15 | What Is Gut Health? Anxiety, Supplements, and Leaky Gut

Many products, supplements, and influencers say good gut health is the key to a flat belly, a mood boost and so much more. But how many of these claims are actually rooted in science? Will drinking lemon juice and ginger really make as much of a difference as some creators claim? And why is gut health constantly conflated with the idea of weight loss? Let’s find out!

4:01 There is a lot of misunderstanding around what gut health actually is. Our gut health relates to the well-being of our gastrointestinal system, which includes the stomach, intestines, and all those microorganisms residing within. This is a really broad topic, so the goal of this episode is to leave us as more educated consumers and experts in our own nutrition.

7:06 Gut health and learning about the gut microbiome is very new research, and there is so much more to learn. Our gut holds 80% of our immune system, synthesizes vitamins, manages inflammation, and communicates with our central nervous system - among other things. When our gut microbiome is healthy, it truly does impact our health.

11:29 Some of the drivers of our microbiome composition are age, diet, lifestyle. How we were born - vaginal birth vs cesarean - also impacts our microbiome as does where we live, our stress levels, medications we take, how we were fed as an infant, and even where we travel.

12:52 As gut health has become more “trendy,” it has also become a topic rife with misinformation. Among accessible information around gut health, there are a lot of unproven health claims, conflicting dietary, commercialization, and approaching gut health as if it is about weight loss.

21:30 Social media is full of “hacks” for the gut, and there’s not enough data to prove whether any of these supposed fixes improve digestive functions. Many people are fooled by online wellness gurus who label themselves as “gut health scientists” or “gut health coaches”.

27:00 Registered dietitians, GI doctors, and immunologists are actual experts in this subject matter. We are examples of professionals in the health and nutrition space who have knowledge and qualifications, but are by no means gut health experts. We know that our scope of practice is limited, and that’s as it should be.

29:35 It’s generally the same habits that support our overall health that are best for our gut health: eating a lot of fiber rich foods, probiotic-rich foods, diversity in our food choices, moderation in alcohol consumption, and adequate hydration.

44:21 There is a direct link between our gut and our brain. The gut-brain connection is a two-way communication highway. The gut sends signals to the brain, impacting our mood, stress levels, and cognitive functions, while the brain influences our gut's activity too. There is an entire emerging body of research studying changes in our microbiome to mood disorders like depression and anxiety.

46:51 “Leaky Gut” is a confusing phrase we hear often, but it is actually a real thing! However, it’s not often what we think it is; we all, to some degree, want a leaky (permeable) gut for absorbing nutrients. There is no standard for identifying and diagnosing leaky gut.

50:45 We should be wary of all of the unqualified individuals t

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🟡 Michael Ulloa: https://www.michaelulloa.com/
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