Thrive - Benefits

Gut Health

THE GUTS TO BE HEALTHY

Hippocrates said it best: "All disease begins in the gut." Dr. Will Bulsiewicz concurs in his book, Fiber Fueled, stating, "The gut microbiota is the command center for human health." Dr. Bulsiewicz goes on to explain that “gut microbiota is a community of gut bacteria that consists of a shockingly broad, expansive community of microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, parasites, viruses, and archaea) that live inside us in harmony, in balance, and with a purpose. If we’re referring specifically to the genetic code of this community, then we use the expression ‘microbiome.’”

The complex microbiome is the largest and most important microbial community in the body, and it is absolutely astounding! It not only consists of colonies of microbes that live in the gut, but throughout the body, and even on the skin.

Anyone with cancer needs to understand the important relationship between gut health and nearly all aspects of health — particularly the gut’s influence on immune function and healing. Surprisingly, there are many more benefits to working toward a healthier gut like enhancing the motivation for exercise. Wow! https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36517598/

As you learn to master your health routine through diet, hydration, exercise, de-stressing, and sleep, many markers of optimal health will improve, notably gut health. Then, as your gut health improves, you will notice a great number of positive changes in your body and mind.

This is exactly what happened to me! Once I began to see my gut health improve, there was a shift in my confidence level. I began believing that I was going to be okay, and the belief grew stronger the more my gut healed.

  • For many centuries, our diet, water sources, and lifestyle contributed to a healthy diversity of gut microbiota. As we entered the 20th century, a host of discoveries and events led to a monumental changes in our gut and overall health.

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  • The key to developing greater bacterial diversity and healthier gut composition is to eat enough plant fiber and enzymes, like bromelain from pineapple, which break down food in the stomach and intestines.

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  • This section will encourage you to put the effort into building a healthier gut, since there are so many important functions of the gut: digestion, regulating hormones, immune function, mental health, and skin.

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  • Bad breath, body odor, foul-smelling gas, chronic illness, and frequent infections are a few of the signs of an unhealthy gut.

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  • Learn what creates a healthy gut, such as: diet, exercise, laughter, where you live geographically, and whether or not you have a furry pet.

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  • Prebiotics are the food that the healthy gut microbes eat. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that are created from prebiotic fiber as it is broken down in the gut. Postbiotics are the byproduct left behind once your body has digested both prebiotics and probiotics.

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How Did We Get Here?

For many centuries, our diet, water sources, and lifestyle contributed to a healthy diversity of gut microbiota. Dr. Will Bulsiewicz gave me permission to share his summary of what happened as we entered the 20th century.

  • We started adding chlorine to our water.

  • We developed vaccines.

  • We began metal canning and started using preservatives.

  • Penicillin was discovered.

  • After World War II, synthetic herbicides, fungicide, and insecticides were discovered.

  • We added flouride to the water.

  • We discovered that antibiotics and synthetic hormones accelerated livestock growth, so we started pumping our livestock with both.

  • We created antibacterial soaps and industrial cleaning products.

  • Cancer emerged in mass! 

  • Food additives skyrocketed.

  • The pharmaceutical industry exploded. Doctors learned about drugs (uses and side effects), but had limited training in nutrition.

  • We decreased our mobility by using planes, trains, automobiles, and motorized scooters.

  • We made advances in television, computers, smart phones, and video games.

  • The use of toxic herbicides, such as glyphosate and round up, increased. In March 2015, the World Health Organization determined that glyphosate, a key ingredient in RoundUp, is probably carcinogenic to humans.

Dr. Bulsiewicz extensively covers why our diet is killing our gut health, and he explains that fiber is the answer to healing our gut. He says, “Fiber is fire!”

The cover of the book "Fiber Fueled" by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz.

