We have an intimate connection with this world, and some of the most essential ties binding us together are the microbes that reside in and around us. We may take for granted how vital their proper balance can be to our health because too often we dismiss them as "gross" and try not to think about it. But many of us who suffer from undiagnosed chronic inflammatory conditions may be suffering from the...
Looking at our ancestors can teach us a lot about where we’ve come from and how much we’ve changed. We modern humans might not be quite the same beings we were millennia ago, but we’ve also remained unchanged in many ways. Archeologists have worked painstakingly to piece together human history, and much of their research depends on remains left behind by our predecessors. Even ancient waste can offer...
Many have started to realize that our guts are complex biological systems filled with trillions of -microscopic residents. This diverse array of bacteria live in cooperation with our bodies, working to keep our systems balanced and functioning—and in return, we offer them a place to live. Experts have warned for some time now that -antibiotics- can have harmful impacts on our gut health, but now they’re...
Artificial sweeteners once seemed like the holy grail, only to disappoint many with the news of their -harmful effects on the gut. Then came stevia, the -natural extract of a plant- with a sweetness of 200-300 times that of sucrose. People rejoiced! they could have sweet things without sugar and without chemical sweeteners. This seemingly safer alternative has grown in popularity over recent years,...
Our bodies house somewhere between -10 and 100 trillion microbes-, most of which live in our guts. These microbes seem to contribute more than we ever thought our wellbeing and many of our body processes. The balance can be delicate, however; many of them are sensitive to the foods and chemicals we expose them to—and are therefore subject to imbalance. Microscopic Alliance - Animals and microbes have...
Though they may seem like very different parts of the body with very different purposes, the gut and the heart actually have a lot in common. Both are focal points for many of the feelings we experience — and whether you listen to your gut or follow your heart, you’ve likely felt the emotional effects of both. But colloquialisms aside, researchers have recently discovered a whole new, purely physical...
Depression can loom over every aspect of a person’s life, causing -severe disability- in many cases and sometimes even leading to suicide. Time- reports that the world will likely be spending $17 billion on antidepressants by 2020. But what if the best medicine for depression doesn’t come in a pill? What if gut health and diet plays an even bigger role than we've thought? - Let's be clear right off...