The miracle of the gut microbiome (gut bugs)
Do you know we are made up of more bacteria than we are human cells?
In fact, there is 10 times more bacteria on and in our bodies than there are human cells. This is a fact I find absolutely mind boggling. I just love it.
And did you know that the gut microbes (gut bugs) speak directly to the brain via the Vagus Nerve?
The way I look at this and explain it to my patients is, every one of these gut bugs has a mobile phone, especially the ‘bad’ bugs. They have the latest iPhones and are also connected together via Facebook.
Have you ever suffered cravings, or am I just the only one that does that?
You know, at the end of the day when you have eaten a wonderful dinner, you are full and ready to sit a watch the television for an hour or so. But as you are sitting there, you suddenly find yourself day dreaming about the chocolate in the cupboard or the cake in the refrigerator or the cookies in the pantry. You find yourself wondering if they are safe, or if they need protecting?
You find yourself getting up off the sofa, walking to the chocolate, cake or cookies, just to see if they are safe.
You find yourself looking at them, you acknowledge they are safe, but instead of going back to the TV you find your hand reaching out towards them, bringing them up to your mouth and then eating them.
All the time, knowing you are not hungry, and you are fully aware that the action of eating them is not good for you. You then return to the TV and punish yourself for having done it. Tell yourself all sorts of negative things.
Right, can you identify with this, or am I the only one….
Well I am here to tell you is this is not your fault. You see, what happens is one of the ‘bad’ bugs, the ones that eat and thrive on sugar and fat, he decides he hasn’t enjoyed the dinner you ate. It was too healthy for him; he wants some sugar or fat. So he opens his phone and dials the brain. He tells the brain he knows there is chocolate in the cupboard and that he’d like a piece. But the brain is able to resist and says no, sorry, not good for us.
The bad bacterium then decides, not good enough, he wants it and he will have it. So he posts on his Facebook page that there is chocolate in the cupboard, and this message goes viral. All the other gut bugs then dials up the brain and you find yourself off the couch heading for the cupboard.
So it is the bad gut bacterium that is the problem.
What needs to happen is for your good healthy happy gut bacteria to out crowd these bad ones. Confiscate their mobile phones and hack into their Facebook accounts.
And the way we do this is with food. The food you eat will directly influence your gut bugs. The populations that thrive and flourish will determine your level of health.
Not only do the gut bugs influence your cravings, but depending upon the populations that flourish, will influence your mood, immune system, allergies, intolerances, weight, sleep and general wellbeing.
The gut bacteria all have jobs to do, and they need feeding.
One question I ask myself when I am about to eat is, will this food feed my good or my bad bacteria. Will it harm me or heal me. Will it promote inflammation (the root cause of all disease) or will it allow me to be pain free and full of energy and vitality.
In my 2½ day workshop I will teach you all about food:
- Macronutrients and micronutrients
- Vitamins and Minerals
- How spuds are the real superfood.
- How gut bugs love Resistant Starch
- Leptin and Ghrelin Resistance
- How to cook yummy food that you can eat bucket loads of and never be hungry
- How to eat out and stay healthy
Come join me at Phillip Island on May 5 – 7 if you really want to heal your body from chronic pain and illness.