Integrative Approaches to Gut Health Summary
Last week we had our online Spring conference on Gut Health, and it was a fantastic event. Nearly 100 of you booked in live to hear from our speakers and today I would like to summarise a little of what we learnt at the conference. It’s a subject I never tire of hearing about and I think the number of attendees testifies as to how big a subject gut health has become not just for health practitioners but for the general public also.
Our first speaker was Simon Mills, a skilled herbal practitioner and director of the educational platform Mills and Bone, who shared his insightful reflections on “rewilding our inner garden.” Our gut gardens refers to our gut microbiome, full of bacteria, virus’s, fungi and archaea – trillions of microorganisms that influence both the environment in our gut but can also have a profound effect on our health and chronic illness’. Simon talked about the power of using herbs and spices to held ‘rewild’ our gut microbiome.
Spices of course play a vital role in enhancing flavour in our food whilst also supporting our metabolic health. Used fresh or dried, they help balance blood glucose and reduce inflammation in the endothelium, the lining of our blood vessels. Ginger, for example, contains gingerol, which helps clear the endothelium of debris, preventing plaque buildup. These powerful spices work at the root level to combat chronic conditions, particularly as we age.
Simon also emphasized that supplements are often unnecessary when we can obtain these beneficial compounds through diet. He talked about the concept of “spice chemistry” and the phytonutrient spectrum, highlighting compounds like terpenes from turmeric and cinnamon and polyphenols in chili, which interact with gut microbiota to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that reduce inflammation.
Simon concluded by speaking about the interconnectedness of people, plants, and the planet – each with their own microbiome which need to be looked after. This segued nicely into a talk by Colin Ramsay, a filmmaker and director of “Six Inches of Soil,” which highlights the significance of soil microbiomes. And Colin reminded us that just as our gut teems with beneficial bacteria, so does the soil. The “no-dig” approach to farming has gained traction, as it preserves the delicate microbial balance essential for plant and soil health. Colin encouraged supporting local farmers through vegetable box subscriptions, something which I have done since first watching Colin’s film. And I’ve found that fresher, locally sourced produce is always so much better in taste and in quality.
The next session, led by Jen Evans-Brewer and Stephanie Moore, who run the gut health retreats at Goodwood Estate, again emphasised the vital role of the gut microbiota for wellbeing. We know that over 70% of our immune system resides in the digestive tract, which highlights its crucial role in regulating inflammation, synthesizing vitamins which we need to survive, and influencing metabolism, gene expression, and even mood. Stephanie introduced the concept of the “three Fs” for gut health: fibre and polyphenols, fermented foods, and fasting. There is a lot of emerging research at the moment on a bacteria called Akkermansia muciniphila, suggesting its role in immune regulation, and they have actually found that cancer patient who found lower levels of Akkermansia in their gut, don’t respond to mainstream cancer treatments as well, so we know this particular bacteria must be very important for our immune health.
Our next speaker was Nutritional Therapist and author Pauline Cox, a fellow of the NCIM master’s Level 7 Diploma in Integrative Healthcare. Pauline addressed the connection between gut microbiota and women’s hormonal health – again so much emerging data on this subject and we now know that a healthy gut helps us to manage our hormonal balance. We also know that liver health is crucial to managing oestrogen detoxification and those elimination processes which minimize the many symptoms of oestrogen dominance. Pauline talked us through the pillars of hormonal health – balancing blood sugar levels, opening up our detoxification pathways, having good quality sleep and soothing a stressed our nervous system. I was also really keen to learn about Estrobolome which are a collection of gut microbes with special genes, which are capable of metabolizing and modulating oestrogen so of course very important to know about and support particularly when we are trying to manage symptoms of oestrogen dominance such as PMS or balance our hormones during the menopause.
Finally we moved onto Dr Ally Jaffee, a founding member of NutriTank, who concluded with a discussion on mental health and the gut microbiome. With over 70% of serotonin and other neurotransmitters produced in the gut, maintaining gut health is crucial for mental well-being. She highlighted the damaging effects of ultra-processed foods, which not only lack essential nutrients but also actively harm gut microbiota, leading to dysbiosis which is an imbalance of our gut bacteria where our ‘good’ bacteria becomes outnumbered by the ‘bad’.
Ally talked about the concept from “KFC to kimchi,” illustrating the profound impact dietary shifts can have on our health and from her field we know that by looking after our gut microbiome we are also looking after our brains. She also spoke about how stress and mental health conditions can affect gut motility, and disrupts blood sugar balance and overall digestive function. So stress management is essential to helping look after our gut health with mindfulness practices such as yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation helpful to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting our “rest and digest” function for our digestive system. A final takeaway from Ally was the “Triple F” strategy for good gut health: fibre, fermented foods, and fatty acids (such as those found in fatty fishes, walnuts, and olive oil) – are all essential components of a gut-friendly diet.
In summary, the key lessons from the conference include:
- Gut health plays a pivotal role in preventing chronic diseases.
- The microbiome requires consistent care through a diet rich in fiber, fermented foods, and diverse plant nutrients.
- The gut and brain are intricately linked, influencing mood, immunity, and metabolic health.
- Hormonal balance is directly tied to gut health and liver detoxification.
- Stress management and blood sugar regulation are fundamental to overall well-being.
- By tending to our “inner gardens,” we can foster a thriving microbiome, leading to lasting health benefits.
Don’t forget you can still access the full conference on Integrative Approaches to Gut Health. Recordings are still available to purchase (email education@ncim.org.uk) or buy our membership for just £4.99 a month and receive free access to this conference plus our back catalogue of conferences, webinars, recipes, research and so much more. SIH – MEMBERSHIP – NCIM – National Centre for Integrative Medicine
Dr Elizabeth Thompson