How a Healthy Gut Holds the Key to a Healthy Weight
Mice May Have Explained Why Some Folks Are "Naturally" Thin
Yes, we've all got that one annoying friend who seems able to eat everything in sight and still remain slim. Maybe you were even like that when you were younger but find it's harder to maintain a healthy weight as you have aged, been under stress, or endured some other changes in your life.
Science (https://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;328/5975/228) Magazine reported on a study using "skinny" and "chubby" mice that may have finally offered an answer that can help more of us become like that annoying friend.
The report is pretty technical, but the gist of it is that:
- Some mice were bred with one set of gut bacteria, and other mice were bred with another set. These different sets of gut ecosystems made one group skinny and the other chubby.
- A third set of mice was bred to have few gut bacteria on their own, but when they were given the chubby or the skinny set, they tended to either gain or lose weight on the same diet.
In other words, your gut ecosystem may explain why you have a hard or an easy time maintaining your weight.
Obesity is the Symptom and Not the Disease
Dr. Kresser provided a longer but less technical summary of the report. He also said that every single patient that he has ever treated for a blood sugar health condition, like diabetes or obesity, also has either gut inflammation, a leaky gut, or some other kind of gut condition. (https://chriskresser.com/a-healthy-gut-is-the-hidden-key-to-weight-loss/)
He says that most of us were born with great guts but our modern lifestyle tends to mess it up in one way or another. Some problems include having to take antibiotics, diets high in sugar and low in fiber, stress, and dietary toxins.
Naturally, you can try to avoid all of these things but that's probably impossible. What you can do is to fight back by making your gut stronger. The steps you take to make your gut stronger will ALSO naturally help you avoid some of the bad things that have been attacking your gut.
What is This Magic Key to Maintaining a Healthy Weight
So, how can you help yourself become like your annoying friend, enjoy a healthy weight, and stay leaner by enjoying plenty of food? You can start with these three, simple steps.
First:
- Sadly, I'm not a doctor and don't even play one on TV or the internet.
- If you do suffer from a medical condition, please see a doctor. This advice is really meant for relatively healthy people who are struggling with their weight or minor digestive issues.
- You and your doctor can work together to come up with a healthier eating plan and other necessary treatment.
- If your doctor doesn't want to hear about gut bacteria, you might search for another doctor.
Second:
- If you just make an effort to eat more fiber, you will probably do yourself a favor.
- Average U.S. adults barely consume 15 grams of fiber in a day, and nutrition experts have suggested an average of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. (https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/fiber-how-much-do-you-need#1)
- If you've been subsisting on a low-fiber diet, do yourself another favor and scale up slowly. Otherwise, you may suffer some discomfort from gas and bloating because you don't have the right gut environment to handle it.
- Obviously, people with certain health conditions need to control fiber intake, so nothing here suggests going against the advice of a medical professional.
- The easiest way to eat more fiber is to consume more plant food in as close to its natural state as possible. General advice might be to work on getting at least 75 percent of your food from plant sources, like vegetables, legumes, fruit, and so on.
- Yes, sugar comes from a plant, but you know what I mean.
Third:
- Even though most people can help themselves by simply eating more fiber, it's better to try to vary your diet to make sure you consume different kinds of fiber because they can all provide different benefits.
- Some examples of different kinds of fiber include viscous, non-viscous, fermentable, soluble, and insoluble fiber and a similar nutrient called resistant starch. Eating a variety of fiber isn't as tough as it sounds because many kinds of food contain more than one kind. You can read up on these here: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/fiber
Besides Wearing Small Pants....
Yes, besides enjoying the way you look in smaller pants, you may also stave off some dread diseases. You can read the resource from Oregon State that was listed above. The list could include diabetes, some kinds of cancer, and heart disease. Because a healthy gut boost immunity, you may also find you don't suffer from minor ailments or allergies as much.
The resource also listed studies that found lower mortality rates from everything with people who consumed a good amount of fiber. Eat more fiber, so you don't die. :)
Sources for Further Reading
https://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;328/5975/228
https://chriskresser.com/a-healthy-gut-is-the-hidden-key-to-weight-loss/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/fiber-how-much-do-you-need#1
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/fiber
Photos: Pixabay
Tell Me What You've Found
Look, I have stumbled upon this healthier eating key as I looked for information about eating a plant-based diet. You don't have to become a vegan, but most of you can benefit by making sure you consume a lot more plant food than animal food. I find that I can eat a lot of food that I really love and still maintain a healthier weight when I eat this way.
