"All Disease Begins in the Gut" -- Hippocrates. Amazing, they knew that 2,000 years ago. If you want to fix your health, then you have to fix your gut. Your gut is the foundation of your health. Medications just mask the symptoms, they do not fix the root cause of your issues.
Why do you have digestive issues? What can you do to restore your digestive health? If you are sick and tired of not being and feeling well, you need to get to the root cause of your gut issues. Do you have IBS, leaky gut, constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux (GERD), bloating, food sensitivities, chronic pain, low energy, brain fog?
Dr. Zacharie Cole discusses his digestive issues and what he did to fix them. In this webinar he discusses how they help their clients address the root cause of digestive disorders.
In this webinar, you will learn... Why the current system will never get you well (and isn't designed to). Gut-healing foods to eat, and gut-destroying foods to avoid.
The role GMO foods and vaccines have played in the epidemic rise of autoimmune and digestive disorders (controversial, I know!).
Why he recommends not spending your money on loads of supplements; but rather, which few may be helpful. The connection between your nervous system, stress levels, and your gut function. The hands-down, best digestion test you can run to better understand the internal environment of your gut (your microbiome).
It's not just your gut microbiome that needs to be fixed in order for your body to heal. There are three keys to having a healthy digestion:
(1) Healthy Upstream Organs
These include your stomach, liver, gallbladder and pancreas. The digestion and breakdown of foods you eat takes place in those organs. You need to create the proper pH and sterilization for your digestive tract.
If these organs are not functioning properly to break down food, then you will have a lot of issues and undigested food particles moving through your bowels.
(2) Healthy Intestinal Lining
The absorption of food takes place in the small intestine. The gut wall is selectively permeable to absorb nutrients. This is where the term "leaky gut" comes from = inflammation.
Leaky Gut Progression
(Stress, toxins, food particles, drugs,
pathogens, organ malfunction)
Gut Inflammation
↓
Food Intolerances
↓
Immune symptom issues (attacks body)
↓
Autoimmunity (joint pain)
(3) Healthy Microbiome (Colon = bacteria). Your colon will be healthy when you take care of Steps 1 and 2, as 75% of your immune system is located in the gut.
Your gut microbiome is doing far more than just digesting food. In the following video, the doctors break down how the trillions of bacteria living in your gut influence digestion, immunity, inflammation, metabolism, and even mental health. With so much misinformation around probiotics, gut cleanses, and supplements, we explain what actually matters when it comes to gut health and what is mostly hype. This conversation focuses on how your microbiome works, what damages it, and what truly supports it long term.
>What the gut microbiome actually is and why it matters.
Alcohol can impair the function of the muscles separating the esophagus from the stomach, thereby favoring the occurrence of heartburn. Alcohol-induced damage to the mucosal lining of the esophagus also increases the risk of esophageal cancer.
>How gut bacteria affect immunity, inflammation, and brain health.
>The biggest mistakes damaging your gut without you realizing.
>Probiotics vs prebiotics and which one matters more.
>How diet, stress, sleep, and antibiotics impact gut balance.
>Simple, doctor-approved ways to support a healthy microbiome.
If you struggle with bloating, fatigue, frequent illness, brain fog, or digestive issues, this episode explains why your gut may be at the center of it all.
>The biggest mistakes damaging your gut without you realizing.
>Probiotics vs prebiotics and which one matters more.
>How diet, stress, sleep, and antibiotics impact gut balance.
>Simple, doctor-approved ways to support a healthy microbiome.
If you struggle with bloating, fatigue, frequent illness, brain fog, or digestive issues, this episode explains why your gut may be at the center of it all.
An altered gut caused by alcohol frequently manifests as chronic loose bowels, diarrhea, or other irregular bowel habits. Alcohol damages the intestinal lining, alters the microbiome, and causes inflammation, leading to faster transit times and poor water absorption. Chronic diarrhea is a common symptom of alcohol-induced gastrointestinal damage.
- Irritation and damage: Alcohol irritates the digestive tract and can cause inflammation, leading to loose, watery stools.
- Faster Gut Transit: It speeds up bowel movements, preventing proper absorption and causing diarrhea.
