Modern Science and Ancientmedicine for Gut Health

Week 3

Gut Brain Ecology so far… Week 1:

Gut microbiome is the seat of health and disease Diversity of gut microbiota is critical Environment affects the microbiome

Week 2: Microbiome changes with food and lifestyle

• Carbohydrates and fibre vs processed• Proteins- neurotransmitters, complete vs incomplete• Fat for brain- Omega-3 are the building blocks for hormones that control

immune function, blood clotting, and cell growth as well as components of cellmembranes. Including good fats in our diet.

Today Supplements Feeding our Microbiome Probiotics- the what and why? Basics of Nutrition Protein guidelines

Case studies Human Microbiome project Lifestyle and diet change

Functional Medicine Ancient medicine & natural

treatments The perfect diet Making a diet that works for you

Supplements What is their role in health and disease prevention?

Need more studies Helpful if diet is really bad?

Which are the most important ones? Vit. D- 5000 to 10,000 IU/day for brain functioning Vit C- 2000 mg/day Folate, B6, B12- depression and mood disorders: upto 50mcg/day Omega-3:6. 1000-4000 mg omega-3/day Probiotics Minerals- more than 18 minerals required to make our bones blood

cells, nervous system- Magnesium, zinc, selenium (brain function) Can you overdose?

Vit E Vit A

Natural Supplements Wheat or barley grass concentrates Sea vegetables Chlorella Spirulina Plant sources of B12- fermented foods,

micro algae and seaweeds, nutritionalyeast

Feeding our Microbiome Fermentation Low fibre connection with colon cancer Probiotics Prebiotics

Probiotics What do they do for our health?

Digestion Provide nutrients Gut wall integrity Balance pH Natural antibiotics Regulate immunity Control inflammation

Fermented foods Yogurt, pickled fruits/veggies, kimchi, sauerkraut,

What to look for in a Probiotic? Different strains provide diff benefits. Foll. are

good for brain health in combination with prebioticfoods Lactobacillus plantarum (controls inflammation, fortifies gut lining,

prevents allergies, controls pathogens: cultured veggies) Lactobacillus acidophilus (healthy cholesterol levels, maintains

good bacterial level: fermented dairy) Lactobacillus brevis (good even with antibiotics; stimulates brain

growth hormone, improves immune function: Sauerkraut) Bifidobacterium lactis (boosts immunity: fermented milk products) Bifidobacterium longum (reduces anxiety, allergies and pathogens) Bifidobacterium infantis (good for IBS and in secretion of serotonin)

Basics of Nutrition Fibre or prebiotics Fats- eggs, nuts, high quality oils Unprocessed Unchemicalised Remove allergens Discretionary use of antibiotics and medication Variety of natural and fresh foods Small portions of meat and dairy Herbs and spices Water Coffee and Chocolate Fermented foods Include probiotics and supplements tailored to you Plus- exercise, connect with nature

Protein Guidelines Animal proteins: less than 4 oz a day

small amounts taken regularly are beneficial Grass-fed, healthy living, fowl, fish, cheese

Plant proteins: 4-6 oz daily; max of 12 oz. Legumes (unless indicated)- beans, peas, lentils,

soy; grains- quinoa, amaranth Nuts, seeds: 1 oz daily Algae- small amounts: contain high amounts of

chlorophyll

Protein sources Non-Vegetarian

Protein Sources:

Meat Poultry Fish Dairy

Vegetarian Sources ofprotein

Seeds Nuts Beans Lentils Whole grains: quinoa, buckwheat,

amaranth, wheat, rice, corn, oats. Soy Peas Peanuts Spinach Potato Sweet potato

Case Studies of Microbiome Germ-free animals:

under-developed immune system. Microbes co-evolve with andexert control upon the immune system

exaggerated stress response reduced expression of brain growth hormone

Gut microbiota differs among lean and obese twins Obese twin shows reduced bacterial diversity increase in bacteria that enhance caloric intake

Increasing gut microbial diversity: Improvement in memory Reduction in anxiety

Case Studies

Natural healing of cancer: plant-based diet,juicing, fermented foods, stress relief, exercise

Story of Kris Carrhttp://www.scientificamerican.com/article/living-

with-cancer-kris-carr/Celebrating a decade of cancer thriving:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kris-carr/living-with-cancer_b_2663548.html

Ancient and Modern medicine New Frontiers in Modern medicine Chinese Eating in season Okinawans Mediterranean Paleo Fasting Juicing Nutrition vs. Nourishment

New Frontiers in ModernMedicine Not just pill for an ill Exploring gut health for chronic diseases Microbes produce metabolites Microbiome acts as a community Biology ad technology exploring the effects of

the entire microbiome- not just a gene Why are the gut microbiota of infants similar

across cultures?

