
the gut microbiomes?
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The average American
lifestyle is horrible.
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That's why we
call it the SAD diet.
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The standard American diet.
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It does not support
good microbiome. No.
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So it begins with not
putting unhealthy substances
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into our body.
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Making sure that the
water that we're drinking is
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clean and pure, and
that it's properly filtered
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so there's no toxins in
the water that we drink.
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Making sure that in our
diet that we're not consuming
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liquids, most liquids that
people consume during the day
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are unhealthy, okay.
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And if somebody has chronic
diseases or has excess weight,
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they shouldn't even
be drinking fruit juices.
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I'm not against
fruit juices for everybody,
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but if you know that
you have excess weight,
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or that you have
problems with blood sugars,
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or problems with
insulin resistance,
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you know, I say,
don't drink your fruit.
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I'm all about eating
fruit, but say don't drink it.
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Because if you drink
your fruit, you're eliminating
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one of the most
important parts of fruit,
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which is the
fiber most of the time.
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So there are a lot of
things that we can do,
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including make sure you're
just not sleeping inadequately.
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It's bad for the microbiome.
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When we exercise and when
we sweat, we remove toxins.
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That's something
that is beneficial
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to the microbiome as well.
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I also am very careful to
analyze whether somebody is
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sensitive to toxins
through genetic testing
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and through urine toxin testing.
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Because what do toxins do?
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They destroy the
healthy bacteria in the gut.
00:04:03.94\00:04:07.44
That's why we don't want
to inadvertently just take
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antibiotics just to take them
00:04:11.05\00:04:13.05
or especially take
them inappropriately
00:04:13.08\00:04:15.95
because they
destroy the microbiome.
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And so we need to constantly
be thinking about ways
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to restore and reseed
and optimize the function
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of the microbiome,
of the healthy bacteria.
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That might involve using some
probiotics from time to time.
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But the most important
thing is, you've got to
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feed it the right food.
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The healthy
bacteria, the microbiome,
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basically live
off of prebiotics.
00:04:42.94\00:04:48.18
These are fiber type
foods or fibers found in foods
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that various vegetables,
etc, that actually are consumed
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by the bacteria.
00:05:00.36\00:05:01.80
And the bacteria
can use these fibers
00:05:02.20\00:05:05.10
to create other nutrients
that we didn't even eat
00:05:05.13\00:05:08.60
that actually have a totally
different chemical structure
00:05:08.90\00:05:11.97
because they have
enzymes in them that we don't
00:05:12.17\00:05:15.11
that can actually convert
all these healthy products
00:05:15.31\00:05:18.51
for our body to use
and help fight disease,
00:05:18.55\00:05:21.52
and turn good genes
on and bad genes off,
00:05:21.55\00:05:24.79
and do all the amazing things
that our body was designed
00:05:24.82\00:05:28.32
to be able to do.
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And be very intentional
about rebuilding your microbiome
00:05:29.72\00:05:32.89
after you have a
dose of antibiotics
00:05:32.93\00:05:34.96
because you know that has killed
off a lot of your good bacteria.
00:05:35.16\00:05:38.80
Some research has revealed
that after antibiotic treatment
00:05:39.20\00:05:42.80
most groups of bacteria
recovered in a population group.
00:05:42.84\00:05:46.27
But some groups of
bacteria didn't recover
00:05:46.78\00:05:49.88
even six months later.
00:05:49.91\00:05:51.85
And the level of restoration
varied between the individuals.
00:05:51.88\00:05:55.35
I wish I could say that eating
fermented foods and taking
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probiotics would always
cause a return to normal,
00:05:58.69\00:06:01.46
but they may not.
00:06:01.66\00:06:02.99
These strategies can be helpful,
but depending on different
00:06:03.12\00:06:06.29
factors the microbiota
may not always fully recover.
00:06:06.33\00:06:09.96
Scientists have found
that modern man's gut microbes
00:06:11.03\00:06:13.57
don't look anything
like our predecessors.
00:06:13.60\00:06:16.20
They found exceptionally well
preserved ancient poo samples
00:06:16.24\00:06:20.01
from dry caves that date
as early as the first century,
00:06:20.04\00:06:24.01
and they found that almost
40% of the microbial species
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in the ancient stool
had never been seen before.
00:06:28.35\00:06:31.85
In other words, whole
families of bacteria gone.
00:06:31.89\00:06:35.76
And this is thought to be
due to our modern world of
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environmental chemical exposure,
medications, eating overly
00:06:38.76\00:06:43.10
processed foods, and not
eating enough plant varieties.
