Recent studies suggest that our microbiome is related to our risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and a host of other medical conditions. A favorable constellation of microbes seems to protect us from disease while an unfavorable collection predisposes us to a variety of conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, autoimmune arthritis, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.
Study after study shows that eating high-protein/high fat foods such as red meat changes our microbiome in a way that predisposes us to chronic, inflammatory diseases that can cause great suffering. There seems to be a direct link between a healthy microbiome and our gut’s immunity to disease. People who eat a diet high in red meat tend to have a microbiome that predisposes them to a variety of serious and even deadly intestinal diseases.
“Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is critical to human health” trumpets a 2017 article in the Journal of Translational Medicine. From T-cells critical for general immunity, to heart-healthy HDL cholesterol production, to cancer prevention, eating a plant-based diet — as opposed to a diet of animal products such as red meat — helps us to live a long, disease-free and energetic life.
So, for a healthy microbiome and a chance at optimal health, maximize your intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and legumes and minimize your intake of saturated fats and animal products such as red meat.
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