When Dr. Bulsiewicz graduated from medical school in 2006, no one knew anything about gut microbiota. “The healthier the gut, the better drugs work, even chemotherapy.” -Fiber Fueled

Plant Fiber and Enzymes

A 2012 study published in the journal mSystems found that the wider the range of plants that we eat, the more diverse our gut bacteria will be. Research shows that there is a direct relationship between diet and the composition of the microbiota. https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/msystems.00031-18

The key to developing greater bacterial diversity and healthier gut composition is to eat enough plant fiber. 97% of Americans are not getting enough fiber. The average American adult eats 10-15 grams of fiber, but the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) established by the federal government is at least 25 grams per day. There are two types of fiber in plants: soluble and insoluble. The sound of the words reminds me of the difference: “soluble” fiber “sops” up cholesterol, while “insoluble” scrubs the “intestines.” Soluble fiber is found in raw fruits, vegetables, legumes, barley, oats, oat cereals, and oat bran. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains like rice, rice bran, whole wheat, wheat bran, millet, corn meal, and buckwheat. They are both important, and we can get both types of fiber from plants. For instance, the white of the apple is soluble fiber and the skin is insoluble.

In addition to fiber, plants contain enzymes, which break down food in the stomach and intestines. (Examples: pineapple contains bromelain, which reduces pain and swelling; ginger contains protease, which digests protein; mango contains amylase, which helps break down carbohydrates; avocado contains lipase, which breaks down fat; and honey contains diastase, which breaks down starch.)

Visit the Diet page to learn more.

Signs of a Healthy Microbiota

ABSORPTION

  • The gut assists in proper absorption of nutrients from food and in the assimilation of those nutrients into the cells.

  • A healthy gut produces vitamins, fatty acids, and hormones like serotonin.

  • A study done in 2020 revealed that microbiome diversity — the variety of bacteria types in a person’s gut — was closely associated with metabolizing usable vitamin D. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19793-8

ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT

  • The gut creates an acidic environment that is unfriendly to pathogenic bacteria. 

  • Ninety percent of known pathogens enter the body through the gastrointestinal tract. If the gut is healthy, then the good bacteria in the microbiota destroy these pathogens. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12583961/

BOWEL MOVEMENTS

  • Healthy bowel movements are well-formed, generally or most of the time. 

  • I have learned that there is no ideal amount of bowel movements per day. You may have one or more, and it may vary from day to day. 

  • Dr. William Sears, renowned pediatrician, wrote a book called Dr. Poo. In the book he describes, “that a healthy bowel movement . . .

    • should be medium-brown in color.

    • should be soft and log shaped.

    • should hold together.

    • should not fall apart.

    • should not be small, hard, or difficult to pass.

    • should not be overly smelly. 

    • should happen at least once a day, but ideally even more, so waste doesn’t remain in the intestines for long.  

  • Paul Check, world-renowned exercise physiologist, says that we should poop a “foot a day!”

DIGESTION

  • The gut digests fiber and uses it to produce healthy gut bacteria. 

  • The process of digesting fiber and other foods should be efficient and smooth.

GAS

  • Gas is not foul-smelling in a healthy gut.

  • Eating a plant-based diet results in more chewing because of the amount of fiber being consumed; it is normal for some air to be swallowed which can cause gas, but it should not be smelly.

HORMONES

  • The gut regulates hormones, like estrogen. If the gut is unhealthy, it may flood the body with too much estrogen. 

    • Women are supposed to break down excess estrogen each day and excrete it in bowel movements. If not, that estrogen can be reabsorbed and circulate back through the body. Estrogen is supposed to be carried to the liver and then excreted into bile, which then travels to the intestine, where it is excreted in feces. An unhealthy gut will not carry excess estrogen to the liver, but instead allow it to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3628202/

    • One study showed that women eating a vegetarian diet lower in fat and higher in fiber excreted three times more estrogen in their feces and had 15-20% lower plasma estrogen levels than women eating a westernized diet higher in fat and lower in fiber. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7260944/

IMMUNE FUNCTION

LINING OF GUT

  • A healthy gut mucosa (fluffy, mucous lining) acts as a protective barrier for the bloodstream.

  • This gut barrier system allows substances, like nutrients, to pass through to the bloodstream, and it inhibits partially digested food fragments and other substances from entering the bloodstream.

METABOLIC FUNCTION

  • Metabolism is the sum of three main functions in the cells of living organisms that allows life to be sustained. Those three functions are: 1) to convert food to energy, 2) to convert food to building blocks for the body, and 3) to eliminate waste.

  • “Intestinal microbes regulate metabolic function and energy balance; an altered microbial ecology is believed to contribute to the development of several metabolic diseases.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24560870/

  • “The gut microbiome is shaped by diet and influences host metabolism; however, these links are complex and can be unique to each individual.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33432175/

MENTAL HEALTH

  • There is a gut-brain connection. Gut and brain microbes talk to each other and influence emotions, psychological state, pain sensitivity, social interactions, and even decision-making. 