00:06:43.13\00:06:46.60
So we limit the diversity
in our gut as a result.
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And as a result of that, we
have fewer types of organisms
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to pass on to
the next generation.
00:06:53.58\00:06:55.64
And on it goes.
00:06:55.68\00:06:57.01
Scientists are suggesting
that this is one of the reasons
00:06:57.25\00:07:00.35
why we're seeing this rapid rise
in chronic disease and obesity.
00:07:00.38\00:07:05.15
A healthy gut
microbiome protects us against
00:07:06.69\00:07:10.69
the development
of chronic diseases.
00:07:10.73\00:07:13.33
Now where there's imbalance,
00:07:13.73\00:07:16.10
chronic diseases
will be the result.
00:07:16.30\00:07:19.30
It's about the diversity
or the abundance of how many
00:07:19.90\00:07:25.21
kinds of
bacteria live in your gut.
00:07:25.24\00:07:27.34
You want to have
as many beneficial
00:07:27.38\00:07:30.15
guys in your gut as possible
so that when a disaster comes,
00:07:30.18\00:07:34.32
like, for example, you
need to take antibiotics.
00:07:34.35\00:07:37.29
They will destroy
some of the bad guys,
00:07:37.92\00:07:41.12
but also some of the good guys.
00:07:41.16\00:07:42.76
So you want to have like a
good buffer of all the good guys
00:07:42.79\00:07:47.76
that are in your gut so that
the disaster is not exaggerated.
00:07:47.80\00:07:52.27
So it's about
diversity of the gut microbiome
00:07:53.17\00:07:56.07
and it's also
about specific bacteria.
00:07:56.10\00:07:58.81
An example would be one
cute bacteria that's called
00:07:59.44\00:08:03.95
Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii,
which is a complicated name.
00:08:03.98\00:08:08.05
But this bacterium tends to
be low in people with diabetes.
00:08:08.45\00:08:12.72
It's a bacterium
that feeds on fiber
00:08:12.99\00:08:15.72
and produces the
short chain fatty acids
00:08:15.76\00:08:18.63
that improve your
insulin sensitivity,
00:08:18.66\00:08:21.26
decreases inflammation, and also
helps our heart work better,
00:08:21.56\00:08:28.37
helps our brain work better.
00:08:28.40\00:08:30.57
So you want to increase
this bacterium in your gut.
00:08:30.87\00:08:34.31
Now, people with
diabetes have a lower count of
00:08:34.58\00:08:37.68
Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii,
which is also associated
00:08:37.71\00:08:41.82
with increased
insulin resistance.
00:08:41.85\00:08:44.29
So that's the jammed
door lock where insulin cannot
00:08:44.45\00:08:48.82
open the door for
glucose to come in.
00:08:48.86\00:08:51.93
And that's why there
is higher blood sugar.
00:08:51.96\00:08:55.36
And also its
associated with inflammation.
00:08:55.76\00:08:58.93
Now we put people on a low
fat vegan diet for 16 weeks
00:08:59.53\00:09:04.21
and we measure
their gut microbiome.
00:09:04.24\00:09:06.84
And after 16 weeks the abundance
of Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii
00:09:07.11\00:09:12.78
increased, which was also
associated with weight loss,
00:09:12.81\00:09:18.05
it was associated with fat loss,
and the loss of visceral fat.
00:09:18.15\00:09:22.72
That's the most
metabolically dangerous fat.
00:09:22.76\00:09:25.49
So when the
visceral fat was decreased,
00:09:25.53\00:09:28.23
that's a significant
improvement in health.
00:09:28.66\00:09:30.83
How do we get
diversity in our gut microbiome
00:09:31.03\00:09:34.44
and all the bugs
that we have in there?
00:09:34.47\00:09:36.24
And how do we make sure
that they're not out of balance,
00:09:36.27\00:09:38.84
that the damaging
ones aren't predominant
00:09:38.87\00:09:42.28
and that the healthy ones
are really doing their job?
00:09:42.54\00:09:46.45
And so when I think
about the gut, those are things
00:09:46.48\00:09:48.45
that I think about
first and foremost.
00:09:48.48\00:09:50.22
The microbiome only survives
if it's being fed properly,
00:09:50.25\00:09:54.46
if it's getting
the proper nutrition.
00:09:54.86\00:09:56.62
If you have an inflammatory
storm going on in the gut,
00:09:56.66\00:10:00.56
a lot of the microbiome
is going to start fading out.
