This means YOU possess gut flora diversity and higher numbers of probiotic germs/microbiota. There is a growing body of literature and evidence that disruption of the normal microbiota/probiotics in and on the human body is associated with many modern human diseases including neurologic, cardiovascular, allergic, autoimmunity or inflammatory, and multiple cancers.
This disruption of microbes, mostly in our gut, originates from exposures beyond our control like pesticide residues in food, antibiotics in food, and synthetic molecules that get into us like diesel exhaust, plastic, hormone disruptors, and air pollution. Loss of the native state of good diverse microbes results from the modern industrialized lifestyle.
The most influential aspect that depletes our biodiversity and numbers of good species inside the body is the fact we don’t eat enough dietary fiber (PREBIOTIC)/resistant starch anymore like we were intended. Disruption of our microbes or shifts in the number and type of germs is called “Dysbiosis”. You do not want Dysbiosis. Dysbiosis impairs our immune system’s ability to prevent disease and efficiently heal from insults.
You want to have SUPER DOOPER POOPER TROOPER status to have the best chance of preventing and treating many diseases. Just because you have regular bowel habits doesn’t mean you have microbial diversity. If you suffer with irritable bowel, inflammatory bowel disease, allergy, inflammation, cardiovascular, neurologic, and cancer, you want to get “moving” on upping your fiber grams intake. It is likely that our gatherer-fisher-hunter ancestors ate about 100-150 grams of fiber per day. Currently, there are present-day hunter-gatherers who maintain high fiber diets eating a 100 grams of fiber per day. They don’t suffer with allergies or inflammatory diseases that permeate a modern lifestyle. Most Americans eat 10-25 grams per day. Sadly, many of us are misled about what high fiber is and how to have great gut flora diversity. The microbial diversity story is so important many hospitals now delay washing newborn babies to allow colonization to ensue.
We believe we can eat yogurt, drink Kombucha or apple cider vinegar, and take probiotic pills and have magical restoration of diverse gut flora. We don’t know if many of these germs that pass through our digestive tract make it to the last 6 feet (colon) where they primarily reside. It’s a treacherous journey that is met with hostile digestive enzymes and acid. Then the native or resident gut flora does not like the newcomers as they are a threat.
Gut flora can change for the better. Fiber (prebiotic) and good fat is where it’s at! 30-50 grams of dietary fiber a day is key to become allergy free. The bigger the dose and the longer duration, the better health effects. Follow these habits:
- Get 30-50 or more grams of fiber daily. Supplementation is usually needed. I take 20 grams of inulin daily in my morning coffee. I worked up to that over about 10 weeks starting with a tsp a day that has about 2-2.5 grams of fiber. So, you increase a tsp every 5-7 days depending on your tolerance. Week 2 would be 2 tsp a day. Week 3 would be 3 tsp a day, and so forth. 20 g supplementation as a base ensures I get over 30 g total with the foods I eat. com is a great website for learning about gut health.
- Eat a handful of mixed tree nuts, peanuts, or seeds most days. If allergic, we can possibly fix that now with OIT. Other good fats include Olive oil, Omega 3 fats, Omega 7 fats, Monounsaturated fats, and MCT oil.
- Don’t take PPIs (omeprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, pantoprazole) daily. Acid is very important for our immune defense and to Acidophilus and Lactobacillus helping them thrive.
- Don’t over-consume Stevia, Splenda, and NutraSweet. One a day is alright
- Understand the “Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen” produce choices. “Google” it.
- Don’t be a “germophobe” or ultra-hygienic all the time. Obviously be proactive when around infectious people/family members, but you don’t have to “kill them all” every day.
- Don’t hate on mushrooms. Eat 1.5-2 cups cooked, canned, or frozen per week. Any kind any way!!! 3 cups if raw, since they are mostly water weight. Again, this is per week. This dose was shown in 2019 to help lower dementia since we do have “shit for brains”. The gut-brain-probiotic nervous system is a real interaction.