- Water Absorption Issues: Alcohol inhibits the absorption of water in the intestines, contributing to looser stools.
- Microbiome Imbalance: Chronic consumption can damage the gut lining and disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria.
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz -- the Gut Health Doctor talks about what alcohol does to your gut:
Alcohol can significantly impact gut health by disrupting the balance of beneficial bacteria, irritating the intestinal lining, and increasing gut permeability—often called “leaky gut.”
This disruption allows toxins and inflammatory compounds to enter the bloodstream, which can contribute to bloating, poor digestion, fatigue, and systemic inflammation. Over time, regular alcohol use may deplete key nutrients, weaken the immune system, and alter the gut-brain connection, affecting mood and mental clarity.
Supporting gut health with a nutrient-rich diet, probiotics, and alcohol-free periods can help restore balance and reduce inflammation.
In the stomach, alcohol interferes with gastric acid secretion and with the activity of the muscles surrounding the stomach. Similarly, alcohol may impair the muscle movement in the small and large intestines, contributing to the diarrhea frequently observed in alcoholics.
Moreover, alcohol inhibits the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine and increases the transport of toxins across the intestinal walls, effects that may contribute to the development of alcohol-related damage to the liver and other organs.
Unfortunately, many lifestyle behaviors, toxin exposures, and dietary choices can compromise gut health and lead to many downstream health issues. Here are the most common gut dysfunction symptoms:
Discomfort/Pain After Eating
Bloating
Excessive Gas
Constipation
Diarrhea
GERD/Reflux/Heart Burn
These symptoms clearly tell us that the gut and gut microbiome are weakened and damaged. The patients will end up with common diagnoses like:
IBS
GERD
Gastritis
Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis
Colitis
And Many Other GI Diagnoses
What many don’t realize is when your microbiome is weakened or damaged, it can “switch on” a number of potential disease processes throughout the body that may, on the surface of things, seem to have very little to do with your actual gastrointestinal system.
The following are affected by gut health:
Heart Disease
Brain Health
Aging
Breathing Dysfunction
Immune Health
Skin Conditions
Weight Gain
Below are 11 items that negatively affect the bacterial colonies and the gut lining, leading to gut dysfunction. Which lead to the above-mentioned symptoms & conditions.
Ultra-processed foods
Refined sugars
Seed oils
GMOs (glyphosate)
Some medications
Environmental toxins
Herbicides
Pesticides
Chronic stress
Substantial grain consumption
Imbalanced blood sugar
Dr. Andrew Huberman explains how alcohol impacts your gut microbiome and leaky gut.
Alcohol affects your whole digestive system. If you’ve ever experienced an upset stomach or diarrhea after drinking, you’re not imagining it — alcohol and your digestion don’t mix.
“Alcohol has a huge impact on digestion, affecting nearly every part of the digestive system,” says Dr. Langberg. It can lead to a range of issues, including:
Dr. Langberg shares when it’s time to seek medical attention:
Increased visceral fat: Consuming alcohol can cause your body to pack on more fat, in particular visceral fat. This is the type of fat that wraps around the organs inside your abdomen, such as your liver, intestines and stomach. This can occur for a variety of reasons, as alcohol packs in extra calories and can stimulate your appetite and impair your judgment, causing you to overeat. It can also cause your body to release extra stress hormones that can lead to weight gain in the stomach area. And when you drink, the body prioritizes breaking down alcohol versus other nutrients like carbohydrates and fats, which can also lead to unwanted fat storage.
⚠️ Warning: Your Liver Could Be Dying Silently! Discover 10 surprising early signs of liver damage that you might not connect to your liver – from weird rib pain to itchy skin and low energy. Most liver issues aren't from alcohol; they're non-alcoholic fatty liver disease triggered by sugar, starches, and seed oils in your diet.
(5) Alcohol -- I won't delve into that here as there is plenty of information on the harmful effects of alcohol on the gut written above.
November 21, 2025. In the next video, he talks about being on disability, but put that aside and listen to what he has to say about his health and what he did to get his quality of life back. That's the real issue.
