There’s amazing research coming out about our gut microbiome. So amazing that I think these discoveries will change the way we look at health.
And I say: It’s about time!
I’ve been talking about the importance of gut health for decades. Because the state of your gut can predict a slew of health problems…
Including cancer.
In fact, research has made a connection between this common diet and poor gut health—and therefore, a heightened risk of colorectal cancer (CRC).
Here’s everything you need to know…
Warning signs
According to a new study, a Western-style diet damages gut health and increases risk of CRC.
(This common diet is full of processed food, refined grains, sugar, and red meat.)
Researchers analyzed Western diet habits in nearly135,000 adults participating in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Nurses’ Health Study using a food questionnaire.
Then, they looked for DNA from bacterialstrains that are commonly found in colorectal tumors, known as polyketide synthase (pk+) E. coli.
It turns out, a Western diet allows this type of bacteria to THRIVE.
In fact, the presence of pks+ E. coli was nearly 345 percent higher among participants who were diagnosed with CRC. And, not surprisingly, these participants indulged more regularly in a Western-style diet.
Rebuild your gut
This study really highlights how your diet and gut are connected. What you eat CAN influence whether your gut hosts or destroys harmful bacteria.
Of course, when it comes to CRC, this is hardly news. Eating poorly leads to both systemic and intestinal inflammation, both of which can invite disease in—cancer included.
The simple solution? Make your gut health a priority.
Luckily, that’s quite easy to do—eat fresh, local, and seasonal foods. Restrict sugar and carbs. And take a good multi-strain probiotic that has its own naturally occurring pre- and postbiotics built in.
And if you have a poor diet, perhaps start screening for CRC early. (I have to wonder if this should be made a priority. It would make sense, for sure. But it certainly adds to the cost of our already astronomical healthcare system.)
I also give my Logical Health Alternatives subscribers an exclusive guide to a complete microbiome makeover (refer to the March and April 2019 issues, as this ran as a two-part series). So if you’re not already a subscriber, click here to become one. You won’t want to miss out on this valuable information!
Until next time,
Dr. Fred
Source:
“New Insight on How a Western Diet May Cause Colorectal Cancer.” Medscape, 07/01/2022. (medscape.com/viewarticle/976484)