Thank you to the more than 400 people who attended Dr. Terry Wahls’ lecture about the microbiome on June 10. Thanks also to our collaborators for the event, Des Moines University, Des Moines Public Library, and The Harkin Institute for helping bring this event to life.
Dr. Wahls’ topic was “The Microbiome-Brain-Immune Axis” and she offered several key takeaways. Below, find a free PDF download, a summary of key concepts from her talk, as well as next steps for learning more about her work with autoimmune research, prevention, and treatment.
Build Your Microbiome
By Terry Wahls MD, Des Moines, Iowa
Try Dr. LoRang’s recipe for homemade fermented sauerkraut.
Seven strategies for a healthier microbiome:
- Eat fermented foods with every meal
- Have a dog
- Play in the dirt
- Stop eating sugar
- Eat more organic dirt
- Eliminate fructose
- Eat organic food to avoid antibiotics and pesticides in the food (which kill healthy gut bacteria)
We have approximately 23,000 genes in our human DNA. Our microbiome—that is the microorganisms living in and on our bodies–has over 9 million genes, of which 5 million are unduplicated and help us run the chemistry of life. Evidence continues to grow that the greater the diversity of gut bacteria species, the better the health and vitality enjoyed by the individual. The more limited the diversity of the bacterial species,the more chronic health problems the person will have.
Analyses of the stool of humans before the dawn of agriculture
show that their microbiomes were much more similar to the hunter-gatherers who are still eating a traditional diet than urban dwellers.The number of different species living in our gut declined as society shifts from hunter-gatherer to subsistence farmer to urban dweller to chronically ill urban dweller.
When you have an unhealthy mix of bacterial species in your bowels, you are more likely to have health problems. One of the most effective strategies for shifting the mix of bacteria to a more health promoting mix is to follow Wahls Protocol® program. I have created the Wahls Protocol® Premium Menus to make adopting and sustaining this new way of eating even easier.
A healthy microbiome with lots of diversity is critical to our health! Following the Wahls Protocol® program is a great start to healing your microbiome.
More Resources:
Clinical Trials:
“Dietary Approaches to Treating Multiple Sclerosis Related Fatigue” is still recruiting study subjects! Contact MSDietStudy@healthcare.uiowa.edu for more information.
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FREE PDF Download: Build Your Microbiome
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