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Summary
Summary
The groundbreaking science behind the surprising source of good health
Stanford University's Justin and Erica Sonnenburg are pioneers in the most exciting and potentially transformative field in the entire realm of human health and wellness, the study of the relationship between our bodies and the trillions of organisms representing thousands of species to which our bodies play host, the microbes that we collectively call the microbiota. The microbiota interacts with our bodies in a number of powerful ways; the Sonnenburgs argue that it determines in no small part whether we're sick or healthy, fit or obese, sunny or moody. The microbiota has always been with us, and in fact has coevolved with humans, entwining its functions with ours so deeply, the Sonnenburgs show us, humans are really composite organisms having both microbial and human parts. But now, they argue, because of changes to diet, antibiotic over-use, and over-sterilization, our gut microbiota is facing a "mass extinction event," which is causing our bodies to go haywire, and may be behind the mysterious spike in some of our most troubling modern afflictions, from food allergies to autism, cancer to depression. It doesn't have to be this way.
The Good Gut offers a new plan for health that focuses on how to nourish your microbiota, including recipes and a menu plan. In this groundbreaking work, the Sonnenburgs show how we can keep our microbiota off the endangered species list and how we can strengthen the community that inhabits our gut and thereby improve our own health. The answer is unique for each of us, and it changes as you age.
In this important and timely investigation, the Sonnenburgs look at safe alternatives to antibiotics; dietary and lifestyle choices to encourage microbial health; the management of the aging microbiota; and the nourishment of your own individual microbiome.
Caring for our gut microbes may be the most important health choice we can make.
Author Notes
JUSTIN SONNENBURG, PhD , is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. In 2009, he was the recipient of an NIH Director's New Innovator Award.
ERICA SONNENBURG, PhD , is currently a senior research scientist at the Stanford University School of Medicine in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, where she studies the role of diet on the human intestinal microbiota.
Reviews (2)
Kirkus Review
Stanford University scientists deliver an exhaustive, and sometimes exhausting, survey of the human microbiome. Buzzwords like probiotic and prebiotic make health news headlines, but how many of\ us really know what those terms mean? Here to explain those concepts, and everything else related to the role of bacteria in our bodies, are two Stanford University School of Medicine scientists with indisputable credentials. Both work in Stanford's Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyJustin as a professor and Erica as a researcherand while their expertise is impressive and their writing clear, they share so much information that readers may get bogged down in the details and lose track of how it all relates to them personally. Readers looking for the practical applications promised in the book's subtitle, for instance, may be frustrated by a wealth of what can seem like esoteric experiments and a dearth of details on more conventional matters like precisely how to produce the fermented foods the authors recommend adding to the diet. (Recipes for microbe-friendly muesli, smoothies, scrambles, and similar foods appear only in an appendix.) Meanwhile, scientists will be fascinated by the carefully reproduced studies that highlight surprising findingsstressing a lab animal, for instance, can change its gut microbiotayet may have misgivings about the Sonnenburgs' untested views on things like hand-washing routines and infant feeding. Sometimes proof and opinion seem at odds, as when the authors consider the gut bacterias' possible impact on autism spectrum disorders; though the experiments cited are inconclusive, the Sonnenburgs express unexpected optimism that a connection will one day be found. The authors' enthusiasm for their subject is evident throughout and may be enough to maintain interest in both lay and academic readers. Andrew Weil provides the foreword. An informative guide to the gut in search of its best audience. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Library Journal Review
