Credit: iStock/Elena Istomina Did you know that the trillions of bacteria residing in your gut actively influence one of the most critical numbers in your life: your blood pressure? For a long time, scientists mainly looked at genetics, diet and lifestyle as the key reasons behind high blood pressure. While these factors are important, there’s … Continue reading Beyond the Bugs: Could Chemicals from Microbes Help Lower Blood Pressure?
Gut health
Gone Fishing for Signals in the Gut-brain Connection
Credit: iStock Zebrafish is a small tropical freshwater fish, named for their zebra-like stripes. Though tiny, this little fish plays a big role in biomedical research. It might surprise you that humans share about 70% of their genes with zebrafish. This makes the fish a powerful model for studying health and disease. Meet the zebrafish … Continue reading Gone Fishing for Signals in the Gut-brain Connection
How Too Much Salt Makes Your Gut Bacteria Sick
Credit: iStock Salt is widely used as a seasoning in our everyday food. It is sometimes used to preserve food. The American Heart Association advises eating less than 2,300 milligrams of salt daily. Eating salt in moderation is good for the muscles and the nerves. However, eating too much salt is linked to several diseases, … Continue reading How Too Much Salt Makes Your Gut Bacteria Sick
Autism, the Microbiome and Picky Eating: What’s Really Going On?
Credit: iStock/Magone Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a complex developmental condition that affects communication, behavior and social interaction. It is often marked by repetitive behaviors and highly focused interests. While the exact causes of autism remain unclear, what we do know is that its prevalence is rising. One out of every 31 eight-year-olds … Continue reading Autism, the Microbiome and Picky Eating: What’s Really Going On?
What You Need to Know About the Gut Microbiota and High Blood Pressure
Credit: iStock The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of microbiota (microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi) in the intestine or gut. There are trillions of microbiota living in our guts. During disease or under unfavorable conditions, harmful bacteria in our digestive tract overgrow, and a balance between beneficial and harmful bacteria is lost. … Continue reading What You Need to Know About the Gut Microbiota and High Blood Pressure
Gobble Up Your Thanksgiving Turkey for Better Gut Health
Credit: iStock With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many people connect their post-feast drowsiness to the amino acid tryptophan found in turkey. But how does tryptophan make you feel sleepier and more relaxed? It turns out tryptophan is not only known for causing those cozy post-meal naps but also for being a precursor to Vitamin … Continue reading Gobble Up Your Thanksgiving Turkey for Better Gut Health
Spotlight On: Probiotics
Credit: iStock You may notice the term “probiotics” popping up more and more often. These products seem to be everywhere. As you walk down your local supermarket aisles, you will find probiotics in fermented food such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha, as well as supplement pills. Additionally, the global market for probiotics is … Continue reading Spotlight On: Probiotics
How COVID-19 Affects the Gut Microbiome
Credit: iStock COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is known as primarily a respiratory disease. However, between 11% and 39% of people diagnosed with COVID-19 report having gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting or belly pain. GI symptoms are associated with a high risk of hospitalization and disease severity. As our understanding of the … Continue reading How COVID-19 Affects the Gut Microbiome
Are Prebiotics the New Probiotics?
Credit: iStock Chances are you’ve heard of probiotics: microorganisms found in yogurt and other fermented foods and supplements that are touted for their ability to help the gut stay healthy. But the precursor to probiotics, called prebiotics, may be the next big thing in eating healthy. The human body is made up of trillions of … Continue reading Are Prebiotics the New Probiotics?
Gut Health: You May Lose More than Your Luggage When You Travel
Discussing digestive function, or “gut movement,” at the dinner table may be uncomfortable, but moving—or not moving—your bowels can be equally painful. Regular bowel movements, constipation and diarrhea are influenced by many daily activities, including when you eat your meals. Throw travel across several time zones into the mix and you may be in for … Continue reading Gut Health: You May Lose More than Your Luggage When You Travel