Here’s an excerpt from a recent article that I read:
So how might bacteria in the gut affect your weight? Research suggests that organisms in our intestines have a significant impact on how fats in our food are metabolized, absorbed and stored. The first data to suggest a connection between the health of the gut and the risk of obesity was published in 2004, and since then more than 100 articles have been published trying to elucidate the mechanism behind this.
An imbalance of harmful bacteria in the gut can secrete substances known as endotoxins that can incite inflammation and contribute to changes in hormones that subsequently lead to weight gain. In a recent study in China, scientists identified an obesity-linked bacteria known as Enterobacter from a morbidly obese adult male; when that bacterium was eliminated from his gut, he lost nearly 30 percent of his body weight. The researchers then fed this same Enterobacter to a group of mice; they developed obesity and insulin resistance from this exposure. (K. Judge & M. Barish-Wreden; The Sacramento Bee - Mclatchy-Tribune News Service; Sacramento, Calif.; 2012)
Symptoms of enterobacter infections are serious and most always lead to hospitalization and sometimes fatality. Although it’s unlikely that you will ever have these serious bacteria in your gut, it’s important to note how fragile our gut is. We have to take care of our gut in order to maintain healthy nutrition balance.
Knowing the things that can lead to a build-up of harmful bacteria can help us avoid pitfalls later on. Here are some of the things that can affect that build-up:
Foods we eat
Use of antibiotics
Chronic ingestion of acid-reducing medications
Stress
It may be hard to believe, but the bacteria in your gut can change in as little as a day. So how do we keep our gut healthy?
Avoid processed grains
Avoid sugars
Switch to whole, unprocessed grains
Incorporate more fermented foods like yogurt
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