Your Gut is Full of Bugs: Why This is Great News

04/28/22 • 48 min

1 Listener

You may have heard there are bugs in your gut. But do they matter?

Today, the evidence shows the answer is a resounding yes. This ecosystem of tiny microbes living in our bodies is one of the most exciting areas in medical research, linked to everything from metabolic to mental health.

So while many of us have heard that gut health is essential, few of us understand why and what we should do to support our gut bacteria.

In this episode, Jonathan speaks with Will Bulsiewicz to find out when our microbiome begins to form, the most effective ways to support our gut health, and the role these gut bacteria play in controlling our weight.

Will Bulsiewicz is a board-certified gastroenterologist, and New York Times bestselling author of the microbiome book Fiber Fueled.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 - Intro

00:11 - Topic introduction

01:29 - Quickfire questions

02:55 - What is the microbiome?

08:51 - The role of the microbiome?

11:52 - The microbiome as an organ?

17:01 - Why does the microbiome matter?

21:01 - How does the microbiome affect our metabolism and weight?

24:12 - Do we have a microbiome before we are born? How does it develop?

32:44 - What can you do to improve your gut health?

35:55 - Analyzing the microbiome to know more about your relationships

39:24 - 3 health tips to improve our microbiomes

41:42 - Summary

44:40 - Outro

Episode transcripts are available here.

Follow Will: https://www.instagram.com/theguthealthmd/

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.

You may have heard there are bugs in your gut. But do they matter?

So while many of us have heard that gut health is essential, few of us understand why and what we should do to support our gut bacteria.

Will Bulsiewicz is a board-certified gastroenterologist, and New York Times bestselling author of the microbiome book Fiber Fueled.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 - Intro

00:11 - Topic introduction

01:29 - Quickfire questions

02:55 - What is the microbiome?

08:51 - The role of the microbiome?

11:52 - The microbiome as an organ?

17:01 - Why does the microbiome matter?

21:01 - How does the microbiome affect our metabolism and weight?

24:12 - Do we have a microbiome before we are born? How does it develop?

32:44 - What can you do to improve your gut health?

35:55 - Analyzing the microbiome to know more about your relationships

39:24 - 3 health tips to improve our microbiomes

41:42 - Summary

44:40 - Outro

Episode transcripts are available here.

Follow Will: https://www.instagram.com/theguthealthmd/

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.

Previous Episode

Fats and oils: What’s the real story?

Today we’re talking about fat, a delicious component of our food with a terrible reputation.

Fats have been broadly associated with weight gain and heart disease until recently.

A mountain of new scientific evidence suggests this is wrong and that it's not as simple as ‘all fat is bad’. Indeed, eating more healthy fat might actually reduce heart disease for many people.

In today’s episode, Jonathan speaks to Dr Sarah Berry to learn about what science tells us today, whether it is possible to lose weight on a high-fat diet, what oils we should be cooking with, and the different types of fats.

Dr. Sarah Berry is one of the world's leading experts on human nutrition, who has personally run over 20 randomised clinical trials looking at how humans respond to different fats.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 - Intro

02:50 - Episode Start

03:08 - Quickfire round

04:54 - Can fat ever be healthy?

08:53 - Is it possible to put on weight if you’re on a low-fat diet?

10:50 - Food accessibility & bioaccessibility

13:22 - Understanding the caloric data of fats

19:25 - Fats’ relationship with cholesterol

23:40 - Food labels aren't necessarily helpful

27:45 - What are the best oils to cook with?

33:04 - Are there any dangers of cooking with oil?

37:43 - Are eggs safe?

38:56 - Is fish good for you?

42:26 - Summary

45:59 - Goodbyes

46:28 - Outro

Episode transcripts are available here.

Follow Sarah: https://twitter.com/saraheeberry

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.

Next Episode

Is Coffee Healthy?

Coffee’s earliest consumption dates back millennia when the tribesmen of Ethiopia used its ground-up berries to help aid concentration during prayer.

Arriving in Europe in the 17th century, Coffee quickly began to replace beer and wine as a favourite breakfast drink.

In the 20th century, coffee was blamed for high blood pressure and heart attacks, and more recently linked to a rising epidemic of poor sleep.

None of this has prevented coffee’s relentless rise. Over 2 billion cups of the stuff are drunk each day.

So, is coffee a guilty treat as many of us suspect? Or is it a health drink feeding your good gut bacteria?

In this episode, Jonathan speaks with James Hoffmann and Tim Spector to find out. They discuss how coffee affects your gut bacteria, your hormones and your heart, whether decaffeinated coffee is healthy, and discover some of coffee’s most surprising side effects – which could come in handy if you find yourself in the jungle.

James Hoffmann is a leading coffee expert and author of the World Atlas of Coffee and co-founder & chairman of the Square Mile Coffee Roasters.
Tim Spector is a co-founder at ZOE and one of the top 100 most cited scientists in the world.

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Timecodes:

00:00 - Intro

00:11 - Topic introduction

01:54 - Quickfire questions

03:30 - What is coffee and why are we willing to spend money on it?

04:51 - Views on coffee

08:07 - Health properties of coffee

10:24 - How is coffee made?

14:32 - Quantities of caffeine in beverages

16:12 - How important is fermentation for coffee flavor?

17:20 - What does the fermentation stage look like?

19:51 - Fiber & coffee

24:00 - Effects of coffee

24:54 - How much is too much coffee?

26:39 - What time is the best to drink coffee?

30:32 - What is decaf and is it safe?

34:03 - Does James drink decaf?

34:44 - Is decaf as healthy as caffeinated coffee?

36:01 - Does coffee quality matter?

37:00 - James' coffee preference

38:15 - Health side effects of coffee

40:25 - Is it healthy to mix coffee with milk?

42:48 - James' opinion on coffee with milk

44:31 - Summary

46:39 - Instagram question: Does coffee dehydrate you?

47:00 - Goodbyes

47:17 - Outro

Episode transcripts are available here.

Follow James: https://www.instagram.com/jimseven/

Follow Tim: https://twitter.com/timspector

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions

ZOE Science & Nutrition - Your Gut is Full of Bugs: Why This is Great News

Transcript

[00:00:00] Jonathan Wolf: Welcome to ZOE science and nutrition, where world-leading scientists explain how their research can improve your health. â ̈

You may have heard there are bugs in your gut, but do they matter? Only 20 years ago, the answer from scientists was no. Today, new evidence shows the answer is a resounding yes. This ecosystem of tiny microbes living in our bodies is one of the most exciting areas in medical research, linked to everything from metabolic to mental hea