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Food, Metabolism, and Microbiome: How They're Interconnected
In this week's Harmony With Food Radio Show I go over new studies that show how your microbiome affects your weight and the link between constipation and cardiovascular disease.
The Role of GLP-1 and Weight
There is a hormone called glucagon and a hormone called GLP-1 that is in the microbiome. It plays an important role in regulating blood glucose levels and appetite. It helps increase your insulin and decrease glucagon, which helps control your blood glucose levels and your weight.
GLP-1 is produced by the microbiome. It helps to decrease appetite and increase satiety, which helps us eat less because we feel full for longer.
How does the microbiome influence weight? A study.
In one study, scientists took the microbiome from a woman that was obese and put it into a rat in a lab through what's known as a fecal fat transfer and the rat became obese. When they took a thin woman's microbiome and put it into an obese rat, the obese rat became thin. What's even more interesting about the thin and obese women in the study is that they were identical twins. So, they had the same genetic makeup. That showed that their microbiomes were responsible for their weight differences.
Akkermansia and Weight Loss
The types of bacteria in your microbiome also matter. Often when I have clients do microbiome testing, the first thing we need to do is kill pathogens and certain bad bacteria that are present in high amounts in their microbiome. Then, we work on reinoculating or adding back the good bacteria.
There are actually specific bacteria, like Akkermansia, that are associated with a lower weight. Studies show that Akkermansia positively affects the functioning of the gut barrier. It can help increase your metabolism and help decrease lipopolysaccharides, which are toxins in your gut that can cause joint pain, cramping, inability to sleep, and leaky gut.
A study by the American Gut Project with 10,554 participants from the ages of 20 to 99 found that there was an association between Akkermansia and obesity. With a 10% higher number of Akkermansia, the risk for obesity was reduced by an average of 26%. And this was independent of age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, and location.
So, supplementing with the right probiotics can make a big difference in your health and weight loss.
Short Chain Fatty Acids and Weight
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid present in your gut. It has many functions, but one of them is to stimulate GLP 1 and improve the production of that hormone. Improving your levels of butyrate may help resolve weight loss resistance.
Ready to Fix Your Microbiome?
Your microbiome affects everything. If you're ready to lose weight, feel great, and get healthy, click the button below to schedule a free 45-minute call with me!
Constipation and Hypertension
Constipation can be very uncomfortable and keep you from feeling and functioning your best. Studies are now showing that constipation can cause more than just discomfort. It can actually put you at a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or high blood pressure.
A study on people over 60 in Australia found that patients with constipation had almost double the risk of high blood pressure and were more likely to suffer from major cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack or stroke. Patients with constipation were associated with a 96% increase of high blood pressure. Patients with both constipation and hypertension had more than a 500% higher risk of cardiovascular events than patients with neither condition.
In constipation, there is increased water absorption from the gut. The microbiota change and can create inflammation of the gut, which may lead to hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.
You may think that constipation is just an annoying problem, but it can be much more than that. If you're ready to fix your gut, click here to schedule a free call with me.
