Gastrointestinal / Gut Health as the 1st Core System

Gastrointestinal / Gut Health as the 1st Core System

Denis Burkitt, an Irish physician in the mid-twentieth century, first made a key observation about the link between poop and health while working as a medical missionary in Africa. He noticed that tribal hunter-gatherer populations, with daily stool weights of around 1 kg, had none of the chronic diseases that plagued their cousins who had moved to the cities, whose stool weights averaged only 100g. The difference? Fibre. Hunter-gatherers consumed 100-150 grams of fiber daily, while the modern Western diet provides only 8-15 grams, with fewer than 5% of people consuming the recommended 30 grams a day. This high-fiber diet fed the gut’s good bacteria, an essential part of the microbiome, long before its significance was understood by modern science.

Today, we know that the gut microbiome - comprising trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms—plays a central role in nearly every aspect of health. It is linked to chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, dementia, autoimmune disorders, allergies, mood disorders, and even autism. An imbalance in gut bacteria, known as dysbiosis, can lead to disease, while a balanced microbiome promotes health and longevity.

The Gut and Chronic Disease

The Western diet, full of processed foods, sugar, food additives, and chemicals like glyphosate (a weed killer used on 70% of global crops), along with the widespread use of gut-busting medications like antibiotics, acid blockers, and anti-inflammatories, has radically altered the composition of our gut bacteria. This imbalance can lead to a condition known as leaky gut, where the tight junctions between cells in the gut lining are compromised. As a result, undigested food particles, bacterial toxins, and proteins leak into the bloodstream, triggering an immune response and chronic inflammation, which accelerates ageing and drives disease.

Billions of dollars are being poured into microbiome research, with the hope of developing new treatments for gut-related diseases. Already, we have microbiome testing and a range of new probiotics and prebiotics available on the market. But while science advances, the foundational principles of restoring gut health remain rooted in diet and lifestyle.

Medicine’s Shift in Perspective on Gut Health

Historically, medicine viewed the gut as a simple tube from mouth to anus, with the sole function of nutrient and fluid absorption. Other than treating major gut diseases like reflux, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel diseases, the gut was largely ignored when it came to overall health. However, it is now recognized that the gut is at the center of health and disease prevention.

The gut is a complex system responsible for breaking down food into its basic building blocks—amino acids, sugars, and fats—while keeping out harmful microbes and toxins. A healthy microbiome, rich in beneficial bacteria, supports this process and provides essential metabolites that regulate various aspects of our health. In contrast, an imbalanced microbiome filled with harmful bacteria leads to inflammation, toxic metabolite production, and chronic disease.

The Importance of Gut-Friendly Foods

The number one intervention for preventing, treating, and even reversing disease is food. Think of food as your “farmacy”—not just like medicine, but as medicine. Every bite of food either nourishes the good bacteria in your gut or feeds the harmful ones, healing or damaging your gut lining. This is why a diet rich in whole, fiber-packed foods is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut.

High-fiber foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and beans feed the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Certain foods are particularly rich in prebiotic fibers, which nourish these good bugs. These include avocados, artichokes, asparagus, berries, peas, chia seeds, and pistachios. Probiotic-rich foods—like fermented vegetables, sauerkraut, pickles, tempeh, miso, natto, and kimchi—introduce healthy bacteria directly into your gut, helping to maintain a balanced microbiome.

Polyphenols, the colorful phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables, also play a key role. Beneficial bacteria thrive on polyphenols, and these bacteria, in turn, protect your gut lining and overall health. One particular strain of bacteria, Akkermansia muciniphila, thrives on foods like cranberry, pomegranate, and green tea. When present in abundance, Akkermansia helps create a protective mucous layer in the gut, preventing leaky gut, autoimmune disease, heart disease, and even diabetes.

The Dangers of a Modern Diet

Modern diets are rife with substances that disrupt the delicate balance of the gut. Processed foods, starch, and sugar feed the harmful bacteria and yeasts, leading to overgrowth, bloating, and discomfort. Refined oils, which make up about 10% of our calories, are another major offender. They can trigger metabolic endotoxemia, a condition where toxic by-products from bad bacteria poison the body, leading to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

In contrast, omega-3 fats from sources like fish and flaxseed are highly beneficial for gut health. They reduce inflammation and promote a healthy microbiome.

Additives in processed foods also pose a threat. Thickeners and emulsifiers, such as carrageenan and various gums, have been linked to leaky gut and autoimmune diseases. Medications like acid blockers, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, contributing to IBS, yeast overgrowth, and further gut damage.

Supporting Gut Health with Nutrients

In addition to a gut-friendly diet, certain nutrients can support gut function and repair. Zinc, Omega-3 fats, Vitamin A, and Glutamine are all essential for maintaining a healthy gut lining. Collagen-rich foods like bone broth and kudzu, a Japanese root, also help nourish the gut and support a healthy microbiome.

For newborns, breast milk contains special sugars called oligosaccharides that feed beneficial bacteria, helping to establish a healthy immune system. Research shows that disruptions to this process, such as the use of antibiotics before birth, can have long-term effects on the child’s microbiome, leading to conditions like colic, allergies, and autoimmune diseases.

Conclusion

Your gut may be the most important and complex system in your body. The health of your microbiome impacts nearly every aspect of your well-being, from digestion and immune function to mental health and aging. Achieving optimal gut health requires a balanced, whole-foods diet rich in fiber, probiotics, and polyphenols, while minimizing processed foods, sugar, and gut-disrupting medications.

Learning to tend your “inner garden” is essential for preventing disease, promoting longevity, and enhancing overall health. By making conscious choices every day to feed the good bugs and starve the bad ones, you can create a healthy, vibrant gut microbiome that supports your well-being for years to come.