Hey, becoming "that" annoying friend is what it's all about. However, the difference is I don't keep this a secret and want to help other people benefit from what I've experienced.
Let me know what you think in the comments. I virtually always slap a vote and comment on any RELEVANT remarks. I hope you find this information useful and can provide me some good input as well. Peace Out!
Also, check out this related post: https://steemit.com/nutrition/@theinsideout/probiotics-vs-prebiotics-what-s-the-difference-and-which-one-should-you-consume-to-maintain-health
Being A SteemStem Member
Thanks!
Huh! This is an interesting read! I dove in a bit and did some research but it looks like it's still something that needs further investigation. Without a doctor and expensive tests it's hard to tell what bacteria you're lacking and what you need to help complete the system. It's also hard to destroy the biofilms created around the bacterias.
You could be right The point is that if somebody isn't eating enough prebiotic fiber, they won't have a healthy gut ecosystem because that's what the good bacteria eat. The body is pretty good at knowing what it needs if given half a chance. Obviously, if somebody has a severe illness, they need a doctor. Also, if you feed the good bacteria, they will do the job of crowding out the bad bacteria. You should write a post on your ideas. I'd love to read it.
The problem with so many people being obese has to do with society spending more on junk food and artificial foods. Our bodies no long recognize normal things like being full. For example, diet soda and artificial sweeteners the body does not recognize the sugar thus leading to over eating. We now as a society spend more on healthcare than we do on food, which should be reversed like in the past. Many disease and conditions could be fixed by diet alone, people need to be taught the importance of food quality and choices.
I agree. People need to be educated , so they understand why they need to eat differently. Part of this is because of a lot of misinformation or product labels that make "healthy" claims that aren't true. It's hard to know what is true if you don't dig a bit.
I just know that since I've adjusted the kinds of food I eat, I actually eat more food and weigh less. It's not that people gain weight and develop certain health conditions because they are just greedy or something. It's impossible to stop when you have a bad diet.
The food is chemically engineered these days and our bodies do not recognize what we are putting into it. Body confusion and “healthy” labels usually are not healthy. However, people do not want to do the work of research and educating themselves these days.
and I remember a surgeon expert said that one thing that could help to aid our gut issues and even diabetes, heart failure, and weight problems is by taking probiotics daily. But must remember that probiotics need fuel to work out, so you must feed them with prebiotics :) which suggest that you must ingest both probiotics and prebiotics for a possible outcome :)
Right, from what I read, most of us already do have the bacteria in our gut that we need, but yes, we just need to make sure we keep them fed to ensure a healthy population. I don't think most of us actually need to take supplements. We can get both probiotics and prebiotics from food. i.e. yogurt has both prebiotics and probiotics -- i.e. the bacteria is swimming in its own food. If you're a vegan, there are plenty of fermented vegetables and other sources. Thanks for commenting.
yes you're right .. taking supplement must be the last resort :) because there's nothing that could defeat the benefits that every fruit and vegetable could give .. and soya is not always good for our health ..
My favorite gut-friendly treat are veggie chips with either hummus or guacamole. It feels like I'm eating a fattening snack, but it's great to curb cravings.
Yes, those kinds of snacks feel like they should be off limits, but they're actually very good for you. I also enjoy sweet potatoes with cinnamon and healthy fats and roasted chickpeas. I'm experimenting with a sugar-free fudge recipe made from chickpeas. When I get it right, I'll probably post the recipe and pictures.
I'll be looking forward to sampling that "chickpea" fudge recipe when you figure it out.
Healthy gut bacteria is very important. Thanks for bringing more attention to it. I recently saw a documentary all about that. The more diversity in your gut, the healthier you usually are.
Your post had been curated by the @buildawhale & @ipromote team and mentioned here:
https://steemit.com/curation/@buildawhale/buildawhale-curation-digest-03-05-18
Keep up the good work and original content, everyone appreciates it!
Thanks!
Nice post
Beautiful one
If you put some effort into your comments, you might get voted upon.
good cat :*
If you put some effort into your comments, you might get voted upon.