Gutbliss Weekly Review – November 9, 2015

1. Could our ability to feed both the world and our gut microbes lie in the very place where all food begins…the soil? The Guardian

2. Curcumin is HOT (where health media is concerned). Is all the hype true? A recent review of the use of curcumin in cancer therapy suggests yes Frontiers in Chemistry

3. Soda and junk foods are not making you fat is a prime example of the need to look at research authorship and funding – the article was co-authored by Brian Wansink, PhD, a member of McDonald’s® Corporation’s Global Advisory Council Market Watch

4. The gut microbiome may be the reason why some respond better to cancer immunotherapy than others. Scientists predict that the microbiome will help assist and improve cancer therapy in the future Science Daily

5. Emulsifiers found in processed foods alter gut bacteria in mice and are linked to inflammatory bowel disease and metabolic disorders. Another reason to eat whole foods Nature

6. Explore the gut microbiome at The Natural History Museum’s exhibit, The Secret World Inside You – a life-changing experience, especially for visual learners New York Times If you can’t make it, join virtually Business Insider

7. Non-responsive celiac disease (which doesn’t respond to a gluten free diet) is as common in children as in adults, and makes up approximately 25% of childhood cases Healio

8. Oils with high levels of saturated fats – coconut oil, butter, and even lard – prove to be the healthiest cooking oils in a recent study. When subjected to heat, vegetable oils (even olive oil) form aldehydes – a harmful byproduct linked to an increase in heart disease and cancer BBC

9. A look at the long-term effects of gastric bypass surgery on the gut microbiome found that post-surgery microbes burned fewer carbohydrates and more fat, resulting in reduced body fat gain. Scientists conclude that some of the long-term weight loss observed in gastric bypass surgery could be driven by the microbiome Cell

By: Leslie Ann Berg MSPH