00:10:02.00\00:10:04.73
What starts coming
in more are the yeasts.
00:10:06.03\00:10:10.04
So again, 30 years ago if you
believed in systemic candidiasis
00:10:10.91\00:10:16.18
you were a quack.
00:10:16.51\00:10:17.85
Now everybody knows there
is candidiasis in the gut.
00:10:18.28\00:10:21.32
And we see it elsewhere.
00:10:21.35\00:10:22.68
Yeah, I mean, I think
we used to think there were
00:10:22.88\00:10:25.19
just a few that
were the good ones.
00:10:25.22\00:10:26.79
And I think as more and
more research has come out
00:10:27.12\00:10:29.32
we're just starting to
understand, well, we don't
00:10:29.36\00:10:31.09
know exactly all the good
ones, but we know that diversity
00:10:31.13\00:10:34.36
is the biggest marker of health.
00:10:34.40\00:10:36.93
And as a person loses
health, they lose diversity.
00:10:37.13\00:10:40.27
And so there's this
really direct connection between
00:10:40.30\00:10:42.57
diversity and health,
which is really kind of cool
00:10:42.60\00:10:45.21
to think about.
00:10:45.24\00:10:46.74
And then some of the studies
that say, well, you know,
00:10:46.78\00:10:49.54
what you eat directly
impacts what microbiome grows
00:10:49.58\00:10:54.18
and what thrives
versus what doesn't.
00:10:54.22\00:10:56.48
And as you switch
a person's nutrition,
00:10:56.52\00:10:58.82
how quickly the
microbiome can shift.
00:10:58.92\00:11:01.19
Within just hours to
days you can start to see
00:11:01.22\00:11:04.66
this adaptation of
the gut bugs to grow,
00:11:04.69\00:11:08.06
you know, according
to what you feed it.
00:11:08.10\00:11:09.90
And again, this, I
think it's amazing that God
00:11:10.10\00:11:12.77
created us so flexible and
so adaptable, so resilient,
00:11:12.80\00:11:16.50
right, to try to adapt
to what environment we are
00:11:16.60\00:11:20.38
creating in our bodies.
00:11:20.41\00:11:21.94
But in some ways, you
know, the fact that we get to
00:11:22.64\00:11:25.95
adjust and adapt so
quickly can be difficult for us
00:11:25.98\00:11:29.32
when we're giving
ourselves the wrong input.
00:11:29.35\00:11:31.52
The changes in gut microbiome
happen actually fairly quickly.
00:11:32.62\00:11:37.66
For example, when people
start consuming a high fat diet,
00:11:37.86\00:11:42.50
the bad guys in the gut start
multiplying fairly quickly.
00:11:43.13\00:11:47.77
Within a few days
they start taking over.
00:11:47.80\00:11:50.64
Now, many people think, if
that happens, what helps me
00:11:51.04\00:11:54.84
is probiotics.
00:11:54.88\00:11:56.68
"I will just get some
yogurt or Bifidobacterium
00:11:56.71\00:12:01.52
in a drink, or so."
00:12:01.55\00:12:03.45
Well, that may
help only short term.
00:12:03.95\00:12:07.02
But you need to keep in
mind, if you're consuming
00:12:07.06\00:12:10.99
the pro bacteria from
fermented foods, let's say,
00:12:11.86\00:12:17.10
and you still keep
eating the high fat diet,
00:12:17.57\00:12:21.20
that's like a fuel for
all the bad guys in your gut.
00:12:21.60\00:12:25.37
So the probiotics
will not be as helpful.
00:12:25.41\00:12:30.71
In contrast to eating
prebiotics, which is the food
00:12:31.21\00:12:36.08
for the right kind
of bacteria in your gut.
00:12:36.12\00:12:38.62
Now what is the
prebiotic, what is it in?
00:12:38.65\00:12:41.82
It's in all plant foods, but in
some foods more than in others.
00:12:42.09\00:12:47.36
So the highest concentrations
of prebiotics in plant foods are
00:12:47.63\00:12:52.43
in whole grains.
00:12:52.47\00:12:54.10
So you may want to
stock up on brown rice
00:12:54.14\00:12:57.41
and millet and buckwheat.
00:12:57.44\00:12:59.14
And it's also in
onions and garlic.
00:12:59.47\00:13:02.48
And in other
vegetables and fruits as well.
00:13:02.51\00:13:05.05
Unity and diversity
is a hallmark of health,
00:13:05.65\00:13:09.38
especially in the gut.