- Do most of these most of the time and you will have GOLDEN POOP or valuable, diverse probiotic gut germs.
Getting extra fiber grams does not have to be challenging or uncomfortable. Initially, it must be done slowly.
Most people only get 10-25 grams of fiber a day from food choices. For example, one may eat a cereal-size bowl of oatmeal with added berries and nuts/seeds for breakfast that amounts to about 8 fiber grams. Then they might have a salad for lunch, but leafy greens are not very fibrous averaging about 1 gram of fiber per cup of uncooked leafy greens. Obviously, a salad can be doctored up with garbanzo beans, artichoke hearts, olives, tomatoes, and onion to increase fiber. Dinner may include a protein, a vegetable, and a starch or some sorts. A cup of cooked broccoli is only 4-5 grams. Oatmeal, Salad, and then broccoli are great choices, but this typical day is only going to net about 20 grams of fiber.
There is a lot of dietary advice out there, but I feel strongly high fiber and low glycemic choices are the best. Earth provided us with what we needed. Now marketing slogans drive our behavior. Remember, a SUPER DOOPER POOPER TROOPER is mindful of fiber grams in your food choices and how many fiber grams are consumed per day.
In the April 2019 JAMA article there are a few key points that are very valuable to your health.
- 50 grams of fiber daily is a high-fiber intake that benefits a wide array of disease.
- Butyrate is GREAT and made by microbes in your colon when they are given enough fiber to metabolize it. Those who get 50 grams generate more butyrate and protect themselves from inflammation and cancer.
- Fiber Supplements are beneficial, and count towards your 30-50 gram per day goal. Dose matters.
A list of great, affordable supplements includes
- Inulin (a fine white powder that dissolves in warm fluids and mixes with anything) 2.5 g per tsp.
- Benefiber (easily found at Walmart, Costco, Target, or online but contains only 1.5 g per tsp.
- Fiber gummies. Usually, polydextrose from corn but different brands contain different fiber counts. The one I typically buy is FiberWell by Vitafusion. 5 g per gummy.
- Great Gut Prebiotic fiber is a oligosaccharide blend containing inulin. com
- BOB’S RED MILL POTATO STARCH is RESISTANT STARCH(RS) and is usually more tolerated and can be increased more quickly. 2 Tbs (20 g RS) dissolved nightly in 4 ounces of cool water is a great habit.
- Psyllium husk is great as well, but I do not like Metamucil since most of it has artificial flavors and harmful sweeteners like Stevia and Splenda. Let me say that Metamucil is better than nothing but inulin and benefiber are more natural and easier to work with. But be my guest and put any fiber to the test!!
Getting “Moving” on your fiber gram intake!!! Here is a build-up example. Most people tolerate if done slowly. Some people tolerate it better it in fluids with dinner or evening time as opposed to morning hot beverages.
- Week 1- 1 tsp of inulin gives you 2.5 g of extra fiber that day. Do it daily and then increase by 1 tsp every week or so.
- Week 2- 2 tsp of inulin daily now gives 5 grams of fiber per day.
- Week 3- 3 tsp of inulin daily now gives 7.5 grams of fiber per day.
- Week 4- 4 tsp of inulin daily now gives 10 grams of fiber per day. Some people may find it better on their gut system to split their fiber intake AM and PM so 2 tsp in am coffee/tea/water and 2 tsp in pm in a caffeine-free beverage.
- Week 5 – It’s a great diversification tool to incorporate other fibers like the gummy polydextrose, Benefiber, or the chia seeds or psyllium husk. Again, you would start very low at about 1-2.5 grams of fiber and gradually increase.
If one gets about 20 grams of extra fiber from supplementation and then eats about 20-30 grams of fiber from food, they are going to do a lot better over time. 30-50 grams is an ideal routine target!
Fiber/RESISTANT STARCH
is the most important supplement you can take. It will impact your health more than omega 3, vit D, or the “new” supplement of the month. It is cheap and effective. It’s better than a lot of “crap” out there!