We’re often told that a balanced diet is the secret to good health, and that a fresh salad will always be better than a greasy burger. However, nutrition guru Tim Spector suggests that this doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in our favourite foods.
He believes that a healthy gut microbiome can easily recover from an occasional junk food binge. Speaking on Who We Are Now with Izzy and Richard Hammond, he explained that our gut microbiome is a dynamic system – and the composition of our gut bacteria can shift dramatically based on our age and lifestyle.
“They’ve done some intriguing experiments in mice that demonstrate that if you make mice anxious, you can alter their gut microbes,” he explained. Transferring faeces from these stressed mice into other mice that have led perfectly comfortable lives will almost immediately stress them out, he asserts.
But it’s not just changes in our gut bacteria that affect the rest of our bodies, processes elsewhere in our bodies can also influence our gut microbiome. For instance, Tim points out, the impact of menopause can cause significant shifts in middle-aged women’s gut bacteria.
“We examined over 50,000 women and noticed that their response to food alters just before the menopause,” he added. He went on to explain that gut bacteria reacts to these hormonal shifts:
“They seem to detect a change in oestrogen levels and will adjust. And that means they become more responsive to sugar, for example,” Tim shared.
“So you get bigger sugar spikes and more hunger… that explains why a lot of women who suddenly – in their mid forties or early fifties – often experience weight gain and increase in appetite. And they’ll say: ‘I’m eating exactly the same. It’s not like I’ve suddenly become a slob.’ But things have changed.”
Tim adds that munching on too much junk food can overhaul your gut flora, noting: “You’ve got all the chemicals in there, the artificial sweeteners, the emulsifiers.
“They’re messing up your gut microbes. That means they’re sending out nasty signals, pro-inflammatory signals. And the good guys just probably haven’t got a chance.
“Your healthy gut bacteria will die off in those conditions,” he warns, and claims this will leave you craving for further unhealthy snacks.
Nevertheless, by sustaining your digestive friends with an array of fruit, veggies, whole grains, beans, and fermented treats, your gut can fight back better than ever.
He highlighted: “The idea is, if you have a good gut microbiome, you’ve got the flexibility to then have an occasional junk food meal and you bounce right back.”
Trillions of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa – microscopic single-celled organisms, inhabit your gut. Each person’s gut microbiome is completely unique, much like fingerprints.
Your gut flora not only aids in digestion but also regulates your immune system and impacts the central nervous system, which governs brain function. Dr James Kinross, a consultant surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, explains the significance of our gut microbiome, adding: “Our microbiomes have evolved with us and they change and grow with us over our lifetime.
“We are just now beginning to comprehend the role our gut microbiome plays in determining our risk of chronic or non-communicable diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, allergies and cancer.”