Basic Info

Gut health, once an afterthought, has in recent decades taken center stage in Western medical research and wellness studies, and for good reason. Some 50 trillion microorganisms reside in the human gut, and the makeup and diversity of this microbiome can be responsible for digestive issues such as constipation, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, as well as systemic problems such as brain fog, joint pain, neurotransmitter imbalance, poor immunity, and Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid) disease. For thousands of years in Eastern medical traditions, gut health has held a central position of importance. In traditional Chinese medicine, the spleen and stomach transform the nutrients we digest into qi and blood, two vital sources of life. In Ayurveda, the agni, or digestive fire that resides in the gut, is central to health.

Latest
Scientists Find a New Way Coffee Affects Your Brain–It Starts in Your Gut

Scientists Find a New Way Coffee Affects Your Brain–It Starts in Your Gut

A recent study suggests coffee reshapes the gut microbiome in ways that influence mood, cognition, and inflammation.

NEW
Why Some People Feel Better Without Gluten

Why Some People Feel Better Without Gluten

Many people improve after cutting gluten—but wheat, gut health, and other factors may be the real story.

6d
Cyclosporiasis: An Annual Summer Parasitic Infection–How to Protect Yourself

Cyclosporiasis: An Annual Summer Parasitic Infection–How to Protect Yourself

Cyclospora has a life cycle both outside in the environment and inside its hosts.

12d
It’s Not Just What You Eat: Everyday Habits Keep Inflammation Burning

It’s Not Just What You Eat: Everyday Habits Keep Inflammation Burning

Chronic inflammation often develops silently, yet it may contribute to conditions ranging from digestive disorders to heart disease.

17d
Nurture Gut Flora — Sauerkraut’s 5 Key Benefits

Nurture Gut Flora — Sauerkraut’s 5 Key Benefits

The White House has a new staple food, and it's not what you'd expect.

17d
Overnight Fasting Cut Crohn’s Symptoms by Half in New Trial

Overnight Fasting Cut Crohn’s Symptoms by Half in New Trial

Meal timing may be more important than overall calorie reduction for reducing visceral fat in people with Crohn’s disease.

23d
Feeding Your Gut
Five Best Practices For a Healthy Microbiome

Five Best Practices For a Healthy Microbiome

Three years ago I wrote an article entitled, “New Chinese Medicine Tools to Replenish and Repair Our Gut” for the OM Newspaper. In that article I discussed recent research and ...

Eat This Special Fiber for Good Gut Health

Eat This Special Fiber for Good Gut Health

Most everybody knows about probiotics. These are foods and supplements that help strengthen the immune system, and improve digestion. A lesser known trend in the world of gut health is called ...

Prebiotics and Probiotics

Prebiotics and Probiotics

What you need to get your gut health back on track

Boost Gut Health With Kimchi-Braised Chicken (Recipe + Video)

Boost Gut Health With Kimchi-Braised Chicken (Recipe + Video)

By Chef Bao This Kimchi Braised Chicken recipe is the cure for dinnertime boredom. Tender chicken smothered in a savory, spicy, and super delicious kimchi sauce. Kimchi is made from ...

The Gut-Brain Connection
Don’t Underestimate How Your Brain Impacts Your Gut

Don’t Underestimate How Your Brain Impacts Your Gut

Have you ever felt a little nauseous before giving a presentation or experienced some stomach pain during stressful events? If you have, it should be a clear indication of how ...

Gluten Often Causes Brain Symptoms, Not Gut Symptoms

Gluten Often Causes Brain Symptoms, Not Gut Symptoms

Despite well-established research, few people know the common neurological consequences of gluten

Brain Fog May Be Treated by Healing the Gut

Brain Fog May Be Treated by Healing the Gut

“Brain fog” is a frequently mentioned symptom in recent years.When people describe themselves as having brain fog, they often mention poor memory, difficulty concentrating and slow thinking. In addition to ...

Link Between Alzheimer’s and Gut Is Confirmed

Link Between Alzheimer’s and Gut Is Confirmed

Alzheimer's disease continues to be a leading cause of death in the U.S., with 1 in 3 seniors dying with Alzheimer's or dementia—more than the number killed by breast and ...

Common Gut Diseases
Ask a Doctor: What Is Leaky Gut?

Ask a Doctor: What Is Leaky Gut?

Intestinal permeability can lead to a host of problems, but it's also treatable

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: In Depth

Irritable Bowel Syndrome: In Depth

What Is IBS? IBS is a chronic disorder that affects the large intestine and causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, constipation, and diarrhea. As many as one in five ...

An Intro to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

An Intro to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

When bacteria proliferate in the wrong place, instead of aiding digestion, they can disrupt it

4 Symptoms of Candida Overgrowth

4 Symptoms of Candida Overgrowth

Chances are, you have Candida overgrowth. We all have Candida, just like we all have bacteria. And like the microbes in our gut and the rest of our body, it's ...

Dealing With Dairy
The Dairy Dilemma

The Dairy Dilemma

Milk is a nutritious, delicious, and problematic food

The Critical Differences Between A1 and A2 Milk

The Critical Differences Between A1 and A2 Milk

If dairy is a problem for you, you may be able to change to healthier but less available A2 milk

Cultural Immersion: Choosing the Right Yogurt

Cultural Immersion: Choosing the Right Yogurt

People have been turning milk and other substances into an endless variety of yogurts for centuries