What’s in your gut may be more important to your health than what’s in your DNA. The intestines contain trillions of bacteria and these microbes – collectively called the “microbiome,”—have a very large influence on so-called “metabolic diseases” which include obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that what’s in your gut is largely dependent on what you eat, but a recent survey of some 1,000 people revealed that highly-processed foods such as sweetened beverages, white bread, refined grains, and processed meats were associated with microbes linked to poor health, and that those who ate minimally processed foods like vegetables, nuts, eggs and seafood were more likely to have beneficial gut bacteria.
“It goes back to the age-old message of eating as many whole and unprocessed foods as possible,” said Dr. Sarah E. Berry, a nutrition scientist at King’s College London and a co-author of the new study, published in Nature Medicine.
While individuals differ in their response to microbiome content, some fundamentals remain constant in how the body obtains and uses energy and those fundamentals are helping people chart a path to better health, longevity and happiness for themselves and their loved ones.
