1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: Hey, besties, Hello Sunshine. 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 2: Today on the bright Side, it's Wellness Wednesday, So we're 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,959 Speaker 2: delving into a fascinating topic, your gut. Did you know 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 2: your gut might just be your second brain. We're exploring 5 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 2: the ins and outs of gut health and the incredible 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 2: connection between our stomachs and our minds. So joining us 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 2: is doctor Robin Shutkin, a renowned gastro entrologist and author 8 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 2: of several best selling digestive health books. 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: She'll guide us through everything. 10 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 2: We need to know about nourishing our guts and feeling 11 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: our best. Plus, we'll tackle the big question how safe 12 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,959 Speaker 2: are antibiotics. It's Wednesday, August twenty First, I'm Danielle Robe. 13 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 3: And I'm Simone Boyce. And this is the bright Side 14 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 3: from Hello Sunshine, a daily show where we come together 15 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 3: to share women's stories, laugh, learn and brighten your day. 16 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 2: Today's Wellness Wednesday is presented by Coligard. 17 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 3: Okay, Danielle, tell me if you relate to this. I 18 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 3: find it hard to leave the grocery store these days 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 3: without purchasing at least one gut health product. Oh yeah, 20 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 3: I'm a kumbucha girl. Out the way, there are probiotic Seltzers. 21 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 3: There's kombucha, probiotic shots, countless supplements. I mean, the list 22 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:15,279 Speaker 3: goes on. It's honestly overwhelming, and I, for one don't 23 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 3: necessarily know what's actually effective and what's just effective marketing. 24 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 2: Do you use any of those gut health products personally? 25 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 3: I do. I take seed supplements inconsistently, but whenever I 26 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 3: am consistent with it, I've noticed a difference. 27 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, I also will. 28 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 3: I'll throw back like a Biokay probiotics shot that basically 29 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 3: tastes like spoiled yogurt. I do eat a lot of yogurt, 30 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 3: which I think is really good for your gut. 31 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: How about you. 32 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 2: I take Lovebug probiotics. I actually get a lot of 33 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: sinus infections. I feel like everybody gets like one illness 34 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: that pops up over and over again. 35 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: Some people get stripped throat. 36 00:01:55,920 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 2: I'm a sinus infection girl, and so I've always taken 37 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: antibiotics to get rid of them, which is so bad 38 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: for your gut health. And so after the antibiotics, I 39 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 2: take probiotics, and so I just started taking them every day. 40 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 2: And I have to tell you I've been influenced by 41 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: Gwyneth Paltrow because I looked up which one she recommends, 42 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 2: and she takes these Lovebug probiotics and you feel like 43 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 2: it works. Yeah, they really helped my gut health. I 44 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: actually felt bloating after I took antibiotics for a little bit, 45 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 2: and this really helped. 46 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 3: I think that's an area that I'm unclear on, is 47 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 3: how do we know our gut is healthy or not? 48 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 3: You know, like, what are the signs that we need 49 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 3: to be paying attention to. 50 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 2: I think that's a great question, and it's something that 51 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 2: we're going to get into today because we're talking about 52 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 2: gut health and we want to look at the science 53 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 2: and dispel these myths. So Doctor Robin Shutkin is a 54 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 2: gastro entrologist and author of several digestive health books, including 55 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,399 Speaker 2: Gut Bliss, The Microbiome Solution, and The Blokecure. She's also 56 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 2: the founder of the Digestive Center for Wellness, a gastroentrology 57 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: practice is dedicated to uncovering the root cause of GI disorders, 58 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: and she's the host of the Gut Bliss podcast. She's 59 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: really talking about our guts. 60 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 3: Oh, she knows her stuff, So let's bring her in. 61 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 3: Welcome to the bright Side, Doctor chuck. 62 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 4: In, Thank you so much, it's so great to be 63 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 4: with you. 64 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: Well, we're so excited to talk to you today because 65 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 2: gut health is in the zeitgeist, and I think there 66 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: are very few people that can really break it down 67 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 2: and explain what gut health means. Now, I want to 68 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 2: start with something that I've heard around town. I've heard 69 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 2: that we have three brains. We have the one in 70 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 2: our head, one in our heart, and there's actually a 71 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: third brain in our gut. 72 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 4: Yes, absolutely, the second brain. You're talking about the enteric 73 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 4: nervous system. And fun fact, we have about seven times 74 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 4: as many nerve cells in our gut as we have 75 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,119 Speaker 4: in our spinal cord. Now, we don't have as many 76 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 4: as we have in our central nervous system. But the 77 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 4: second brain is a real thing. And think about when 78 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 4: you get butterflies in your stomach, or you have that 79 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 4: gut fing to not do that thing, but you do 80 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 4: it anyway. 