Factors That Lead To Gut Dysfunction
Unfortunately, many lifestyle behaviors, toxin exposures, and dietary choices can compromise gut health and lead to many downstream health issues. Here are the most common gut dysfunction symptoms:
Discomfort/Pain After Eating
Bloating
Excessive Gas
Constipation
Diarrhea
GERD/Reflux/Heart Burn
These symptoms clearly tell us that the gut and gut microbiome are weakened and damaged. The patients will end up with common diagnoses like:
IBS
GERD
Gastritis
Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis
Colitis
And Many Other GI Diagnoses
What many don’t realize is when your microbiome is weakened or damaged, it can “switch on” a number of potential disease processes throughout the body that may, on the surface of things, seem to have very little to do with your actual gastrointestinal system.
The following are affected by gut health:
Heart Disease
Brain Health
Aging
Breathing Dysfunction
Immune Health
Skin Conditions
Weight Gain
Below are 11 items that negatively affect the bacterial colonies and the gut lining, leading to gut dysfunction. Which lead to the above-mentioned symptoms & conditions.
Ultra-processed foods
Refined sugars
Seed oils
GMOs (glyphosate)
Some medications
Environmental toxins
Herbicides
Pesticides
Chronic stress
Substantial grain consumption
Imbalanced blood sugar
How does alcohol affect the gut microbiome?
Alcohol consumption can significantly impact the gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that reside in the digestive tract. Here's how alcohol affects the gut microbiome:
Disruption of Bacterial Balance:
Alcohol can disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to a condition called dysbiosis. This imbalance can favor the growth of harmful bacteria, while reducing the abundance of beneficial bacteria.
Alcohol can disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to a condition called dysbiosis. This imbalance can favor the growth of harmful bacteria, while reducing the abundance of beneficial bacteria.
Increased Inflammation:
Alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation in the gut, which can further disrupt the microbiome. Inflammatory mediators released by the immune system can damage bacterial cells and alter their metabolic activities.
Alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation in the gut, which can further disrupt the microbiome. Inflammatory mediators released by the immune system can damage bacterial cells and alter their metabolic activities.
Reduced Beneficial Bacteria:
Alcohol can directly inhibit the growth of certain beneficial bacteria, such as butyrate-producing bacteria and Akkermansia muciniphila. These bacteria play crucial roles in maintaining gut health, producing nutrients, and protecting against inflammation.
Alcohol can directly inhibit the growth of certain beneficial bacteria, such as butyrate-producing bacteria and Akkermansia muciniphila. These bacteria play crucial roles in maintaining gut health, producing nutrients, and protecting against inflammation.
Increased Pathogenic Bacteria:
On the other hand, alcohol can promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile. These bacteria can cause gastrointestinal infections, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
On the other hand, alcohol can promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile. These bacteria can cause gastrointestinal infections, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Altered Liver Function:
Alcohol metabolism in the liver can generate toxic substances that can damage the gut microbiome. These substances can kill beneficial bacteria and alter the gut environment.
Alcohol metabolism in the liver can generate toxic substances that can damage the gut microbiome. These substances can kill beneficial bacteria and alter the gut environment.
Long-Term Effects:
Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to significant changes in the gut microbiome, which may contribute to the development of alcohol-related diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and gastrointestinal cancer.
Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to significant changes in the gut microbiome, which may contribute to the development of alcohol-related diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and gastrointestinal cancer.
Alcohol-induced digestive disorders and mucosal damage in the GI tract can cause a variety of medical problems. These include a loss of appetite and a multitude of abdominal complaints, such as nausea, vomiting, feelings of fullness, flatulence, and abdominal pain.
When alcohol is consumed, the alcoholic beverages first pass through the various segments of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Accordingly, alcohol may interfere with the structure as well as the function of GI-tract segments. For example, alcohol can impair the function of the muscles separating the esophagus from the stomach, thereby favoring the occurrence of heartburn.
How can alcohol damage the digestive system?
When alcohol is consumed, the alcoholic beverages first pass through the various segments of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Accordingly, alcohol may interfere with the structure as well as the function of GI-tract segments. For example, alcohol can impair the function of the muscles separating the esophagus from the stomach, thereby favoring the occurrence of heartburn.
How can alcohol damage the digestive system?
Given the multiple organs and components of the digestive system—and the fact that they’re involved in alcohol consumption, metabolism, and/or elimination—alcohol can have myriad effects on the digestive system. Here’s how that works.
