There is no longer any doubt, the intestinal microbiota is at the heart of our well-being.
But how do we take care of our second brain to keep it healthy?
Thanks to diet, answers American gastroenterologist Will Bulsiewicz.
In an episode of the podcast
The diary of a CEO
, posted online on January 1, the doctor lists the ingredients essential for intestinal health, and groups them under the acronym “F-GOALS”.
Translated from English, the acronym includes the following foods: fruits and fermented products, green vegetables and grains, omega-3, herbs, legumes, algae, sulforaphane and mushrooms.
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“Gut health is not only important for digestion, it is also thought to affect other parts and functions of the body, including the immune system, mental health and cognition, metabolism and hormones,” recalls the specialist behind the podcast microphone.
Each food nourishes and stimulates “specific families of microbes,” he explains.
Hence the importance of taking care of your diet, not by restricting yourself, but rather by varying the contents of the plate as much as possible.
Vary the bacteria
Among the essentials for the health of our microbiota: first of all omega-3, which helps in particular to regulate the types and quantities of bacteria in the intestine, underlines the gastroenterologist.
As a reminder, these fatty acids are found in certain vegetable oils, in nuts, flax and chia seeds, or even in fatty fish such as mackerel or sardines.
As for fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut or pickles, they increase the diversity of bacteria present in the microbiome, according to a study carried out in 2021 by Stanford University and cited by the doctor.
This is also the case for fibers and resistant starches, widely present in green vegetables and whole grains.
Oats, rye, rice, barley, buckwheat…
Protect yourself from diseases
Fruits protect us from diabetes, also indicates the specialist.
“A study carried out in 2023 showed that people who ate 300 grams of additional fruit per day, over a period of three years, had 8.2% less risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” says- he.
As for legumes, he says they are a “food for longevity”.
“Eating it helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases,” he says.
Just like herbs, such as onions, garlic and shallots, which both protect our heart but also reduce the risk of cancer, while “helping to control high blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels” .
Finally, Will Bulsiewicz recommends consuming algae and mushrooms for their fiber content, as well as sulforaphane, present in certain vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, for its preventive action against cancer.
“Each meal is an opportunity to add variety to our plate,” he finally encourages.
And to vary your eating habits in a lasting way, the gastroenterologist recommends starting with products whose taste you enjoy.