81 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 5: And then you regret it. 82 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 4: Those are actually real feelings based on neurotransmitters and nerve 83 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 4: cells and actual neurological processes that are going on in 84 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 4: our gut. 85 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: Wait, so what do those butterflies mean? 86 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 2: Then? 87 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 4: So I want you just for a minute to think 88 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 4: about where the gut is located. It is in the 89 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 4: exact center of our body. It's literally the engine, and 90 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,799 Speaker 4: so it connects to the brain, It connects to the lungs, 91 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 4: the heart, the immune system, the kidneys, all of these 92 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 4: different organs, and it literally feeds them. When it comes 93 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 4: to the brain, it's this bidirectional communication through a nerve 94 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 4: called the vagus nerve, and also through the fact that many, many, 95 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 4: many of the neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, et cetera 96 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 4: that work in our brain are actually made in our gut. 97 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 4: And so, for example, our gut influences things like mood 98 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 4: and cognition and memory, and our brain influences things like motility, 99 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 4: how well our gut moves, enzyme secretion, digestion. So one 100 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 4: of the things that it's so important for people to 101 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 4: realize is that these things that we think are just 102 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 4: in our head are really in our body. And that's 103 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 4: why it's so important to consider these reactions and these 104 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 4: factors when we think about gut health. Gut health isn't 105 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,720 Speaker 4: just what we eat and drink and exercising. It's also 106 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 4: what we think, and it's also how we handle stress. 107 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 4: And there are all these studies now that show that 108 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 4: cognitive behavioral therapy, whether that takes a form of guided imagery, 109 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 4: deep breathing, whatever it is, can be not just as 110 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 4: effective as medication, but more effective than medication for conditions 111 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,919 Speaker 4: like irritable bowel syndrome, et cetera. And so this is 112 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 4: such powerful stuff because unlike some of these medications, which 113 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 4: may be magnificent, but they all have side effects. So 114 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 4: you know, deep breathing, guided imagery, that's not going to 115 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 4: do anything bad for you. All that's going to do 116 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 4: is trigger your parasympathetic system, your rest and digest, and 117 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 4: make you healthier. I love that we have these things 118 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 4: in our toolbox. And it's really not either or if 119 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 4: you're on prescription medication and that's really helping good for you, 120 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 4: but it's good to know that there are additional things, 121 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 4: and some of these things are actually more effective than 122 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 4: the prescription drugs. 123 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: I hear the word microbiome a lot when we talk 124 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 2: about gut health, and I don't actually quite know what 125 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 2: it means. 126 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: What is our microbiome? 127 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 4: The microbiome refers to all the microscopic organisms that live 128 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 4: in and on our body, and so often we think bacteria, 129 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 4: but it's not just bacteria. It's viruses, it's parasitic organisms, 130 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 4: it's helmets otherwise known as worms. 131 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: It is wan. 132 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 5: Cell protozoa organisms, it's archaos. 133 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:48,239 Speaker 4: It's a wide range of microscopic critters, if you will, 134 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 4: that live in our body, mostly in our gi tract. 135 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 4: And these microbs are microscopic, but if we scrape them 136 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 4: all up, they would weigh about four pounds. So we're 137 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 4: talking about a lot of organisms. And they're also on 138 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 4: our body. They're on our skin, they're in our ears 139 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 4: or in our mouth, they're in our vaginas or up 140 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 4: our noses. They are literally everywhere. We even have microbes 141 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 4: in organs that we thought were previously sterile, like our lungs. 142 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 4: It turns out, oh no, we have bacteria in our lungs. 143 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 4: It's just that when we have the wrong head of 144 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 4: bacteria in there, we run into problems. So they literally 145 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 4: took us about four hundred years to figure out that 146 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 4: most of these microbes are our friends, not our enemies, 147 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 4: and that their health is very closely intertwined with our health, 148 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 4: and that they have our back basically because you know 149 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 4: what if we die, so do they wear the host. 150 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:40,800 Speaker 4: So they want to keep the host alive and healthy 151 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 4: so that they can thrive, and so Over the last 152 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 4: I would say two or three decades, there has been 153 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 4: an explosion of data literature about the microbiome, and study 154 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 4: after study after study showing that actually, you know, killing 155 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 4: off all these microbes and scrubbing ourselves clean and using 156 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 4: antibiotics and all these different things that damage or microbiome, 157 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 4: all those practices are actually making us sicker, not healthier. 158 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 4: Even in the time I went to medical school in 159 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 4: the nineties and we were singularly focused on being as 160 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 4: clean as possible, and the same for our patients. And 161 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 4: there are definitely times when being clean is really important. 