It Always Comes Down to The Microbes
What do people diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes or obesity have in common? An altered microbiota! A University of British Columbia (UBC) research team recently revealed the surprising link between microbes and diseases once thought to be "non-communicable."
Over the last 10-15 years, research has demonstrated that people with a wide range of conditions, from obesity and inflammatory bowel disease to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease have altered microbiota. Of course, there are probably genetic components to some of these diseases, but for those you can't explain based on genetics, it always comes down to the microbes.
Dr. Brett Finlay and colleagues at UBC are working with companies to develop live bio-therapeutic products, which are like a probiotic but targeted at specific diseases or their prevention. They believe that, eventually, we should be able to take mixtures of microbes and correct issues that the harmful microbes, or lack of beneficial microbes, are causing.
Their take home message: it used to be that you eat a healthy diet because it gives you the right vitamins and nutrients. And now that book has been rewritten: you eat a healthy diet, because it makes your microbes healthier — and they then have a beneficial effect on you. It always comes down to the microbes. To learn more about what to eat for your microbes check out these blog posts:
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