Although the headline statistic has been debunked (new findings suggest we are roughly equal parts human and bacteria), there’s still much to enjoy in this book. Biologist Alanna Collen is a skilled writer, using images and metaphors to make this complex topic easy to understand. She’s also refreshingly honest about what science can’t yet answer.

Dark Matter - Penguin Books UK

Filed under my favorite books on gut health and anxiety, it offers 10 simple steps to take toward optimal health. It provides proven techniques (particularly deep breathing methods) to reconnect with our bodies and reclaim our health by keeping our guts healthy.In this book, the twins also explore and explain the links between our gut and important aspects of our sleeping patterns, mental health, and even our skin. I love that this book discusses everything from gut health to a wide range of conditions that I didn’t know were affected by gut issues. Spector’s 30-year-long study of 15,000 twins, TwinsUK, and his PREDICT studies have shown that even genetically identical people respond to the same foods very differently (our microbiomes are so variable that twins share only 30% of the same gut microbes). By feeding participants the same meals on different days, he was able to show that responses to the same meals also vary hugely between individuals, influenced by both the microbiome and genetics. This matters, says the ZOE team, because our response to food is linked to our risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity, but also because it blows apart the tired and useless mantra “calories in, calories out”, which doesn’t make sense in a world where two people’s blood glucose levels can be hugely different after eating the same slice of cake.

The Gut Microbiome: Exploring the Connection between Microbes

Singh RK, Chang HW, Yan D, et al. Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health. J Transl Med. 2017;15(1):73. doi:10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y An estimated 70 million people in the United States are affected by SIBO, IBS, or one of the more than a dozen other diseases linked to digestive health, and 74% of Americans say they live with symptoms of digestive discomfort. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)—the most common gastrointestinal condition in the United States—affects millions of people of all ages. Not only do those who suffer from IBS and its similar, sister diagnosis—small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)—experience symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits, they may also avoid participating in activities, social events, or travel for fear of having to constantly disappear to the bathroom or the embarrassment of explaining their discomfort.You’ll also learn about the stool transplant, the strange but possibly effective remedy to a severely troubled microbiome.

Microbiome - Goodreads Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome - Goodreads

A very small Italian study using a similar commercial probiotic, Sivomixx, piqued his interest after it suggested acute Covid patients treated with it might be less likely to end up in ICU or to die, and eight times less likely to suffer respiratory failure. Bjarnason is hoping to start a larger study in the next few months. Having a holistic, natural view of the microbial universe around us is essential. Microorganisms are not only responsible for human gut health. They are also the reason our planet is habitable, they keep our soils enriched and thriving, and they are the reason we have food to eat and air to breathe. To fully understand gut health, I think it is essential to understand how microorganisms function and thrive in every area of life. I’ve included books that focus on the human microbiome and books that teach a holistic perspective of microorganisms in this book list. Did you know that there are hidden dangers in some common foods that many us love to eat? While that isn’t something new, I’m amazed by what I learned in this book – including how it’s good to avoid food with lectins (quinoa, tomatoes, zucchini, and brown rice). This book was written by an expert who works as a professor of medicine and the executive director of the UCLA Center for Neurobiology of Stress. Eat more omega 3 New research suggests a relationship between gut microbes, omega 3 and brain healthThe digestive tract remains a mysterious organ, and research continues to highlight how poorly understood it is. Take IBS for instance, the symptoms can be bad enough to stay home from work, avoid social occasions, and cut whole food groups out of your diet. Yet, there is no evidence of damage to the gut that can explain it. Trust this gnome, not the marketing, there is no ideal health book Eat more fibre Most of us eat only half the recommended 30g a day. But start slowly – our guts don’t like rapid change Spector hopes his tests – which don’t just test for microbes, but also assess blood fat and blood glucose responses to specific foods – will change this. “We’re just starting to get to the point where we can suggest individualised foods. This is not just isolated microbiome testing,” he says. “We have trials in place to quantify this, but the initial results are exciting, with nearly everyone reporting weight loss and improved energy levels without any calorie counting or traditional weight loss methods. Previous microbiome tests have been sub-optimal [but the] ZOE approach is completely different: using state of the art sequencing allows us to detect species and strains and find strong associations between these microbes and both foods and health.”

Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome : Kinross

It also has tips on how you can “listen to your gut” and actually understand what signals your body is sending from your gut to your brain. Noble EE, Hsu TM, Kanoski SE. Gut to brain dysbiosis: Mechanisms linking western diet consumption, the microbiome, and cognitive impairment. Front Behav Neurosci. 2017;11:9. doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00009 Everything we’re doing now is scratching the surface,” says Spector. “We are maybe 10% of the way there, because every week, we’re discovering something new. Humans want an easy answer [to improve our gut health], but you shouldn’t take anyone seriously who doesn’t say it’s complicated,” he says. “There’s a massive industry that needs a simple message to sell its products. They want to say all you’ve got to do is eat this bar, this yoghurt or this protein drink.”

Select a format:

In The Microbiome Connection , doctors Pimentel and Rezaie provide explanations of what happens to IBS/SIBO patients from the first diagnosis to the end of treatment; reveal what changes can occur in the body in terms of the underlying physical processes to symptoms that may develop; and share evidence-based management and treatment of those symptoms through dietary changes and drug treatment. Also included are meal plans and sample menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all of which are accompanied by explanations of which foods to eat in moderation and which foods to avoid because they will feed bacteria in the gut and could cause additional symptoms. The book isn’t just all talk. The authors also offer a health plan that includes recipes and a menu plan to nourish your microbiota and keep them from becoming endangered species. The Gut Wellness Guide” by Allison Post and Stephen Cavaliere is one of my favorite books on gut health and anxiety. Your gut microbiome influences more than your digestion—it can also affect your skin. Nutritional therapist Fiona Lawson shows how improving your digestion can alleviate your acne, with advice that’s transferable to other skin conditions too. Expect step-by-step guidance and a realistic, gentle approach. The Good Gut Guide: Delicious Recipes & a Simple 6-Week Plan for Inner Health & Outer Beauty ” by Liz Earle