The digestive system is made up of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder along with the entire gastrointestinal tract (aka GI tract and digestive tract). The GI tract comprises a series of hollow organs starting at the mouth and leading through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine to the anus.
There are numerous studies indicate that alcohol consumption inhibits the absorption, storage, and utilization of essential vitamins, effectively negating their benefits. Chronic alcohol use, in particular, causes malabsorption, increases nutrient excretion, and depletes vital vitamins—specifically B1 (thiamine), B12, folate, A, D, E, and K. This article in the National Institutes of Health entitled The Influence of Alcohol Consumption on Intestinal Absorption states that chronic alcohol use has been attributed to the development of malnutrition. This article also discusses the effect of alcohol consumption on the gastrointestinal tract.The digestive system is made up of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder along with the entire gastrointestinal tract (aka GI tract and digestive tract). The GI tract comprises a series of hollow organs starting at the mouth and leading through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine to the anus.
What really happens to your body when you drink alcohol? In this candid conversation, Dr. Zalzal and Dr. Weening share their medical expertise on the effects of alcohol on your health. From the myths that surround drinking to the hard facts, they’ll break down everything you need to know to make informed decisions about alcohol.
In this video, you’ll discover:
⭐The immediate and long-term effects of alcohol on the body
⭐The connection between alcohol and chronic diseases like heart disease and liver damage
⭐Mental health impacts of drinking and how it affects your mood and behavior
⭐Common misconceptions about alcohol, and what the science really says
This can cause the gut microbiome to go from a state of homeostasis where everything is happy and calm into a state of dysbiosis where things start to go out of whack.
What else does alcohol do? Alcohol causes loose bowels by irritating the gastrointestinal tract, speeding up digestion, and hindering the colon's ability to absorb water. It triggers inflammation, increases stomach acid, and disrupts gut bacteria, often resulting in rapid transit and watery, urgent diarrhea.
Key mechanisms include:
Faster Gut Transit: Alcohol speeds up muscular contractions in the intestines, forcing waste through too quickly for proper water absorption.
- Reduced Water Absorption: Alcohol disrupts the intestines' ability to reabsorb water, causing it to leak into the stool.
- Irritation and Inflammation: Alcohol directly irritates the gut lining, causing inflammation that triggers diarrhea.
- Microbiome Disruption: Alcohol can disturb the balance of bacteria in the gut, further contributing to dysfunction.
- High Sugar/Additive Content: Drinks high in sugar or carbs (like beer or sweet cocktails) can draw extra water into the intestines.
Does Alcohol Cause Diarrhea? Alcohol can irritate your digestive system, speeding up digestion and leading to loose, watery stools. We asked Karl Langberg, MD, a gastroenterologist with PACT Gastroenterology Center, a partner of Hartford HealthCare’s Digestive Health Institute, what you should know. Here’s why alcohol can cause diarrhea, the risks to watch for and when it’s time to see a doctor.
Alcohol affects your whole digestive system. If you’ve ever experienced an upset stomach or diarrhea after drinking, you’re not imagining it — alcohol and your digestion don’t mix.
“Alcohol has a huge impact on digestion, affecting nearly every part of the digestive system,” says Dr. Langberg. It can lead to a range of issues, including:
Gastroesophageal reflux.
Stomach inflammation.
Weight gain.
Increased risk of liver disease.
A contributing factor to hemorrhoids.
An increased risk for most gastrointestinal cancers.
“Alcohol also disrupts the ability to absorb nutrients,” he adds. “It affects the lining of the small bowel, causing water and salt to leak into the stool. That’s why many people experience watery, urgent diarrhea after drinking.”
People with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease may be more sensitive to alcohol’s diarrhea-causing effects, though this isn’t well-studied.
When to see your doctor. Some symptoms are too concerning to ignore.Stomach inflammation.
Weight gain.
Increased risk of liver disease.
A contributing factor to hemorrhoids.
An increased risk for most gastrointestinal cancers.
“Alcohol also disrupts the ability to absorb nutrients,” he adds. “It affects the lining of the small bowel, causing water and salt to leak into the stool. That’s why many people experience watery, urgent diarrhea after drinking.”
