233 | How To Truly Support Your Gut Microbiome with Dr. Heather Zwickey

“Any bacteria can be good or bad. What matters is whether it's in balance” We have Dr. Heather Zwickey to provide you with Microbiome 101 education, explaining the 3 hallmarks of microbial composition and whether or not disease starts in the gut. Then, she explores mood and how different food compounds lead to the production of specific neurochemicals in the gut, from microbes. Additionally, she explains why some foods produce "food highs" and are craved during depressive states. Then, she lists a few nutritional considerations to benefit your microbiome and reduce inflammation, whether or not there are good and bad bacteria, how health is not defined by the individual microbes present but by the overall metabolites different microbial strains produce and considers how fermented foods, prebiotics, and post-biotics can be more beneficial than probiotics. In addition, Dr. Heather discusses how plentiful and carnivore diets change microbial patterns and how midnight snacking impacts the microbiome too. Finally, she explains how not all sugar is equal, the effects of sugar on the microbiome, whether or not the dose of artificial sweeteners matters, and how you can approach your microbiome! Grab a notebook and tune in! The next best thing to being completely barefoot is being in barefoot shoes. Benefit your foot strength and foot, ankle, and mobility! Get 15% off with code TOB on your next Vivobarefoot shoe purchase and you'll get 100 days to try your shoes and return them if you are unsatisfied. **Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund. What You Will Learn In This interview Interview with Dr. Heather Zwickey: 3:34 - What is the microbiome 4:39 - What affects your microbiome 7:03 - Does “all disease start in the gut”? 8:48 - Çan your gut microbial composition affect your mood? 11:43 - Exorphins 13:02 - How to benefit your microbiome and reduce inflammation 16:55 - Good vs Bad Bacteria in the gut 18:21 - Will testing your bacteria define how healthy you are? 20:09 - Supplements to help your gut health? 25:08 - What you should take for a GI upset? 25:08 - Plantful vs Carnivore diet 29:42- Midnight snacking & sleep on the microbiome 33:29 - How does sugar affects your microbiome? 38:01 - Does the dose of artificial sweeteners matter? 39:41 - Figuring out YOUR microbial journey 42:17- Learn more with Dr. Heather Item's Mentioned Dr. Heather's Website Dr. Heather's Podcast To learn more about Dr. Heather and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://www.docjenfit.com/podcast/episode233/ Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tobpodcast/message