Review

Gutbliss Weekly Review – December 25, 2015

Posted on by Gutbliss
27
Dec
  1. While moderate consumption of red wine promotes the growth of “healthy” gut bacteria, excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the microbiome, causing bacterial overgrowth and affecting all levels of intestinal function, homeostasis, and immunity. Women, stick to no more than 5 drinks per week and men, no more than 10. Choose red wine whenever possible! NIAAA

 

  1. A multi-strain probiotic reduces fat accumulation and improves cardiovascular and diabetes markers in obese mice, while a mono-strain probiotic showed no improvements. This is by no means a magic pill to cure obesity, but it is a start in determining which probiotics are beneficial in restoring the obese gut microbiome. Environmental Microbiology

 

  1. Vacuum no more! How often you vacuum your home could alter not only your microbiome, but also that of your children. Microbiome

 

  1. Suffer from acne and can’t find a cure? An elimination diet may help determine the culprit. While you’re at it, change your perspective – think of your skin as the outer layer of your gut, and your gut, the inner layer of your skin. Mind Body Green

 

  1. Eat bacon instead of lettuce and save the planet? It’s not that simple! The recent study showing that eating lettuce is more detrimental to the environment than eating meat is an unfair comparison and the study design, an imperfect science. The Washington Post

 

  1. Should your doctor take cooking lessons? If she wants to prescribe the one thing that can make the biggest difference in your health, she should. Hats off to Tulane University School of Medicine for teaching their students how to cook! “Let food be thy medicine.” NPR

 

  1. Dried seed cultures (for fermenting foods) deliver probiotics to the developing world to combat foodborne illness, a condition that most commonly affects children under 5. Popular Science

 

  1. Suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? Behavior therapy could be a meaningful treatment. Scientists believe that the gut-brain connection is a “two way street” and are testing this hypothesis in a pilot study that looks at how behavior therapy alters the microbiome in IBS patients. Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

 

  1. Leading researchers gather and discuss the causal relationships between the microbiome and intestinal diseases. The New York Academy of Sciences compiled discussion briefs and a valuable list of resources. The New York Academy of Sciences

 

By: Leslie Ann Berg, MSPH