People with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease or celiac disease may be more sensitive to alcohol’s diarrhea-causing effects, though this isn’t well-studied.
Dr. Langberg shares when it’s time to seek medical attention:
Diarrhea more than five times a day for over two to three days.
Blood in your stool or black, tarry stools.
Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
Diarrhea that wakes you up at night.
“It’s also important to recognize if you may have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol,” adds Dr. Langberg. “If alcohol regularly contributes to your diarrhea, you’re drinking in the morning, feel annoyed when others comment on your drinking, often exceed one to two drinks per day or struggle to cut back, please talk to your doctor. They are here to help.”
Blood in your stool or black, tarry stools.
Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
Diarrhea that wakes you up at night.
“It’s also important to recognize if you may have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol,” adds Dr. Langberg. “If alcohol regularly contributes to your diarrhea, you’re drinking in the morning, feel annoyed when others comment on your drinking, often exceed one to two drinks per day or struggle to cut back, please talk to your doctor. They are here to help.”
Beer and Your Health: Shocking Truths About Ancient Brews, Uric Acid, Leaky Gut, and Belly Fat 🍺🧬What Happens To Your Body If You Stop Drinking Beer For 30 Days? Dr. Gundry Explores.
Did humans start farming to bake bread — or to brew beer? Discover the surprising history of beer, agriculture, and ancient psychedelics in this eye-opening episode. Learn why beer may be sabotaging your gut health, metabolism, and waistline, and how uric acid, gluten, and purines from beer could be wreaking havoc on your body.
Dr. Gundry breaks down how beer consumption contributes to leaky gut, inflammation, insulin resistance, and stubborn belly fat — and why even "healthy" beers like gluten-free or hoppy beer aren't the solution you think they are. This video dives deep into how uric acid levels affect weight gain, how gluten triggers immune responses, and why quitting beer can restore your metabolism, gut, and overall health.
We also explore the pros and cons of beer alternatives like cider, sorghum beer, and red wine — and reveal which drink actually benefits your microbiome. If you're struggling with belly fat, fatigue, or poor gut health, this video is a must-watch.
******************************
What about visceral fat?
How does that fit into the gut microbiome?
Fat loss is one of the most misunderstood topics in health. Most people blame slow metabolism, bad genetics, or the wrong diet when progress stalls, but the real reasons are often much simpler and far less talked about. In this episode, the doctors break down what actually drives fat loss and why so many popular strategies fail. From calorie balance to hormones, muscle mass, and daily habits, we explain what matters most and what people waste time worrying about. This is not about trends, detoxes, or extreme plans just the science behind losing body fat in a sustainable way.
You’ll learn:
>The difference between fat loss and weight loss
>Why calorie balance still matters, even with “healthy” eating
>How hormones, sleep, and stress influence fat loss
>Why exercise alone often does not lead to fat loss
>Common mistakes that slow progress without you realizing
>What doctors focus on for long-term, realistic results
>Why calorie balance still matters, even with “healthy” eating
>How hormones, sleep, and stress influence fat loss
>Why exercise alone often does not lead to fat loss
>Common mistakes that slow progress without you realizing
>What doctors focus on for long-term, realistic results
If you’ve been doing “everything right” but not seeing changes, this episode helps you understand what’s missing without guilt, hype, or confusion.
Your Liver is Dying! 10 Early Signs of Liver Damage Doctors Often Overlook
⚠️ Warning: Your Liver Could Be Dying Silently! Discover 10 surprising early signs of liver damage that you might not connect to your liver – from weird rib pain to itchy skin and low energy. Most liver issues aren't from alcohol; they're non-alcoholic fatty liver disease triggered by sugar, starches, and seed oils in your diet.
In this eye-opening video, learn how to spot these hidden symptoms early, reverse liver damage naturally, and regenerate your liver with simple changes. Based on the latest science – perfect for anyone feeling unexplained fatigue, skin issues, or digestive problems! Don't wait until it's too late – your liver can heal if you act now. Watch to find out if these signs apply to you and get practical tips to protect your health!