  • “Gut-wrenching experience” and “butterflies in my stomach” are both accurate phrases.

  • 95% of serotonin is created in the gut microbiota. The gut is in charge of the release of serotonin and dopamine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/

  • A healthy gut will release happy hormones and positively affect mood and disposition.

SKIN

Signs of an Unhealthy Microbiota

Lack of absorption

Joel is in a hospital bed and Max is lying on the bed next to him. Joel has his hand on Max. Joel is wearing a green gown and looks tired. Max is wearing a blue shirt and lightly smiling.

Joel has been hospitalized many times with bowel obstructions. This visit was the hardest. He had an NG tube in for almost a week. Getting the tube out was almost as wonderful as getting hugs from Max.

ALLERGIES

BAD BREATH

  • Bad breath is caused by sulfur that is not eliminated in feces and gas.

  • Instead, the sulfur is absorbed through the intestinal wall, into the bloodstream, where it is excreted in the urine or breath.

BODY ODOR

dysbiosis and LEAKY GUT SYNDROME

  • Dysbiosis is the breakdown of the gut mucosa (fluffy, mucous lining), which leads to leaky gut syndrome. This breakdown leads to toxins getting into the bloodstream.

    • Dysbiosis starts with inflammation in the gut, and it occurs when the ratio of beneficial bacteria to pathogenic bacteria is out of balance. 

    • Dysbiosis can either cause low-grade health issues like chronic infections or vulnerability to food poisoning, or it can contribute to serious diseases like heart disease and cancer. 

    • Common signs of dysbiosis are bad breath, excessive or smelly gas, skin disorders, constipation, diarrhea, iron and other nutrient deficiencies, GERD, allergies, asthma, bloating, failure to thrive, and abnormal loss of bone mineral density (not due to aging).

    • Inflammation and gut dysbiosis are the most common causes of leaky gut syndrome.

  • Leaky gut syndrome results in intestinal permeability, which are holes in the gut lining. These holes allow larger molecules, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, undigested proteins, fats, and waste, to seep into the bloodstream. Many problems can result, including autoimmune diseases. It is not natural to have foreign food particles floating around our bloodstream because our immune system gets confused and creates antibodies to fight them. This results in an autoimmune response, which means your immune system begins to attack your body.

  • Leaky gut can result from: taking antibiotics, steroids, and other prescription drugs; chronic inflammation; poor diet; or poor GI function (constipation or diarrhea).

  • The great news is that leaky gut can be resolved by changing dietary habits and taking appropriately-dosed probiotics. This can take time, but the effort is worth it!

GAS, diarrhea, and bloating

  • Gas that is foul-smelling comes from sulfur-containing amino acids like methionine, cysteine, cystine, and taurine, which are abundant in animal foods.

  • The foods that cause gas, diarrhea, and bloating are dairy, legumes, cruciferous vegetables (amount of sulfur-containing amino acids is much lower in these vegetables than animal foods), and meat (15 times more sulfur-producing than a vegetarian diet). 

  • When first adopting a plant-based diet, the body produces more gas due to the increase in fiber.

  • Most people adjust to the increased fiber intake on a plant-based diet within two weeks. A product called Beano can be used during the adjustment period. 

  • As a side note: when eating more plants, gas can be caused by plants that are not chewed well enough — so chew thoroughly!

HORMONES

  • Hormones are off balance, like low estrogen or high estrogen, in an unhealthy gut.

  • Higher estrogen can result in breast cancer. 

  • Estrogen is supposed to be carried to the liver and excreted into bile, travel to the intestine, then excreted in feces. An unhealthy gut will not carry excess estrogen to the liver, but rather, allows it to be reabsorbed into the bloodstream. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3628202/

IMMUNE FUNCTION

  • Immune function is poor and infection risk is increased in an unhealthy gut.

  • We know antibiotics are a good thing overall, and they have saved many lives. However, overuse of antibiotics creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which over time creates an unhealthy microbiome.

MOOD DISORDERS

  • Issues in the gut can cause mood disorders because the gut is in charge of the release of serotonin and dopamine.

  • Stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, affect the behavior of gut microbes.

  • Emotional responses can interfere with digestion and bowel cleansing.