00:13:09.42\00:13:11.02
How can we nurture
healthy diversity inside of us?
00:13:11.42\00:13:14.26
Believe it or not,
it's not just about food.
00:13:14.32\00:13:17.06
People with larger social
networks tend to have a more
00:13:17.36\00:13:20.46
diverse microbiome.
00:13:20.50\00:13:22.00
Meaning they have more different
kinds of beneficial microbes.
00:13:22.03\00:13:25.67
Unity and diversity
with each other is good,
00:13:25.97\00:13:29.27
even for the gut.
00:13:29.30\00:13:30.64
In fact, the majority
of individuals who have a
00:13:30.87\00:13:32.87
significant other have
higher microbial diversity
00:13:32.91\00:13:36.18
than the average
single individual.
00:13:36.21\00:13:38.31
And if you have
children, it's even better.
00:13:38.55\00:13:41.18
Another reason why it's
not good for man to be alone.
00:13:41.52\00:13:44.25
We know that people,
for example, in rural Africa
00:13:45.12\00:13:49.26
have a larger diversity
of their gut microbiome
00:13:49.56\00:13:53.29
compared with people
living in western countries.
00:13:53.33\00:13:56.33
Now, why is that?
00:13:56.63\00:13:58.07
One factor is a
predominately plant-based diet
00:13:58.60\00:14:02.77
in rural Africa.
00:14:02.80\00:14:04.34
And another
factor is also living
00:14:04.37\00:14:07.64
in more contact with soil.
00:14:07.68\00:14:09.71
With the level of sanitation
in the western countries
00:14:10.91\00:14:14.02
in contrast to just getting
all your fruits and vegetables
00:14:14.05\00:14:18.65
from the garden and maybe
just washing them in water,
00:14:18.69\00:14:21.52
not necessarily in
soap, that helps increase the
00:14:21.56\00:14:25.49
diversity of the gut microbiome.
00:14:25.53\00:14:27.50
Get your hands dirty.
00:14:27.53\00:14:29.40
That's one of the most
important factors for your
00:14:30.33\00:14:32.83
gut microbiome as well.
00:14:32.87\00:14:34.20
I love that Dr.
Kahleova directed us
00:14:35.07\00:14:38.11
to getting our hands dirty.
00:14:38.14\00:14:39.81
There's a time to be
clean and a time to get dirty.
00:14:39.84\00:14:42.98
Gardener's gut
microbiomes are more diverse
00:14:43.24\00:14:45.91
than those of non-gardeners.
00:14:45.95\00:14:48.02
Eating a diversity of
whole plant-based foods
00:14:48.32\00:14:50.65
from the garden also
makes a huge difference
00:14:50.69\00:14:53.86
because these kinds of
foods have the most beneficial
00:14:53.89\00:14:56.52
impact on the diversity
of the good guys in the gut.
00:14:56.56\00:14:59.93
In fact, you may have heard
eating at least 30 different
00:15:00.63\00:15:03.87
plant-based foods each
week will result in more varied
00:15:03.90\00:15:07.70
diverse gut bacteria,
00:15:07.74\00:15:09.40
and ultimately a
healthier gut microbiome.
00:15:09.44\00:15:12.17
There are so many different
kinds of fruits and vegetables,
00:15:12.54\00:15:15.44
beans, greens,
grains, nuts, and seeds.
00:15:15.48\00:15:18.78
Time to get out of our rut.
00:15:19.08\00:15:20.68
Make it fun, get
adventurous for your gut's sake.
00:15:20.72\00:15:24.39
Every microbe in the
gut likes certain things.
00:15:24.79\00:15:31.16
So that's why it's good
to eat a variety because
00:15:31.19\00:15:33.73
they all feed on
different things.
00:15:33.76\00:15:37.20
And as long as it's
whole food and plant-based,
00:15:37.73\00:15:40.47
you are growing the
ones that need to grow
00:15:40.80\00:15:43.10
and suppressing the ones
that need to be suppressed.
00:15:43.51\00:15:47.11
Yeah, so prebiotics,
well, where are prebiotics?
00:15:47.14\00:15:49.08
Prebiotics are in all the fiber
in the plant foods that we eat.
00:15:49.11\00:15:53.48
Everything that God
created for us is what feeds the
00:15:53.52\00:15:57.02
healthy gut microbiome and
helps the healthy gut grow.
00:15:57.05\00:16:01.22
Like, God created
that. That's so amazing.