Dr. Livingood: Your liver is silently failing: 90% function can be lost before ANY symptoms appear! Did you know your liver can lose up to 90% of its function before you experience noticeable symptoms? This silent health crisis is affecting 25% of adults worldwide - and it's NOT mainly from alcohol anymore. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is now 12 TIMES more common than alcoholic liver damage, creating a perfect storm for liver failure.
In this critical health alert, Dr. Livingood reveals the 10 early warning signs your liver is crying for help. These unusual symptoms include unexplained back pain behind your right shoulder blade, persistent itchiness, and mysterious spider veins that most doctors overlook until it's too late. Your daily habits could be destroying your liver without you realizing it. Are you experiencing unexplained fatigue after meals? Finding it impossible to raise your vitamin D levels? Noticing unusual skin changes or weight gain?
These could be your liver's desperate attempts to warn you before catastrophic damage occurs. The standard American diet, plastic water bottles, and even common medications are creating unprecedented stress on your liver. More than 1,000 different medications can cause liver damage, many with BLACK BOX WARNINGS that patients are never told about. Research shows you can reduce liver fat by 43% in just TWO WEEKS by eliminating these hidden threats. Watch to the end to discover the three major culprits destroying your liver and the simple steps to restore this vital organ before it's too late.
**************************************
Now -- How to Fix your Gut.
Do you need to get tested for parasites, viruses, stomach flora? Maybe. But let's research what to do naturally.
Dr. Ken Berry gives some simple ways to improve your gut microbiome! Your gut bacteria are very important and have been evolving with you for a long time. There are simple things you can do to improve and strengthen your gut microbiome. Having the proper gut bacteria is very important and these 7 simple steps will help you fix it.
1) Eliminate sugar & starches
2) Avoid all grains -- wheat, rice, oats, corn
3) Avoid vegetable seed oils -- safflower, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, soybean, rice bran, peanut, canola
4) Avoid all processed foods
5) Minimize intake of alcohol
6) Watch out for the types of pills that you take
7) Eat more meat & eggs
It does seem that eliminating processed foods, grains, seed oils and alcohol are the first steps that need to be taken to heal the gut. How does each of these affect the gut?
(1) Sugar & Starches. High intake of refined sugars and processed starches (white bread, pasta, white rice) can negatively alter the gut environment by disrupting the bacterial balance, increasing inflammation, and weakening the gut barrier. These foods, which are low in fiber, often feed harmful bacteria and yeast (like Candida), leading to dysbiosis—a state where harmful microbes overpower beneficial ones.
- Gut Dysbiosis (Microbial Imbalance): Excess sugar feeds inflammatory microbes, such as Proteobacteria and yeast, while reducing beneficial, anti-inflammatory bacteria like Bacteroidetes.
- Increased Intestinal Permeability ("Leaky Gut"): High sugar consumption can damage the gut lining by breaking down the protective mucus layer, allowing toxins and undigested food particles to enter the bloodstream, leading to systemic inflammation.
- Reduced Beneficial Compounds: A high-sugar diet often reduces the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, which are crucial for maintaining a healthy gut lining.
- Symptoms: This disruption can lead to chronic bloating, abdominal pain, irregular bowel movements (constipation or diarrhea), and increased food sensitivities.
(2) Grains -- wheat, rice, corn, etc. A grain is the edible fruit of a plant. They’re different from seeds, which are plant embryos. The article Grains and Gut Health explains the role grains play with the gut.
Some, but not all, grains contain the protein gluten. Gluten grains include wheat – comprising bulgur, couscous, durum wheat, spelt and semolina – rye, barley and most oats. Non-gluten grains include corn or maize, rice and oats if certified gluten-free. Some seeds are often confused with grains, such as quinoa, millet, amaranth and buckwheat.
Grains can either be whole or refined. Whole grains include the outer husk, and are a good source of fibre, as well as vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, and B complex vitamins. Often grains are refined which means removing the outer husk and along with it the fibre and most of the nutrients. Grains also naturally contain carbohydrate and moderate amounts of protein. Whole grains can therefore be a useful source of these nutrients as well as energy.
Grains can either be whole or refined. Whole grains include the outer husk, and are a good source of fibre, as well as vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, and B complex vitamins. Often grains are refined which means removing the outer husk and along with it the fibre and most of the nutrients. Grains also naturally contain carbohydrate and moderate amounts of protein. Whole grains can therefore be a useful source of these nutrients as well as energy.
