September 10, 2021

The Good Gut by Justin Sonnenburg and Erica Sonnenburg

The Big Idea: eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and fermented foods to maintain a healthy microbiome and discourage disease.

  • An unhealthy microbiome is associated with: infant colic, allergies, autism, auto-immune diseases, obesity, depression, schizophrenia, OCD, stroke, heart disease, systemic inflammation, and cancer.
  • Vaginal childbirth is preferable to C-section.
  • Breast milk helps feed an infant’s microbiome.
  • Take antibiotics only when necessary, since they can decimate benefit beneficial gut bacteria.
  • If antibiotics are unavoidable, supplement with probiotics quickly afterwards.
  • Wash children’s hands regularly during flu season.
  • Start each day with kefir or yogurt.
  • Being around dirt, animals and people helps expose us to beneficial microbes.
  • Ease up on the need to sanitize everything.
  • Feed your gut microbiome plenty of dietary fiber.
  • Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains.
  • Limit red meat, which is converted to TMA and TMAO.
  • Limit saturated fat, which feeds pathogenic bacteria.
  • Consume fermented foods for probiotics.
  • Consider following the Mediterrean diet or the traditional Japanese diet.