Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Want weight reduction? Look to your gut health first!


Now Belgian researchers tell us that prebiotics can battle obesity by influencing genetic behaviour. And the studies just keep coming - get those good gut bacteria set up in the right proportion and they’ll improve your energy metabolism and help you maintain healthy weight. Here’s another study providing confirmation that the derangement of the gut microbiota or “gut dysbiosis” is an overriding characteristic of the obese. No doubt that poor diet is partly responsible for such dysbiosis, with refined, sugar-laden and processed products feeding the overgrowth of the unhealthy bacteria, but there are additional affects that are trans-generational and/or begin at birth - C-sections and formula feeding at the top of that list. 

Timely reminder to the plethora of fat-busting, meal-replacement, calorie-restricting, biggest-loser type programs who advocate “calories in = calories out” that there’s much more to it! Until optimal gut biodiversity is restored, all the gut-busting exercises and gut-wrenching food restrictions are potentially no more than band-aids! Prebiotics and probiotics are an essential foundation but also ongoing step to weight reduction that is not only achievable but which can be maintained.

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