  • Dysbiosis is linked to many psychological issues, including anxiety and depression.

  • Some studies show that microbial diversity is decreased in depressed people as compared to people who are not depressed. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7510518/

SKIN

  • Skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dry skin, and itchy skin can be caused by poor gut health.

  • “Microbiota compositions of diseased lesional skin (in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis) showed distinct differences compared with healthy skin.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23974680/

What Creates a Healthy Microbiota?

BREASTFEEDING

DIET

  • Adopt a program of dietary excellence. Visit the Diet page to learn more.

  • The microbiota can change within 24 hours of adopting a low-fat, high-fiber, plant-based diet.

  • A high fiber diet reduces inflammation by interacting with gut bacteria. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23319119/

  • Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains promotes bigger populations of beneficial bacteria. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3368382/

  • Avoid the SAD (standard American diet) as it promotes poor gut health. 

  • Eating more fat, added sugar, and alcohol creates more pathogenic bacteria. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31291462/

  • It is important to eat whole grains. People with celiac disease need to eat gluten-free, but they can still consume whole grains like brown rice and quinoa.

EXERCISE

  • Lactic acid is produced in the muscles during exercise.

  • Lactic acid-producing bacteria help to keep the intestinal tract acidic and prevent the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7368972/

  • Diet alters the gut microbiota, which contributes to aspects of metabolic disease during obesity. Research in mice showed that exercise “directly opposed some of the obesity-related changes in gut microbiota.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27117007/

FASTING

FECAL TRANSPLANT

  • Fecal transplantation is a procedure to collect feces (stool) from a healthy donor and introduce them into a patient's gastrointestinal tract.

  • A fecal transplant from a healthy donor is used to treat antibiotic-induced Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection and inflammatory bowel disease — cure rate is 90% for C. diff. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0214085

  • New bacteria establishes quickly and remains stable. 

FURRY PETS 

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

A beautiful, wide-opened field of green grass. A large tree branch is hanging over at the top of the photo. The sun is either rising or setting in the background.
A picture of a city with tall buildings overlooking the ocean. There are many skyscrapers. The sun is either rising or setting in the background.

LAUGHTER

  • The gut microbiota positively respond to humor.

  • The participants in one study had increased populations of good gut bacteria and decreased levels of bad bacteria after watching a funny movie every day for just a week. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19543102/

PRE, PRO, AND POSTBIOTICS

  • Generally speaking, these refer to the healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. All plants help to build a healthy gut microbiota. See section below.

VAGINAL BIRTH 

  • A developing infant in the womb begins getting bacteria from the placenta.

  • A vaginal delivery is optimal for transmission of beneficial bacteria from mother to infant. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24848255/

Let’s get prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics straight.

For centuries, there wasn’t a need to discuss prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics because our bodies were balanced. These were naturally present in our fiber-rich, plant-based diets. All plants help to build a healthy gut microbiota. A healthy gut mucosa (fluffy, mucous lining) acts as a protective barrier for the bloodstream. Dysbiosis is the breakdown of that lining, which leads to leaky gut syndrome. These were also in our water that didn’t need to be filtered. In addition, we didn’t have processed foods, we didn’t take loads of antibiotics, we exercised, slept well, and weren’t stressed out, which all impact naturally-occurring bacteria. Needless to say, our gut health has taken a beating over the last century, so now prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics need our attention.

I love how Dr. Will Bulsiewicz sums this process up: prebiotics + probiotics = postbiotics.

Prebiotics 

Prebiotics are essentially food for the good bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics come from eating a high-fiber diet that includes foods like apples, blueberries, pomegranate, walnuts, and resistant starches such as rice, potatoes, and whole grains like barley and oats. The value in resistant starches is that they arrive in the intestines undigested; they act as prebiotic food and are fermented by the gut microbiota. Healthy bacteria cannot survive without prebiotics (fiber). They nourish the good bacteria, and increase diversity of species within the gut.

Prebiotics should ideally come from the diet, but can also be taken in supplement form. Prebiotic supplements may include FOS (fructooligosaccharides), OF (oligofructose), GOS (galactooligosaccharides), inulin, chicory fiber, lactulose, or lacticol. Prebiotics should never be given to people with inflammatory bowel disease, gas, or bloating, until inflammation and diarrhea are controlled. They can be taken after a probiotic regimen.