00:16:02.49\00:16:05.49
And what are those prebiotics?
00:16:06.19\00:16:08.03
Again, fiber, fiber, fiber.
00:16:08.73\00:16:11.80
And plants, plants, plants.
00:16:12.00\00:16:13.94
Because you're not
forcing the issue by, "No, here,
00:16:13.97\00:16:17.04
you bacteria are going
to be created by these pills
00:16:17.07\00:16:19.11
that I'm going to give you."
00:16:19.14\00:16:20.48
You're going to give
it the fuel that by itself
00:16:20.51\00:16:23.24
creates the natural microbiome
that starts from your mouth
00:16:23.28\00:16:27.32
all the way down
to the lower gut.
00:16:27.62\00:16:30.62
In fact, the
majority of it is in the gut,
00:16:30.95\00:16:32.72
in the large intestine.
00:16:32.75\00:16:34.22
And 60% of our poop is
microbiome that goes away
00:16:34.52\00:16:39.19
and then we recreate it.
00:16:39.23\00:16:40.60
So every meal
recreates the microbiome,
00:16:40.93\00:16:43.30
recreates the
environment that is a factory.
00:16:43.50\00:16:46.60
It's a pharmacy.
00:16:46.90\00:16:48.24
It's a pharmacy that creates
so many chemicals in your body.
00:16:48.70\00:16:52.11
And if you're
giving it the wrong food,
00:16:52.41\00:16:53.91
wrong
environment, wrong chemicals,
00:16:53.94\00:16:55.54
you're
destroying the good factory
00:16:55.74\00:16:57.58
and you're bringing
an artificial factory
00:16:57.61\00:17:00.05
that creates tension,
anxiety, stress, brain damage.
00:17:00.08\00:17:03.39
The microbiome is important.
00:17:03.79\00:17:05.32
You don't have
to rely on gimmicks.
00:17:05.52\00:17:07.19
Eat fiber, eat plants.
00:17:07.39\00:17:09.96
One of my favorite
people is Dr. Denis Burkitt
00:17:10.09\00:17:13.86
who passed away as
an elderly man in 1993.
00:17:13.90\00:17:18.40
But he was an amazing surgeon.
00:17:18.77\00:17:21.54
A medical missionary to Africa.
00:17:22.40\00:17:24.74
And he was one of the
first physicians to discover
00:17:24.77\00:17:28.58
how to address
certain pediatric cancers.
00:17:28.88\00:17:32.45
Burkitt lymphoma was
named after Dr. Denis Burkitt.
00:17:34.22\00:17:37.95
And I remember when I
was just early in my faculty
00:17:38.32\00:17:45.06
assignment at Loma
Linda University School of
00:17:45.16\00:17:47.43
Public Health in the early 90's.
00:17:47.46\00:17:50.67
Dr. Denis Burkitt came to
Loma Linda and gave a talk.
00:17:50.70\00:17:54.84
It was such an amazing talk.
00:17:54.87\00:17:56.81
Just such an amazing Christian
scientist, medical professional.
00:17:56.84\00:18:02.44
And he very wittingly
talked about the impact
00:18:02.64\00:18:08.98
of fiber on health.
00:18:09.02\00:18:10.59
He said that everywhere
he went, he said that when
00:18:10.62\00:18:14.16
he noticed that the
patients that he had
00:18:14.19\00:18:18.23
had large bowel movements, okay,
the hospitals in those areas
00:18:18.26\00:18:22.53
were very small because
you didn't need many hospitals.
00:18:22.56\00:18:25.80
He said, but when he
went to other places of Africa
00:18:25.83\00:18:29.30
where the patient's bowel
movements were very small,
00:18:29.34\00:18:32.87
in other words, they
had a very low fiber diet,
00:18:32.91\00:18:35.74
they lived more in the
cities, then they needed
00:18:35.78\00:18:38.48
large hospitals because
there were so many people that
00:18:38.51\00:18:41.22
needed medical care for
all types of chronic diseases
00:18:41.25\00:18:44.95
requiring his
surgical expertise.
00:18:44.99\00:18:47.86
And so he became one
of the biggest advocates
00:18:47.89\00:18:51.09
of optimal, what we
call plant strong diet,
00:18:51.13\00:18:54.60
promoting lots of
whole plant-based foods.
00:18:54.90\00:18:59.63
And so he was the fiber doctor.