(3) Seed Oils. Seed oils—including soybean, corn, canola, sunflower, and safflower oil—are rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid. While essential in small amounts, the high consumption of these oils in modern, processed diets is linked to several negative impacts on gut health, often through mechanisms that induce inflammation and microbial imbalance.
- Encourages Harmful Bacteria Growth: High consumption of seed oils (specifically soybean oil) has been shown to encourage the growth of adherent invasive E. coli in the gut. These harmful bacteria thrive on linoleic acid.
- Kills Beneficial Bacteria: Linoleic acid can be toxic to beneficial gut microbes (such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus), causing them to die off and disrupting the overall balance of the microbiome.
- Increases Gut Permeability ("Leaky Gut"): Research indicates that high linoleic acid intake can make the intestinal epithelial barrier more porous. This allows toxins and harmful bacteria to leak into the bloodstream, causing systemic inflammation.
- Triggers Chronic Inflammation: Excessive omega-6 intake creates a pro-inflammatory environment, often reducing the production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate) that maintain a healthy gut lining.
- Oxidation of Oils: Seed oils are easily oxidized by heat, light, and air, creating harmful byproducts such as aldehydes and lipid peroxides. These compounds can damage gut lining cells and irritate the digestive system.
(4) Processed Foods. Processed food, particularly ultra-processed foods (UPFs), harms the gut by disrupting the delicate balance of the microbiome, destroying the intestinal barrier, and inducing chronic inflammation. These foods are typically high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and industrial additives—such as emulsifiers and preservatives—while being extremely low in fiber, which is crucial for nourishing beneficial gut bacteria.
Key Ways Processed Foods Harm the Gut:
- Starves Beneficial Bacteria (Lack of Fiber): Beneficial microbes in the large intestine feed on fiber. When fiber is removed during processing, these microbes starve and their populations decrease, reducing microbial diversity.
- Triggers Inflammation and "Leaky Gut": Additives, specifically emulsifiers like carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polysorbate 80, can erode the mucus layer protecting the gut lining. This allows harmful bacteria to move closer to the intestinal barrier, increasing permeability—known as a "leaky gut"—which allows toxins to enter the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation.
- Promotes Harmful Bacteria Growth: High levels of refined sugars and unhealthy fats fuel the growth of pro-inflammatory bacteria, such as Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, over beneficial species.
- Reduces Protective Metabolites: A poor diet reduces the production of beneficial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, which are essential for maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and reducing inflammation.
- Alters Digestive Speed: Because many UPFs are pre-digested through industrial processes, they are absorbed too quickly, leading to blood sugar spikes and bypassing the body's natural satiety signals, which can cause overeating.
► Things my patients have found helpful:
I get a lot of questions about what equipment is ‘best’ for treating a variety of conditions. The following is not meant to be an exhaustive or definitive list. If you have questions, please discuss with your healthcare provider. I have personally tried a number of the products below, but not all. I have included some based on positive feedback from my patients. As an Amazon Associate, Dr Peng earns from qualifying purchases. If you purchase any product using the below affiliate links, you are helping Dr Peng maintain this channel.
Could your depression and anxiety be caused by a missing microbe in your gut microbiome? In this video, I’ll share new, surprising information about L. reuteri, one gut microbe that could eliminate depression symptoms and boost your health in many ways.
Fixing your gut with homemade yogurt ~~
A neurobiologist at Columbia spent 30 years proving that the gut has its own brain, and the day he finally published the book that named it, almost every psychiatrist in America stopped returning his calls.
His name is Michael Gershon. JCI - The gut, its microbiome and the brain: connections and communications.
He runs the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, and the field he built from the ground up is called neurogastroenterology in short brain-gut axis.
The book that announced it to the world was published in 1998, and the title alone tells you everything about what he was up against. He called it The Second Brain.
The claim sounded like science fiction in the 1990s. Gershon was saying that the human gut contains its own fully functional nervous system, with around 100 million neurons embedded in the walls of the alimentary canal, which is the nine-meter tube running from your esophagus to your anus.
