Gut Flora (cont'd.)

Hey Jeff et al.,

Regarding the information piece that came with goal 8, I was curious as to your thoughts on probiotic supplements and/or foods (kimchi, kombucha, etc.) as to whether they were a net positive or negative. Also, with that, what truth is there to the proposed impact of 'prebiotic' foods like bananas or garlic on your probiotic health? In my ever-continuing search for best-health practices (lemon water has since been nixed from my mornings) I've come to understand it that probiotics are very beneficial to digestive and immune health (which you also note) and arguably may impact levels of mental health (science still seems a little uncertain). So, to this end I wanted to know your thoughts on incorporating foods or products into one's diet that specifically contain probiotics (pills or fermented foods, like I mentioned).

While thinking about this topic, the issue of leaky gut also came to mind regarding the impact I have read that alcohol can have on gut flora and GI health. You made an analogy of tightly-stacked bricks to the lining of the gut wall. Could you clarify the impact or possibly propose a stance on this issue of alcohol intake in how it relates to gut health? Perhaps, some suggestions to this end, as well (the notion that one shouldn't drink 'til they pass out isn't what I'm looking for here, lol, but more so 'to help offset leaky gut shoot for _____ (type of alcohol; or include this; or mix drinks with water)' -- that sort of thinking)?

(Of note, if these topics do get covered in Thrive later on or in a later level, that's fine and I can wait--though I'll likely just continue doing what I am until that time. Given that I read on these topics as much as anything, I figured I pose the question. If nothing more I just want an informed opinion on whether I'm doing extensive harm to my body or my wallet by searching out these items during my grocery shopping.)

Thanks

Can't really add anything here but I will take this opportunity to say that I thought this was a fascinating little lesson. Love this sort of background educational material, Jeff.

For those interested on this topic, you will find this book interesting I think: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UY0EMX2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1

It's a quick and fun read, but does cover a lot of grounds towards understanding the anatomy of the gut system :-)

Daniel,

The way the body works is multi faceted. Have you ever seen the move Final Destination(I think thats the move) where 1 small even has a very dramatic event 10, 20, 30 years down the road? The body is much the same way, something completely "unrelated" can cause problems that we are yet to be able to connect the dots on. In terms of alcohol its the most corrosive substance to the human body. The concept that wine is heathy due to the small amount of the antioxidant resvertrol is crazy. Drinking alcohol and not eating is one of the fastest ways to develop type 2 diabetes. 

I will get more into supplements later but I think step one is to add all the good foods that have direct or indirect impact on heath. Yea the pro/prebiotic foods are good but so are other foods like animal proteins that don't have a direct effect on gut heath but do have a dramatic impact on the immune system which has an impact on gut heath indirectly. So yes it all matters and after you dial in all these foods it will then matter just as much to get rid of the foods that have a negative impact on gut and total body health. 

Probiotics are important but think of them like fertilizer. If you don't have grass then there is no point for them. Again this is why Thrive is based around adding all the good stuff before taking away. If you are putting fructose and anti nutrients in your gut then it kills the grass(gut lining) so adding pre/probiotics to that is pointless. Get the right foods then the only ecosystem that can be built in your gut is a heathy one. 

So, in essence, hunker down and stay the course (pun...intended?). I'll be interested to see what more info is brought forth to us. I know that compositionally and in my energy levels, only being on goal 8 has changed me noticeably for the better.

also, the movie you're thinking of is maybe The Butterfly Effect--the flapping of a butterfly's wings now can lead to tremendous changes in the future, starring (sigh) Ashton Kutcher? Final Destination was about Devon Sawa outsmarting death and then death chasing everyone down that Devon Sawa roped in, since you don't mess with death's plan or timeline, lol. Both were good movies whose protagonists sort of disappeared thereafter.

Yes The Butterfly Effect! 

Yup just hunker down and stay to course. 

Im glad to hear your seeing some improvements!

Not sure if it counts anymore. But I would have dared to wager that referencing an Ashton Kutcher movie would have put you at risk of becoming suspect number 6, but since Cory and Coach locked in our names, I guess that's no longer a viable consequence, haha.

I tend to forget that everyone walking this planet is a beautiful and unique snowflake and everyones opinion matters equally and I should treat everyone with the respect that all beings of light deserve. Ive been trying to focus on this more lately. 

Namaste,

Jeff

Lol. 

7 minutes ago, Jeff Serven said:

I tend to forget that everyone walking this planet is a beautiful and unique snowflake and everyones opinion matters equally and I should treat everyone with the respect that all beings of light deserve. Ive been trying to focus on this more lately. 

Namaste,

Jeff

This sounds like something a buddy of mine would say. I believe delicate snowflake might be more accurate but who knows.

I'm getting bored clicking yes to my watergoal 1 (water is my main drink for long time now, so it is not a challenge yet) and waiting to see what the next challenges are to start thinking how to approach them ;).

So in the meantime here, there is more probiotic, natural food you could consider, i.e. so popular in eastern/central Europe: kefir, soured milk, soured cabbage. Problem may be quality if you are buying them in a jar from the supermarket (pasteurized! so consider bacteria dead), best to do them yourselves :). Homemade yogurt is great (I use simply easiyo system, works well), there is a chance to farm larger quantities of live bacteria that some have a chance to actually make it to the gut alive.

If you are interested, there is a medical grade probiotic supplement (very high concentration of selected bacteria strains) called VSL#3, that was actually tested clinically on patients with ulcerative collitis/Crohn's (bear in mind medicine is still blurry there, so interpretation may be wrong as well, but currently links these to imbalances in the gut bacterial flora), i.e.:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15984978

Interestingly you mentioned gut relation to mental health. Indeed there seem to be references (but not confirmed in a way we would like to see?) to gut problems linked to neurological problems with reports of these improving when gut health was better, I'm unsure if there is any creditable research results available on this subject, though?.

Or is it the gut that directly affects immune system (indirectly through the food), the food has to first get to the gut broken down and be absorbed there?, but bad food may dry dead that grass lining we try to rear there .

Piotr, the data on gut microbiota and mental health is all in animal models, mostly mice studies.  Interestingly, it seems like a good correlation, but we've been burned here many times in the past, so it is premature to translate to humans at this time.  Will be interesting to see how it pans out.  

Good info, Douglas! I'd remembered reading some hypothesis about gut health and mental health (mostly depression), and I was curious if there'd been any progress there. Looks like we're still waiting. 

Speaking of good probiotic foods--I love Bubbie's pickles! The dill pickles (and many of their other products) are raw, traditionally fermented goodness. http://bubbies.com/pantry

Nothing new about it. This is 2005.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/science/two-win-nobel-prize-for-discovering-bacterium-tied-to-stomach-ailments.html?_r=0

The gut is very simple. I explain it in far greater detail than needs to be explained in Thrive. It is quite simply a ecosystem that responds to the things you put in it. Yes if you put Doritos in it, yes it could link back to mental heath. Cause and effect. You're dumb therefore you eat things that kill you, said food kills you proving you are dumb. 

1 hour ago, Jeff Serven said:

You're dumb therefore you eat things that kill you, said food kills you proving you are dumb. 

 

Hahaha. Spot on. Realized that in the time since I posted this and also another post -- regarding stomach issues -- that I've found that it likely was due to the amount of vegetables and fiber I was eating because of Thrive and now that I've adjusted it's no problem. Huh, Jeff was.....right!?!