00:19:00.00\00:19:03.61
He was the fiber doctor,
because now we understand that
00:19:04.01\00:19:06.57
fiber actually gets converted
by bacteria in the colon
00:19:06.61\00:19:13.42
into short chain fatty acids.
00:19:13.45\00:19:15.95
So the body is amazing.
00:19:15.98\00:19:17.82
It can enzymatically, through
something that's not even
00:19:17.85\00:19:21.22
really part of your body, it's
part of the healthy bacteria
00:19:21.26\00:19:24.29
that reside in our
body, in our digestive tract,
00:19:24.33\00:19:27.56
that can actually convert a
fiber, non-nutritive substance,
00:19:28.46\00:19:32.83
into a nutrient.
00:19:32.87\00:19:34.24
They can convert
fiber into a fatty acid
00:19:34.70\00:19:39.17
called butyrate that actually
turns off the cancer genes
00:19:39.21\00:19:44.55
in the colon, dramatically
limiting the risk of
00:19:44.58\00:19:48.05
getting cancer, and it actually
acts as an anti-inflammatory
00:19:48.08\00:19:53.02
for the whole body.
00:19:53.05\00:19:54.66
So it wasn't too long ago
that I was even being taught
00:19:54.69\00:19:59.13
that, you know, fiber
is not that important.
00:19:59.16\00:20:00.86
There's really no
nutritional value.
00:20:00.90\00:20:02.66
Therefore, white
bread is no different
00:20:02.70\00:20:04.77
than whole wheat bread.
00:20:04.80\00:20:06.13
Of course, I totally
rejected that concept
00:20:06.17\00:20:09.50
because of people, the real
giants like Dr. Denis Burkitt
00:20:09.54\00:20:13.68
who was explaining
that fiber is essential.
00:20:13.71\00:20:16.88
But now we know that it
actually turns into a nutrient
00:20:16.91\00:20:20.82
that's so, so powerful.
00:20:21.02\00:20:22.88
But you know, the sad reality
is that over 90% of Americans
00:20:23.32\00:20:28.36
are fiber deficient.
00:20:28.39\00:20:30.53
Yeah, the average American
consumes only 1/4 to 1/3 of
00:20:30.56\00:20:35.33
the fiber that we need.
00:20:35.36\00:20:36.93
We're starving the good
guys in our gut, which makes us
00:20:36.97\00:20:40.10
more prone to a struggling
imbalanced immune system,
00:20:40.14\00:20:44.01
not producing the beneficial
byproducts that Dr. Youngberg
00:20:44.04\00:20:47.38
just mentioned, and more
likely to experience pain
00:20:47.41\00:20:50.85
and inflammation.
00:20:50.88\00:20:52.21
Well, we focus on our lifestyle
pain management program,
00:20:53.11\00:20:57.52
you know, by helping them
to develop good nutrition,
00:20:57.89\00:21:01.16
good exercise patterns.
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.49
Making sure they're
getting plenty of vitamin D,
00:21:03.53\00:21:06.39
that they're having
healthy relationships.
00:21:06.43\00:21:08.26
All those things are connected.
00:21:08.30\00:21:10.93
So you're saying that
more than just nutrition
00:21:11.20\00:21:14.00
affects the microbiome?
00:21:14.04\00:21:15.50
Absolutely.
00:21:15.54\00:21:16.87
You know, the gut and the brain
are very closely connected.
00:21:16.91\00:21:22.08
And when a person is
not in a good place mentally
00:21:22.31\00:21:25.55
or emotionally, that
really affects the gut.
00:21:25.58\00:21:28.05
I mean, a lot of people
when they become nervous
00:21:28.35\00:21:31.55
or stressed out,
where do they feel it?
00:21:31.59\00:21:33.42
They feel it in their gut.
00:21:33.72\00:21:35.06
Another non-food gut
influencer is exercise, yes.
00:21:35.82\00:21:40.93
I want you guys to get
excited about this topic.
00:21:41.13\00:21:43.40
Scientists at the
University of Illinois recruited
00:21:43.43\00:21:46.30
32 men and women
who did not exercise.
00:21:46.33\00:21:49.14
Half were obese, and
the rest were normal weight.
00:21:49.17\00:21:51.97
They tested the composition
of their gut microbiome
00:21:52.17\00:21:55.48
at the beginning of the study.
00:21:55.51\00:21:56.85
And then these 32 men and
women began supervised workouts
00:21:57.05\00:22:00.55
which increased over time.