That is more neurons than your entire spinal cord, and more than your entire peripheral nervous system put together. The gut was not just digesting food. It was running its own intelligence, with its own reflexes, its own memory, and its own way of deciding what to do without asking the brain in your head for permission.
The medical establishment treated this as borderline heretical when he first started publishing it. The brain was supposed to be the command center. Everything else was supposed to be the periphery. A second brain in the belly did not fit the architecture anyone had been taught.
Then the data started piling up, and it was impossible to argue with.
The first finding that broke the old model was about serotonin. You might have heard Andrew Huberman talking about it on his podcasts. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter associated with mood, well-being, sleep, and depression. Every antidepressant on the market targets it.
The assumption for decades was that serotonin was a brain chemical, produced in the brain, regulated in the brain, and responsible for what happened inside the brain.
Gershon's lab showed that 90 to 95 percent of the body's serotonin is not produced in the brain at all. It is produced in the gut, by specialized cells called enterochromaffin cells embedded in the intestinal lining.
Your stomach and intestines are the largest serotonin factory in the human body, and the brain in your skull is producing only a tiny fraction of what is circulating below your neck.
The second finding was even harder to swallow. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body, running from the base of the brain down through the neck, the chest, and into the abdomen, where it branches into the gut. For most of the 20th century, doctors assumed the vagus was the brain's way of giving orders to the digestive system, in the same way the brain gives orders to the rest of the body.
The actual measurements showed almost the opposite. Roughly 90 percent of the fibers in the vagus nerve are carrying signals upward, from the gut to the brain, and only a small fraction are carrying signals downward. Your gut is sending nine times more information to your head than your head is sending to your gut.
The bandwidth is wildly asymmetrical, and almost all of it is going in a direction the medical textbooks had quietly been wrong about for decades.
The implication of those two findings together is what changed psychiatry.
If most of your serotonin is being produced in your gut, and most of the information flowing through your vagus nerve is moving from your gut to your brain, then your mood is being shaped from the bottom up far more than it is being directed from the top down.
The feeling of dread before a difficult meeting. The sudden clarity after a good meal. The low-grade anxiety that will not go away no matter how much you talk through it. All of it is downstream of signals that started below your diaphragm.
A 2019 study at McMaster University put the final piece in place. Researchers gave mice oral antidepressants and watched what happened. The drugs activated the vagus nerve from the gut side, and the gut-to-brain signaling was what produced the antidepressant effect.
When they cut the vagus nerve and tried the same drugs, the antidepressant effect disappeared completely. The drug was not working on the brain directly. It was working on the gut, and the gut was working on the brain.
The follow-up research on the microbiome made the connection even tighter. Mice raised in completely sterile environments with no gut bacteria produced about 60 percent less serotonin in their intestines than normal mice. When the bacteria were reintroduced, serotonin production returned to normal.
The trillions of microorganisms living in your digestive tract are not passengers. They are running the factory that makes the chemical your antidepressant is trying to manipulate.
The most haunting line from Gershon's interviews is the one I keep coming back to.
He said the second brain does not do philosophy or poetry, and it cannot help you write a novel. But it is the brain that decides whether you wake up in the morning feeling like the day is full of possibility or feeling like something is wrong before anything has even happened.
The mood you assume your conscious mind is generating from your thoughts is mostly being generated underneath you, by a nervous system you cannot feel and cannot consciously access, in an organ you have spent your entire life thinking about as a digestion machine.
The decision your gut makes about how you are going to feel arrives in your head a fraction of a second before your brain catches up to it. The conscious thought is the explanation your mind invents for a verdict that has already been reached somewhere lower.
You did not feel uneasy because you were thinking dark thoughts.
You started thinking dark thoughts because your gut was already uneasy.
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October 16, 2025. The Dogman is just an average person who hit a point in life where he was tired of his own excuses. In this video, he talks about his smoking, drinking, and bad eating habits — they were all taking more than they were giving. One day, he decided enough was enough. In this video, he shares how he quit everything that was slowly killing him and how it completely changed his health, his mindset, and his life.
November 21, 2025. In the next video, he talks about being on disability, but put that aside and listen to what he has to say about his health and what he did to get his quality of life back. That's the real issue.
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