Find out how plus get actionable advice to improve your gut health and reduce your risk of chronic illnesses.
Your gastrointestinal tract is host to around 100 trillion microorganisms.
Were talking about your microbiome.
Certain species of gut bugs may contribute to heart disease by producing trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a chemical that can clog your arteries and lead to a heart attack or stroke.Michela Buttignol
But its true, thanks to whats called the gut-brain axis.
It acts as a sort of superhighway between your gut and your brain, says Anderson-Haynes.
Research suggests that chemicals produced by your gut microbes cross the blood-brain barrier and can influence cognition.
This is not an argument against antidepressant medication, because it can be important, says Bulsiewicz.
This is about acknowledging the role that diet plays in our mood by affecting the microbiome.
Its still not known exactly if this triggers the disease.
According to the Parkinsons Foundation, gut health and Parkinsons disease are strongly linked.
As with Alzheimers, people living with Parkinsons disease also have differences in gut bacteria and increased intestinal permeability.
There are also likely other mechanisms at play.
Certain species of gut bugs may contribute to heart disease by producing trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a chemical that can clog your arteries and lead to a heart attack or stroke.Michela Buttignol
Michela Buttignol
Your Heart
Heart disease is the No.
1 cause of death in the United States.
When gut motility falls out of balance, you get constipation or diarrhea, says Bulsiewicz.
It can also bring on or worsen inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohns and colitis.
When that barrier is fortified, it protects your immune system, says Bulsiewicz.
Your microbiome helps build a barrier within your GI tract that protects your immune system.
But if the microbes are out of balance, the barrier gets weak and porous.
Luckily eating a gut-friendly diet can help you tighten that barrier.
Research shows that your microbiome is rapidly adaptable to your diet, says Bulsiewicz.
The choices you make today will start to reshape your microbiome bytomorrow.And these changes are like a snowball.
They start small, but with consistency, that snowball builds momentum and can become incredibly powerful.
Of course, lifestyle matters, too.
Other factors, like getting enough sleep, managing stress and being physically active also impact your microbiome.
But diet plays a major role, says Anderson-Haynes.
Gut-Healthy Recipes
What dietary tweaks can you make to support your gut health?
Here are six research-proven strategies:
1.
Fall in Love with Fiber
Fiber is exclusively digested by the microbes in your gut.
Its their preferred food source, says Bulsiewicz.
Without enough of this nutrient, they get hangry.
And more than 90% of Americans dont get the28 to 34 grams of fiberthey need each day.
Bulsiewicz suggests increasing fiber gradually in your diet: A damaged microbiome struggles to perform its normal functions.
But your gut is like a muscle that can be trained and made stronger, he says.
Featured Meal Plan
2.
Cook Up a Veggie-Packed Soup
Different microbes enjoy different plants, says Anderson-Haynes.
And the more variety, the better.
AddRoasted Broccoli with Kimchi Vinaigretteto your dinner plan, or sip a glass of kombucha instead of soda.
Get the Recipe:Frozen Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Bites
4.
Stock Up on Gut-Healthy Snacks
What youdonteat can be just as important as what youdoeat.
Thats because as yummy as a glass of jammy cabernet can be, alcohol is a toxin.
And it can damage your gut microbes if you consume too much.
So, its not totally clear how moderate drinking may or may not impact your microbiome.
Your friendly gut bugs will thank you.
Hou K, Wu ZX, Chen XY, et al.Microbiota in health and diseases.
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Mental Health.2024; 2:935950. doi:10.1038/s44220-024-00266-6
Parkinsons Foundation.The Gut-Brain Connection: Why Diet Can Help Parkinsons Symptoms & Brain Health.
2015;117(9):817-824. doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.115.306807
Crohns & Colitis Foundation.Probiotics and Microorganisms.
2018;3(3):e00031-18.
2022;12:840164. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2022.840164
American Heart Association.Saturated Fat.