00:22:00.58\00:22:02.35
They started at 30 minutes
of easy walking or cycling
00:22:02.68\00:22:06.32
and they built up to about
an hour of vigorous jogging
00:22:06.35\00:22:09.42
or cycling three times a week
00:22:09.46\00:22:11.53
with no change to
their normal diets.
00:22:11.56\00:22:13.80
After six weeks of exercising,
their gut microbiome was tested.
00:22:14.86\00:22:19.10
And they were told
to stop exercising.
00:22:19.13\00:22:21.37
So they went back
to being sedentary.
00:22:21.40\00:22:23.81
After no exercise, their
microbiome was tested again.
00:22:23.84\00:22:27.74
And what they found
was that the microbiome
00:22:27.94\00:22:30.88
responded to whether or
not they were exercising.
00:22:30.91\00:22:34.85
Amazing beneficial
changes occurred in response
00:22:34.88\00:22:39.12
to exercising.
00:22:39.15\00:22:40.49
But when they stopped
exercising, the gut community
00:22:40.52\00:22:44.43
reverted back
to what it was like
00:22:44.46\00:22:46.66
before they started exercising.
00:22:46.70\00:22:48.73
I mean, that is just incredible.
00:22:48.76\00:22:51.13
I told you this was
going to be an exciting topic.
00:22:51.37\00:22:54.04
Now what's the saying?
00:22:54.30\00:22:55.64
Take care of your gut and
your gut will take care of you.
00:22:55.87\00:22:59.17
This trillion amount of bacteria
we have, they are fighters.
00:23:01.74\00:23:07.55
When my patients
start to change their diet,
00:23:07.58\00:23:10.69
and they don't receive
this food they're used to,
00:23:10.72\00:23:13.25
they fight you.
00:23:13.29\00:23:14.62
You're going to feel weak,
you're going to feel toxic,
00:23:14.66\00:23:17.36
you're going to feel nauseous.
00:23:17.39\00:23:18.76
You feel like you know, gassy.
00:23:18.79\00:23:21.96
And my patients are
like, "This food is not good.
00:23:22.00\00:23:25.07
These plants and fruits
and vegetables you're telling
00:23:25.10\00:23:26.94
me to eat, they're no good.
00:23:26.97\00:23:28.30
I'm feeling so sick."
00:23:28.34\00:23:29.67
And I say, "Wait a
second. Give your body time.
00:23:29.70\00:23:32.71
These bacteria have to die.
00:23:32.74\00:23:34.64
We need to
starve these bacteria.
00:23:34.84\00:23:36.64
These bacteria are fighting it.
00:23:36.68\00:23:38.95
Once we kill these bacteria, and
the new bacteria start forming,
00:23:39.31\00:23:43.28
then you're going to
start feeling the good results."
00:23:43.79\00:23:46.55
I call it a civil
war, an internal civil war.
00:23:46.76\00:23:49.29
Yeah, and you know,
when patients are on twenty
00:23:49.39\00:23:52.86
medications, and I say,
"Okay, I'm going to give you,
00:23:52.89\00:23:56.97
give me four weeks.
00:23:57.00\00:23:58.63
Give me four
weeks. It's all I need.
00:23:59.10\00:24:00.80
Let's get rid of these things
and let's see what happens
00:24:02.10\00:24:05.01
with your blood pressure.
00:24:05.04\00:24:06.37
Let's see what
happens with your sugar.
00:24:06.41\00:24:07.74
Let's see what
happens with your reflux."
00:24:07.78\00:24:09.44
Okay, they are on Omeprazole.
00:24:09.48\00:24:10.88
I have patients that
have high blood pressure
00:24:10.91\00:24:14.72
that are on
medication that causes swelling,
00:24:14.75\00:24:16.48
so they have a
diuretic for the swelling.
00:24:16.52\00:24:19.05
And they have
medications that causes reflux,
00:24:19.32\00:24:21.99
so they are on
medications for reflux.
00:24:22.02\00:24:23.56
So all this cascade of
disease and side effects.
00:24:23.59\00:24:27.53
So some patients are willing.
00:24:27.83\00:24:30.03
And I say, "Just
give me four weeks.
00:24:30.67\00:24:32.87
Let's try and see.
00:24:32.90\00:24:34.24
You can go back to
your previous diet."
00:24:34.27\00:24:36.50
So I will tell your
audience the same thing.
00:24:36.81\00:24:39.17
Just try two, three, four weeks.
00:24:39.21\00:24:41.34
It takes 21 days, they
say to change your taste buds.
