In his book “Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain,” Dr. Nandi discusses the microbiome. Probiotics are healthy ingredients living in our bodies. These live microorganisms regulate digestion and intestinal function. What can we nutritionally do to care for our gut and brain?
Probiotic health can be impacted in different ways. In January 2024 I was hospitalized for pneumonia. I was given a high dose of antibiotics to kill the infection in my lung. I remained on antibiotics for three months at which point my lung had recovered enough, therefore I did not need to take the medication any longer. However, the antibiotics killed the healthy bacteria, leading to gut issues that remain today for me. The research shows my gut microbiome can be disrupted for up to six months after antibiotic treatment. Currently, I am almost 12 months.
Dr. Nandi says, “When an imbalance in the microbiome occurs, as I’ve seen in my practice, this can be linked to many other conditions, including arthritis, allergies, and even depression. My research and experience have convinced me that depression and anxiety are among the mental health signs of an unbalanced gut. The probiotic bacteria in your system can be restored and sustained by eating fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, aged cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and tempeh, as well as fortified dark chocolate, certain juices, and cereals.”
Probiotics can also be taken as supplements. The two most commonly available strains found in supplements are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
Dr. Nandi strongly urges us to buy organic fruits and vegetables. Why? Because in any other form, they are treated with pesticides which impact our gut health. The Environmental Working Group has a tool to track pesticide dietary risks called, “The Dietary Risk Index System.” The following 12 “Dirty Dozen” fruits and vegetables we are advised to not eat (unless organic) are: apples, blueberries, cherries, grapes, green beans, greens, nectarines, peaches, pears, peppers, spinach, and strawberries.
We can substitute the “Dirty Dozen” with the “Clean Fifteen” foods – which tend to have the lowest amounts of pesticide residues – ( preference is to buy organic if we can afford it and it is available in stores): asparagus, avocados, cabbage, carrots, frozen peas, honeydew melon, kiwis, mangoes, mushrooms, onions, papayas, pineapple, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, and watermelon.
I hope the blogs about our gut and brain health encourage us to explore more about our health. Whether we have mental health, substance misuse conditions, or other physical conditions I encourage us to read “Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain” by Dr. Partha Nandi – Mayo Clinic Press – He also goes into great detail on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
How may this information help improve your health? Drop me a note I would love to learn from you. ljw@superhumanbeing.net
SuperHuman Being
Peace Larry
email: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net/