{"product_id":"show-1483-plant-power-feed-your-gut-and-fight-inflammation","title":"Show 1483: Plant Power: Feed Your Gut and Fight Inflammation","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen you decide to grab a bite to eat, do you think about how to feed your gut microbes? Most of us don’t. Even if we did, their only means of stating their preferences is somewhat after the fact. Do you end up feeling less than well? Perhaps the denizens of your gut aren’t happy. In this episode, we consider how to support your microbiota and whether that can reduce the inflammation that seems to accompany modern life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAt The People’s Pharmacy, we strive to bring you up‑to‑date, rigorously researched insights and conversations about health, medicine, wellness and health policies and health systems. While these conversations intend to offer insight and perspective, the content is provided solely for informational and educational purposes. Please consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your medical care or treatment.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFeed Your Gut Right to Fight Inflammation\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Will Bulsiewicz is a gastroenterologist who urges all of us to focus on a healthful fiber-rich plant-strong diet to maintain our microbiome in good shape. He has described his own evolution from a busy medical student relying heavily on processed food products to a whole-food plant-based enthusiast. Eating a wide variety of plants is one of the easiest ways to make sure we are getting the nutrients our gut microbes need.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy are the trillions of microbes in our large intestine so important? Dr. Bulsiewicz (aka Dr. B.) shares the story of a patient who was overwhelmed by a serious \u003cem\u003eC. diff\u003c\/em\u003e infection. A course of clindamycin for a skin infection had decimated her normal microbiome and left an open field for C. diff to flourish. Instead of treating her with surgery and even more potent antibiotics, Dr. B. and his colleagues utilized a fecal transplant. She got poop from a healthy person into her colon and left the hospital a few days later in good health herself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat Is the Link Between the Microbiome and the Immune System?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInflammation is one of the primary signs that the immune system has gone into action to fight off a perceived foe. There is a close relationship between the gut microbes, the gut barrier and the cells of the immune system. Between 70 and 80 percent of immune system cells are present in the gut (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33803407\/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNutrients\u003c\/em\u003e, March 9, 2021\u003c\/a\u003e).  There is just one layer of cells in the gut barrier, firmly attached to each other through tight junctions. If those tight junctions break down, pathogens and toxins can get from the gut into the bloodstream and activate the immune system into creating inflammation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMedicines That Harm the Intestinal Barrier\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiets that are high in salt have a negative impact on the integrity of the intestinal barrier (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/41373978\/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNutrients\u003c\/em\u003e, Nov. 25, 2025\u003c\/a\u003e). In fact, a diet high in salt can reduce the number of \u003cem\u003eLactobacilli\u003c\/em\u003e in the gut by 90%. This also affects the permeability of the gut barrier, which can contribute to auto-immune conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen we asked about inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis, Dr. B. told us he thinks it’s a mistake to classify them as auto-immune conditions. Instead, he suggests we should consider these conditions as due to the immune system rejecting the microbiome. Some of them might be initiated and perpetuated by failures in the gut barrier that allow certain organisms or their toxins into systemic circulation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA number of medications can also harm it, most notably the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Agents like ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib and meloxicam may disrupt the tight junctions that keep the intestinal barrier intact (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29221664\/\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eGastroenterology\u003c\/em\u003e, Feb. 2018\u003c\/a\u003e).  In some cases, they may also upset the balance of microbes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFour Keys to an Anti-Inflammatory Diet\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are several different dietary patterns that allow you to feed your gut and fight inflammation. Good evidence supports a DASH diet, a Mediterranean diet, pescatarian, flexitarian, vegetarian and some vegan diets. We asked Dr. B. to summarize the four features healthful eating patterns share. They include adequate fiber, plenty of polyphenols, healthy fat and fermented foods (think of sauerkraut or kimchi).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFiber and Flatulence\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne drawback of a high-fiber diet is that when microbes in the colon ferment the fiber we can’t digest, they produce gases. It has to go somewhere, or it will cause sensations of cramping and bloating. Consequently, fiber is often associated with flatulence. Dr. B. suggests that there may be more gas, and it may be loud, but it shouldn’t be stinky. Smelly farts are born of sulfur, which is more common in a diet containing garlic, onions, crucifers like broccoli or cabbage, fish, eggs or meat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePlant-Powered Plus\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe wondered what might be included in the “plus” category when you feed your gut and fight inflammation. Dr. B. offers a few things that you might not expect in a book about diet, but they are related to reducing inflammation. One is to go outside early in the day, every day, to get your circadian rhythm in sync. Another is to maintain your emotional connections with family and friends. Still another, just as important, is to nurture your spiritual core.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThis Week's Guest\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e[caption id=\"attachment_141090\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"768\"]\u003cimg class=\"size-medium_large wp-image-141090\" src=\"https:\/\/nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/peoplespharmacy\/Dr.-B-planting-credit-Margaret-Wright.jpg-768x512.jpeg\" alt=\"Will Bulsiewicz, MD, in the garden\" width=\"768\" height=\"512\"\u003e Dr. Will Bulsiewicz describes how a plant-powered diet can fight inflammation[\/caption]\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWill Bulsiewicz, MD, is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning gastroenterologist and internationally recognized health expert. Dr. Bulsiewicz directs the Gut \u0026amp; Microbiome Center for Excellence, a physician-led executive medicine and telemedicine practice based in Mount Pleasant, SC. Dr. Bulsiewicz is the author of several books, including his latest book, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4ziU0Y1\"\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlant Powered Plus: Activate the Power of Your Gut to Tame Inflammation and Reclaim Your Health\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e. His website is \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/theguthealthmd.com\/books\/\"\u003ehttps:\/\/theguthealthmd.com\/books\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe People’s Pharmacy is reader supported. When you buy through links in this post, we may earn a small affiliate commission (at no cost to you).\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The People's Pharmacy","offers":[{"title":"MP3","offer_id":46407496368207,"sku":"pc1483","price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1208\/7442\/files\/Fruit-and-vegetables-2.jpg?v=1786653845","url":"https:\/\/cp7dom-b3jtc8.myshopify.com\/products\/show-1483-plant-power-feed-your-gut-and-fight-inflammation","provider":"The People's Pharmacy","version":"1.0","type":"link"}