00:24:41.38\00:24:44.95
So all that craving,
sugar craving, salt craving,
00:24:45.28\00:24:48.95
or grilling craving, whatever
that is, it can get better.
00:24:48.98\00:24:52.22
You know, you will, as you have
your berries in the morning,
00:24:52.25\00:24:56.39
you will have less
and less crave a doughnut,
00:24:57.49\00:24:59.79
because you will find the
berries are not just good for
00:24:59.83\00:25:04.80
you, but they keep you awake,
and then you don't have this
00:25:04.83\00:25:07.24
sugar crash, you
know, in four hours.
00:25:07.27\00:25:09.24
So yeah, it's just powerful.
00:25:09.90\00:25:12.51
But the spectrum of
change, keep that in mind.
00:25:12.71\00:25:17.28
I think it gives hope to people.
00:25:17.31\00:25:20.15
Yes, it is definitely
true that our gut microbiome
00:25:21.42\00:25:25.55
affects the absorption
rates and absorption capacity
00:25:25.95\00:25:30.06
of all the wonderful
micronutrients and the
00:25:30.09\00:25:32.63
polyphenols that we
introduce in our body.
00:25:32.66\00:25:35.36
But the good news is, so
that everybody doesn't kind of
00:25:35.40\00:25:38.63
get scared about this,
the concept of rehabilitation
00:25:38.67\00:25:42.24
applies to our gut too.
00:25:42.27\00:25:43.67
The gut is very forgiving.
00:25:43.71\00:25:45.41
And if people have had dietary
patterns that have not really
00:25:45.44\00:25:49.91
supported a
healthy gut microbiota,
00:25:49.94\00:25:52.41
they can change that.
00:25:52.51\00:25:54.15
And over time, you can
reintroduce a new population
00:25:54.35\00:25:58.55
of gut microbiome or
gut bacteria that can,
00:25:58.59\00:26:02.92
you know, produce the
necessary chemicals that
00:26:02.96\00:26:05.23
are important for our health
00:26:05.26\00:26:06.83
and really, really change the
way our body absorbs nutrients.
00:26:06.86\00:26:11.37
I think that's great news.
00:26:11.40\00:26:12.73
Greens, beans.
00:26:13.27\00:26:15.44
- Brown rice. - Not subsidized.
00:26:17.37\00:26:19.27
- Brown rice. - Brown rice.
00:26:19.31\00:26:20.64
- What else? You're
the chef. - Sweet potatoes.
00:26:20.68\00:26:22.78
Sweet potatoes, yes.
00:26:22.81\00:26:24.15
And mix those up
twelve different ways.
00:26:24.18\00:26:25.68
It's
incredible. That's medicine.
00:26:26.11\00:26:28.08
That's literally medicine.
00:26:28.12\00:26:29.72
There are a variety of ways
to approach health and disease.
00:26:30.72\00:26:34.92
And there are different
tool bags that practitioners
00:26:35.12\00:26:37.46
bring to the table,
depending on their education.
00:26:37.49\00:26:40.76
What we've been looking
at is the lifestyle tool bag.
00:26:41.10\00:26:44.63
Lifestyle, meaning,
what we put into our body,
00:26:44.93\00:26:47.50
what we do with our body.
00:26:47.54\00:26:49.37
These are ways of programming
how our body functions.
00:26:49.40\00:26:53.68
And as we've learned, even
programming the gut microbiome.
00:26:53.71\00:26:57.38
I appreciate how Dr. Sherzai
emphasized greens, beans,
00:26:58.35\00:27:02.32
sweet potatoes, food,
as having the capacity
00:27:02.35\00:27:05.85
to be like
medicine to our bodies.
00:27:05.89\00:27:08.12
Food is expensive
these days. I totally agree.
00:27:08.62\00:27:11.79
Unless you're growing your own.
00:27:12.26\00:27:13.66
But eating cheap
food is expensive too.
00:27:14.00\00:27:16.90
Expensive in the long run.
00:27:16.93\00:27:18.80
Expensive in the toll
it's taking on your body.
00:27:18.83\00:27:22.74
Thank you for joining me today
00:27:23.27\00:27:24.87
on one of my
absolutely favorite topics.
00:27:24.91\00:27:28.38
I hope you're taking
something valuable away
00:27:28.41\00:27:31.15
that you will start
incorporating into your life
00:27:31.45\00:27:34.48
and have a healthier gut.
00:27:34.52\00:27:36.02
It's what we were made for.
00:27:36.55\00:27:38.05