How your GUT affects Weight-loss!

When it comes to weight-loss, people tend to focus on calories (eating less, burning more) or trying the latest fad diet that seems to be working for their neighbour/colleague/friend. Research is definitely pointing us in the direction of 'individualized' nutrition and eating based on the 'hormonal' effect of food, but we are also starting to see how important 'GUT health' is when it comes to weight-loss (not to mention overall healthy).

I wanted to dive into this topic today because over the last year low-carb and ketogenic diets have grown in popularity, and what I've been seeing how they can negatively affect gut health when not done in a balanced and strategic way. There's a real difference between following 'instagram keto' and whole-foods keto. In fact, ANY dietary change will change your gut health, so it's important to understand how to support your gut and WHY it matters. Read on.

I will discuss hormones more in another post, but today I want to dive into how your GUT affects weight-loss (or your ability to burn fat). What do I mean by 'GUT'? I'm talking about the trillions of bacteria that make up your microbiome (the diverse species of bacteria that live in your intestines and dictate the state of your health).

"Altogether, your gut is a huge chemical factory that helps to digest food, produce vitamins, regulate hormones, excrete toxins, produce healing compounds and keep your gut healthy." - Dr. Mark Hyman

Have you ever wondered how the exact same diet can have completely different results in two different people? One is shedding weight like crazy while the other isn't budging in their body composition? Turns out that depending on the types of bacteria found in their gut, they are utilizing the 'energy' from foods at different rates. That's right, burning calories at different rates depending on their gut flora and which species lives in their gut. So INTAKE doesn't always mean UPTAKE. These bacteria can also send messages to your brain telling you that you're HUNGRY or FULL. Yikes, that's a pretty important role.

What determines the types of bacteria that live in our GUT?
This is so complex and interesting. We are just starting to learn about the microbiome and how it's affected by genetics, lifestyle and diet.
Part of the composition is genetic - your ancestry and the type of diet your predecessors ate plays a big role.
Next is Lifestyle - do you eat on the run? eat under stress? If you're not properly breaking down your food because you're never in 'digestion mode' it's going to affect the types of bacteria that thrive in your gut.
Diet - your dietary composition (fiber, fat, protein) all affect your bacterial composition. Excess protein may lead to higher numbers of 'putrefactive' bacteria, while fiber helps support many different species altogether. Lack of variety in your diet also limits the number of species that you are 'feeding'.
Medications - the most obvious medicine that wreaks havoc on the gut flora is antibiotics. They wipe out all species of bacteria from the gut (both harmful and beneficial) and can make it difficult to re-establish healthy numbers for weeks after their consumption. The less obvious are common medications like ibuprofen or acetominophen and even Birth Control Pills. All of these change the composition of bacteria in the gut.

What are some SIGNS your gut flora may be out of whack?
-gas & bloating     -constipation      -diarrhea or chronic loose stools      -poor immune system
-heartburn             -low energy        -IBS                                                  -hormonal swings
-mental fog           -headaches         -rashes/eczema                                 -breakouts
-sugar cravings     -auto-immune conditions                                            -food sensitivities

How do we support a HEALTHY gut flora?

Diet - You want to eat a diet rich in a variety of fibers, protein and the RIGHT types of fats.

Fats - while eating too much of the wrong fats (processed vegetable oils, soybean oil and a diet too high in omega-6) can negatively affect your microbiome, eating healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and omega-3 can shift your flora to a healthy one.

Fiber - fiber comes in different varieties. It can be soluble or insoluble and can be found in a variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and seeds. When following a low-carb or ketogenic diet people often make the mistake of completely eliminating fiber from their diet and falling into the trap of eating mainly protein, fat and limited types of veggies. DIVERSITY is key and consuming a variety  sources is critical (and YES these can be low-carb). Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to consume fruits and grains to get your fiber - focusing on an abundance of veggies from different families (leafy greens, cruciferious etc); nuts and seeds (almonds, pumpkin, chia, hemp, flax) and low-sugar fruit (avocado, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, kiwi) can provide you with a variety of fiber. Beans can be tricky...while high in fiber they are not always well digested and can aggravate certain inflammatory and auto-immune conditions.
Aiming for 50-75% of your plate coming from veggies is a great starting point!

Fermented Foods - including sauerkraut and traditionally made pickles is a great place to start. Yogurt, miso and kimchi can also provide healthy bacteria.

Fasting - food wasn't always available to our ancestors. Fast forward to modern day and many people find themselves grazing all day long. Our digestive tract (and our hormones) never get a chance to rest, re-group and heal. Our gut microbiome loves fasting. Seems that just like our hormones and our organs, our gut flora has a circadian rhythm.

"For example, the gut microbe Enterobacter aerogenes is sensitive to melatonin (the “sleep” hormone). It is generally found in our guts and plays a role in fermenting sugars and producing gas. " - REFERENCE

I have been using different methods of Intermittent fasting with my patients (and Fat Fueled Female participants) for several years now with great success in different health conditions. It's such a simple (and FREE) tool that makes such profound impact. If you're new to it, start by decreasing your 'eating window' for a few hours. For example, start with a 12 hr eating window (eating only between 7am-7pm)...moving to a 10 hr eating window (say 8am-6pm)...and eventually maybe trying for 8 hours (say 10am-6pm).
To learn more about Intermittent Fasting you can check out by guide HERE!

Lifestyle - Stress and lack of sleep are huge contributors to weight-gain, but can also dictate the types of bacteria in the gut. Eating at irregular hours, late at night, or constantly snacking put a huge demand on the digestive tract. Letting your gut rest and heal is important (see 'fasting' above) but modern day life supports an endless buffet of snacks and processed foods. It's important to find your own rhythm and routine for optimal health.

Probiotics - we are constantly seeing new research coming out about the different TYPES of probiotic supplements being used for different conditions. Speak to a health professional about which probiotic supplement is best for YOU. There are so many amazing blends on the market currently, and my recommendations are different based on what we are treating (chronic constipation, IBS, traveler's diarrhea, immune support, allergies etc).

So here's the thing. Nutrition is more than counting calories or counting your macros. Taking a step back and looking at the big picture is SO important. We get caught up the quick results that certain eating styles can provide, but we also need to consider the LONG TERM health impact of our nutrition! Working with a health professional to guide you in taking a balanced approach while addressing your health concerns is the way to go.

If you loved this article and want to learn more, I encourage you to join me in my next session of Fat Fueled Female, where we focus on learning the most effective and efficient ways to support Fat-burning, hormone balancing and improving overall health! REGISTER HERE