Nutritional science major elucidates the power of the intestinal microbiota

Hi guys. It’s raining quite a bit in New Haven today, but the manager let it take its course and, well…

The author looks directly into the camera and dramatically cracks open his laptop. “It’s a great day for procrastination.”

Should I study Orgo II? Probably. But I’ve already been studying since early this morning and I’m making good progress so far. Lately, I’ve become more and more obsessed with the power of the gut microbiome (as you can see from my previous post), but I haven’t yet gotten over its addiction. So far, most of what I’ve uncovered is the “content” of the gut microbiome (composition, location, species, etc.) in addition to its function, but I’m still not sure what makes it thrive. I’m quite confused.

Of course, fibrous foods provide large amounts of fermentable carbohydrates that can be recycled into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) to support the intestinal wall barrier, but I’ve never really dug into what those foods are. , in some cases we would like to create a ranking. . Moreover, what about specific species? Are some better than others? In other words, are high concentrations of Bifidobacteria better than Firmicutes and Proteobacteria? Beyond food, our microbiome is influenced by activity and lifestyle. What do you respond best to?

There are so many questions I want to ask, and frankly, I don’t know if I can answer them all in one blog post. But I think you can try it.

First, the biggest thing to differentiate is what prebiotics and probiotics are. Simply put, prebiotics are probiotics, meaning they help your gut bacteria grow. Essentially, it’s like feeding your cat your favorite brand of cat food made for that specific breed of cat.

…However, your pussy is made up of a bunch of squirmy guys. intention Let me tell you Taco Bell was a bad idea.

In most cases, making sure to eat a variety of foods (within each macronutrient category, which means eating different things within that section) is the best way to check all the microbiome boxes. is. butif you’re trying to get into the nitty-gritty of things, let’s talk about the cool kids in the neighborhood.

lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.

Now, these are the gates. This means that they are home to several genera that are responsible for many species of bacteria under those phyla. However, for the sake of simplicity, we will stick to the gut microbiome phylum. Bacteria from these phyla primarily consume the same thing or belong to the same food group, so the necessary information is not sacrificed.

“But Beatrice, aren’t probiotics made from prebiotics if they are in the food you eat?” says my dear listener. .

Author, squint: “Well, somehow?”

In order to establish a colony, you need to be able to a) feed and b) reproduce (apparently you can reproduce by consuming it).

Let’s take lactic acid bacteria as an example. These small substances are often found in fermented dairy products such as kefir and yogurt. but, if you want to nourish the man that is already present in your body, just eat dairy products. Lacto is related to milk and is metabolized by lactic acid bacteria to produce energy. Therefore, like any other fermented product, there is a large amount of substances such as the broken down lactose (milk sugar) and the lactic acid bacteria that fed on the sugar.

When it comes to Bifidobacteria (which sounds a lot like “Bilbobacteria”, haha), Bifidobacteria are usually found in foods high in fiber (like apples, blueberries, almonds) and prebiotics (like onions, garlic, bananas). , use lots of whole grains. (i.e. barley and oats), fermented foods such as kimchi, yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut (Robertson). These tiny animals are key to preventing illness and disease and are one of the largest populations in your gut. More interestingly, vaginal delivery is recommended due to the fact that children are born with higher concentrations of bacteria. Isn’t that crazy? Like a baby bacteria?

Actually, don’t bother. It just gives me a mental image of a strange symbiote child with flagella (small whip-like extensions) on its fingers. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Overall, prebiotics are carbohydrate-based. I’m not sure how good bagels are for your microbiome, but vegetables like onions, celery, asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, chicory root, and bacon potatoes (lorim) are great when it comes to watering your microflora garden. Very good.

As a side note, I want to make something very clear that people may not realize: stress has an incredible effect on the body. If you put it and everything it houses in survival mode, it won’t be able to function properly.Stress unwinds proteins, so you basically delete yourself Biologically.

I’m not saying you should put off chemical testing like I did.I morning That means taking a breath, reevaluating yourself, and going from there. It’s easier said than done, but believe me when I say you can do it.

Then there’s the fact of how we treat our bodies. I don’t mean going to the gym or eating right, no, no. That is what you say to it. How does it make your body feel? If someone tells you that you’re bad at something or that it looks interesting, do you think you’ll want to try something new or prove yourself?

Absolutely not.

The body hears what you are saying about it, what you think about it, and will quote your opinion when discussing it at the dinner table. They say the gut is your second brain, and this has been true for me many times. Did you turn your stomach before something terrible happened? Your body knows things. It means your consciousness is more in tune with the world than ever before. So maybe the reason you want chocolate is, I don’t know, but your physiological bundle of DNA, which has been perfected over the past millions of years, is telling you what you want and when you want it. Maybe it’s because I know exactly what’s going on.

Trust is not easy. It’s not easy when you’re a woman and this is your body. It’s not easy when you’re a man and this is your body. If you’re neither of these things, or both, and this is your body, it’s not easy.

All I can say is take your time and listen. When your body wants to be heard, it tells you what’s going on.

We hope this article has given us some insight and perhaps changed your mind a little. Always question everything. It almost always pays off, especially in school. Education collects clutter.

Dust those shelves.

Yes, everyone. I think it’s rap. Please be careful and walk with light steps for the rest of the week. You can do anything you set your mind to.

With peace, lots of love, and all things peanut butter,
beatrice

Works Cited

• Robertson, Ruairi. “Why bifidobacteria are good for the body” health line, July 25, 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-bifidobacteria-are-good#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6. Accessed March 23, 2024.
• Lolim, Priscilla Moura. “Development of prebiotic foods and health benefits.” Food Science and Technology (Campinas), vol. 35, no. 1, March 2015, pp. 3–10, www.scielo.br/j/cta/a/NjPr75pbXc5vD3Hs4Cn5XKG/?lang=en, https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-457x.6546. Accessed March 23, 2024.

Beatrice Glaviano ’26 is majoring in nutritional sciences at the University of New Haven.