Probiotics

Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that are created from prebiotic fiber as it is broken down in the gut. This is a fermentation process which results in an increased amount of probiotics in the gut microbiota. These living gut microbes are used to restore balance in the gut, improve immune function, reduce inflammation, and even help reduce symptoms of allergies, asthma, chronic infections, bacterial vaginosis, and more. They can inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and repopulate the GI (gastrointestinal) tract with certain strains of beneficial bacteria. If you have poor gut health, an autoimmune disease, or have taken antibiotics, you can take a probiotic supplement.

Just five days of taking some antibiotics can wipe out about one-third of gut bacteria. A strong probiotic regimen may be needed to replenish your microbiota, especially if you have taken a lot of antibiotics. This is what a CAM doctor recommended to me after taking an antibiotic:

  • Take a probiotic supplement made from Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus, 100 billion strength for 30 days to replenish your gut bacteria.

  • Start taking the probiotics while you are still on the antibiotic.

    • Take the antibiotic and probiotics with food, but at different times during the day.

  • Continue taking the probiotics for 30 days after you have discontinued the antibiotic.

A probiotic is one of the few supplements that can be taken for a longer period of time, even for lifetime if needed, without negative side effects. How long should you take it? Until you know that your body has changed in areas such as: improved immune system, healthy bowel movements, clear skin, and increased energy. If you stop and resolved issues return, then go back on the probiotic. 

Probiotics can be especially helpful for cancer patients dealing with side effects of treatment, such as radiation-induced diarrhea. The dosage needs to be controlled for certain inflammatory bowel conditions. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17352022/

Probiotics can be helpful for bone health. Many cancer patients can experience a loss of bone mass from treatment, such as estrogen-blocker medications. Lactobacillus produces lactate, which promotes growth of commensal bacteria, like Clostridia and Bacteroides. These produce short-chain fatty acids, which in turn stimulate bone growth. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29926979/

Be sure you consult with a doctor before purchasing a probiotic to ensure you get an appropriate dose for your situation. Also, purchase a probiotic from a retailer with a high turnover rate, so the product is not sitting on a shelf. A probiotic doesn't have to be refrigerated. 

  • One of our CAM doctors recommended the following probiotic supplements:

  • If you have a bowel disease or other disorder, a doctor may prescribe a 500 billion multi-strain probiotic, containing the following:

    • Lactobacillus acidophilus (CUL-60)

    • Lactobacillus acidophilus (CUL-21)

    • Bifidobacterium bifidum (CUL-20)

    • Bifidobacterium animalis subsp lactis (CUL-34)

    • Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)

Our Experience: We learned about probiotics after chemo and radiation, so Joel didn’t take these during treatments. A CAM doctor recommended that we take a probiotic supplement for a year and take a stronger probiotic for 30 days if taking an antibiotic.

Eating fermented foods is a natural way to add diversity to your gut microbiome, if you are not as inclined to take probiotic supplements. Examples of fermented foods are: sauerkraut (and other pickled vegetables), kimchi, yogurt (plant-based), kefir, kombucha, tempeh, miso, and natto. If you purchase them, be sure to look at the labels to make sure the food contains live cultures.

  • Visit the Kitchen Treats page to learn more about fermented foods and get recipes, like homemade yogurt.

Postbiotics

Postbiotics result from the process of prebiotic usage and probiotic development. In other words, probiotics produce postbiotics. A healthy gut will naturally have postbiotics, which help to lessen the production of harmful bacteria. When we eat fiber-rich foods, the gut probiotics ferment the fiber (prebiotics) and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are created. SCFAs are postbiotics. There are three types of SCFAs: acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Butyrate protects us from disorders like leaky gut syndrome because it keeps the gut lining strong and healthy. It also provides energy to colon cells, influences gene express, promotes cell differentiation, regulates immune function, improves brain health, stabilizes blood sugar, assists with body weight, and reduces oxidative stress.

Research studies on butyrate: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26868600/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26260141/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24226770/

My Experience: A CAM doctor recommended that I take butyrate as an isolated supplement, but after doing some research I learned that there is no evidence that butyrate in isolated, supplement form works to promote fecal butyrate. However, there is research showing that these fruit, vegetable and berry blend capsules and a plant-based shake mix increases fecal butyrate. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33920059/

Pre, Pro, and Postbiotics