Functional Medicine Institute of Functional Medicine and Practitioners- Jeffrey Bland,

Mark Hyman, David Perlmutter, The approach

The whole body is integrated and unique Healing the gut is at the centre: nervous and immune Considers diet, lifestyle, environment, stress 4Rs- Give the body what it needs: Remove the bad,

Restore the good, Reinoculate, Repair the gut You are what you digest and absorb

Microbiome and Health/Disease

Kau et al, 2011. Nature: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298082/

Chinese All organs are related through energy meridians,

emotions and seasons Energy or qi must flow between organs

Heart disease is a disease of the mind Kidney disorder related to fear and bone disorders

Diet must change with season Flavours should be balanced, sweet as predominant:

Each day, the sweet flavour- carbs in grains, legumes, nuts,seeds, fruits- to combine with bitter, salty, pungent and sour

Green is the colour of spring and healing Chlorophyll of plants is healing: purification, anti-inflammatory

and purifier http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-

general/treatment/complementary-alternative/therapies/traditional-chinese-medicine

Eating in season Must live in harmony and awareness with

seasons- make adjustments Fall/Winter- food that rebuild the body Spring/summer- cleansing and alkaline foods

Microbes change according to seasonDeer eats bark in winter; leaves in summer; gut microbes differ

Different microbes are active seasonally in plantsand soil and our bodies

3-season diet challenge:http://lifespa.com/3seasondietchallenge/2-part-video-training/

The healthiest communities Okinawa of Japan

Sea vegetables Georgians in Caucus mountains near

Russia Vilcabambans of Ecuador Hunzas of Pakistan 90% protein consumed in China is

from plant sources. 70% of US proteinconsumption is animal

Plants are prepared in spices andcondiments and oils to enhanceflavour and digestive strength Turmeric, fennel, fenugreek, caraway,

dill, anise, ginger, rosemary, oregano,thyme

Mediterranean Low in added sugars Low in processed fats Prebiotic fibre Good healthy fat Range of fruits and

veggies Whole grains Herbs Nuts Red wine Water

Paleo diet Hunter-gatherer-100,000

yrs old Wild plant and meats

High in omega-3 Variety of meats Eating in season seeds

No dairy, grain, legume Lots of running! Living clean with nature Digging roots

Fasting Ancient ritual in many civilizations Intermittent fasting for 24-72 hrs regularly Calorie restriction provides

Neuroprotection slows aging and chronic diseses Triggers expression of genes Fat-burning Prompts good changes to gut bacteria

Juicing and Blending Juicing:

High water content- cleansers Better for medicinal use and fasting for short periods Easily digested: good for restoring digestive function Could be high in sugars Add fibre- chia, flax etc to slow absorption Careful what you juice- avoid sweet vegs and fruits Add lemon juice and herbs

Blending Keeps prebiotic fibre Promotes satiety Promotes good bacetrial growth Repairs gut lining

Cleansing smoothie recipe Celery- 50% Zucchini- 30% Romaine Lettuce- 10% Parsley- 5% Granny Smith apples- 5% Ground flax fibre Ginger to taste (optional) Avocado- to add fat and to your taste Water to make it smooth

Making a Diet that works Keep it simple Food to Avoid:

Sugar HFCS Trans fats Vegetable oils Gluten Processed/chemicalised Alcohol Refined carbs

Feed the Microbiome; plantbased,

Eat a variety of foods Follow Protein guidelines

Video https://www.coursera.org/learn/microbiome/

lecture/RBgvu/web-interview-michael-pollan

“simply asking yourself everytime you sit down for a mealor fill your shopping cart at thelocal market, how much of thisfood is for me and how much(fiber) is for my microbes? Ifthere's nothing for yourmicrobes to eat, start over!”http://www.humanfoodbar.com/pages/humanfood/

Comparing American Gut Gut, skin and mouth of different people are very

different Different guts have varying populations of the

same bacteria Why these differences?

Diet Age Lifestyle Exercise

Nutrition vs Nourishment Digestion requires time Good digestion requires mindfulness When you eat, you must eat!

Group Exercise Take 5 mins to discuss in groups of 3-5

your thoughts on this subject so far; thegood, bad and ugly!

Your most important takeaways so far? What are you confused about? What changes could you make easily in

your diet?

Group Exercise Take 5 mins to discuss in groups of 3-5

your thoughts on this subject so far; thegood, bad and ugly!

Your most important takeaways so far? What are you confused about? What changes could you make easily in

your diet?

Homework & Readings Try the tonic: http://lifespa.com/the-powerful-benefits-of-parsley/ Make the smoothie Include a probiotic with the strains recommended Write down a meal plan for yourself- what foods you will eliminate

and what you will include Want your microbiome tested? The Human Microbiome Project:

http://hmpdacc.org/ Recommended Readings

Follow your Gut: Rob Knight Missing Microbes: Martin Blaser The Good Gut: Justin and Erica Sonnenburg

Human Food Project blog Sugar, salt and supplements:

https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/events/sugar-salts-and-supplements/