The large intestine contains the biggest microbial community in the body as hundreds of species of bacteria, or microbiota, reside in the human digestive tract. While microbes are known to aid in digestion and stimulate the immune system, only recently have scientists began to study the complex, symbiotic relationship between the human gut and its microbes. In The Good Gut, -Justin and Erica Sonnenburg, professor and researcher of microbiology and immunology at -Stanford University respectively, explain the role that microbes play in the GI tract and how they relate to overall health, including possible links to obesity, autoimmune diseases, cancer, allergies, and more. While antibiotics and a low-fiber diet contribute to decreased microbiota, the good news is that gut flora diversity can be improved by consuming a microbiota-friendly diet that includes probiotics, fermented products, and high-fiber foods, especially those containing inulin, a natural storage carbohydrate. While aimed at the layperson, this title is acronym heavy: be prepared to understand SCFAs, MACs, FMTs, CDAD, EPS, and ASD. Gut, written by Enders, a medical student, takes a lighthearted approach to the "body's most underrated organ." Originally published in German and a best seller on Germany's paperback charts, the title covers the entire digestive tract-from the mouth and tonsils to the esophagus to the small and large intestine, humorously lauding the elegance of the bowels. Along the way, the author covers myriad topics: the proper way to sit on a toilet, vomiting, constipation, feces facts, and the influence the gut has on the brain. The third portion of the book covers microbes, both good and bad. -VERDICT With the increased attention paid to microbiota and the gut, readers will find each of these books noteworthy. Those interested in changing their microbiota will want to read The Good Gut; those who like a conversational approach to learning about the digestive system will prefer Gut.-Pauline Theriault, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Excerpts
Excerpts
We all know that much of our health is predetermined by our genes. We also know that we can generally improve our health if we eat right, exercise, and manage our stress. But how to do those things is a matter of great debate. Many well-meaning health programs are focused solely on weight loss or heart health, but what if there was a second genome, one that held the key to much of our overall health, but one that we could influence by very specific (and often surprising) lifestyle choices? Well, this second genome exists. It belongs to the bacteria that inhabit our gut and is vital to our overall well-being, in countless ways. The details of how these intestinal bacteria, known as the microbiota, are hard-wired into health and disease are starting to come to light and they are reshaping what it means to be human. As scientists try to unravel the causes behind the prevalence of predominantly Western afflictions such as cancer, diabetes, allergies, asthma, autism, and inflammatory bowel diseases, it is becoming increasingly clear that the microbiota plays an important role in the development of each of these conditions and potentially many others. Our bacterial inhabitants touch all aspects of our biology in some way, directly or indirectly. But the modern world has changed the way we eat and how we live, and as a result, our intestinal microbiota is facing challenges that it has not experienced in the entirety of human evolution. Our digestive system is much more than a collection of human cells that surround our last few meals--it also contains a dense colony of bacteria and other microorganisms. In fact, for every one human cell in our body, we house an additional ten bacterial cells that amount to a filibusterproof majority that legislates much of our biology. But before you start thinking of yourself as a human being with bacterial cells inside, it may be more accurate to consider yourself as a bacterial being with a human cell coating. More than we ever expected, the gut microbiota sets the dial on our immune system. If the gut bacteria are healthy, it's likely that the immune system is running well. Much is being learned about how the microbiota impacts our brains. The brain-gut axis impacts our well-being profoundly, far more than just letting us know when it's time to eat. Gut bacteria can affect moods and behavior and may influence the progression of some neurological conditions. Excerpted from The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood, and Your Long Term Health by Justin Sonnenburg, Erica Sonnenburg All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Table of Contents
Foreword | p. ix |
Introduction | p. 1 |
1 What is the Microbiota and Why Should I Care? | p. 9 |
2 Assembling Our Lifelong Community of Companions | p. 35 |
3 Setting the Dial on the Immune System | p. 61 |
4 The Transients | p. 85 |
5 Trillions of Mouths to Feed | p. 111 |
6 A Gut Feeling | p. 137 |
7 Eat Shlt and Live | p. 163 |
8 The Aging Microbiota | p. 187 |
9 Managing Your Internal Fermentation | p. 209 |
Menus and Recipes | p. 227 |
Acknowledgments | p. 267 |
Appendix | p. 269 |
Notes | p. 271 |
Bibliography | p. 283 |
Index | p. 293 |