162 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 4: You know, if you're in an operating room, you want 163 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 4: that environment to be sterile. But in terms of just 164 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 4: general self care, the shift has really moved away from 165 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 4: this sort of super sanitization and being super clean into realizing, like, 166 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 4: no kids need to be outside getting dirty and exposure 167 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 4: to soil, microbes in nature, all these things are really 168 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 4: important for maintaining health. 169 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 2: We have to take a quick break, but we'll be 170 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 2: right back with more from doctor Robin Chuckkin. 171 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:48,719 Speaker 1: Stay with us. 172 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 3: We're back with doctor Robin Chuckin. I read that we're 173 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 3: actually exposed to bacteria from the moment we're born, and 174 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 3: that a lot of babies get their first dose of 175 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 3: it from the birth canal. Is that where the microbiome 176 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 3: comes from. 177 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 4: That's such a great question, and you are absolutely right, 178 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 4: And it turns out the fetus itself in the womb 179 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 4: is not even sterile. It's even exposed to some microbes 180 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 4: early on, but not a lot and very select ones. 181 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 4: And that passage through the birth canal, a vaginal birth 182 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,079 Speaker 4: is literally the most important moment in your life because 183 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 4: that is when you become colonized with the founding species, 184 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 4: with your man, your mother's microbiome, the Lactobacillus, bithidobacteria, et cetera. 185 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,679 Speaker 4: That are going to set you up for success. And 186 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,719 Speaker 4: what we see is that babies who are born via 187 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 4: sea section have higher rates of four really serious things 188 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 4: autoimmune disease, asthma, allergies, and obesity, and those things can 189 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 4: follow them into young adulthood. 190 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 2: Well, doctor Shakin, you've been pretty open about your own 191 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 2: experience with this. Your daughter was born VC section, right. 192 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 4: Yes, it completely changed my trajectory from being a conventional 193 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 4: guest room trologist who was doing lots of colonosko be 194 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 4: writing lots of prescriptions to really understanding the impact of 195 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 4: the microbiome. So I was thirty nine when I had 196 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 4: my daughter, So I was what they call advanced maternal age. 197 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 4: But I was super healthy, no medical problems. I was, 198 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 4: you know, running, swimming, doing all these things. So I 199 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 4: was in really good health. And when my water broke, 200 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 4: I remember like going to the hospital. I got there 201 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 4: around nine am and I was like, Okay, by four pm, 202 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 4: I'm going to have me a baby. I was convinced 203 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 4: that my baby was going to be born during the 204 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 4: Oprah Show between like four and five PM. And I 205 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 4: can't remember what episode it was. I keep meaning to 206 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 4: look back and see what Oprah came and went, no baby. 207 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 4: And one of the things I got they asked me, 208 00:10:57,120 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 4: you know, they're like, would you like an epidural? And 209 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 4: you're like, really, I am in like agony hair, and 210 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 4: you're saying you can relieve some of that pain. Oh yes, please, 211 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 4: So you get an epidural, But they don't tell you 212 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 4: that getting an epidural is going to significantly increase your 213 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 4: risk of a sea section. And of course for me, 214 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 4: even as a physician, I didn't know about sea sections 215 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 4: being associated with all these significant conditions in the baby. 216 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 4: So I'm like, oh, yes, please please stick that needle 217 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 4: in my back and take away my pain. So you 218 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 4: get an epidural, and then my labor is a little 219 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 4: bit of failure to progress, and so they're like, oh, well, 220 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 4: we're going to give you something to speed up labor, 221 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 4: something to induce labor, and I was like, oh, that 222 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 4: sounds great. They don't tell you that that medication they're 223 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 4: giving you to induce labor also is going to cause 224 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 4: a higher likelihood of sea section. And again not second 225 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 4: guessing these decisions. I think these are all very reasonable 226 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 4: medical decisions, but just pointing out that how someone like 227 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,439 Speaker 4: me as a physician, was really unaware this stuff, and 228 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 4: had I known, I probably would have said, you know, 229 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 4: I'm not sure we need to do. 230 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 5: All of this. 231 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 4: And then you have a baby who's born via C section, 232 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 4: so she misses out on that important passage through the 233 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 4: birth canal and the seating of her body, of her 234 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,320 Speaker 4: little body with all those important microbes. And then because 235 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 4: I had a fever, they put my daughter Sydney in 236 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:30,679 Speaker 4: the nicque the neonatal ICU just for precautionary measures. And 237 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 4: again that's all good because they don't know if my 238 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:36,320 Speaker 4: fever means an infection that could have been transmitted to her. 239 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 4: But what I didn't realize is they also gave her 240 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 4: two doses of an intravenous antibiotic just in case, so 241 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 4: whatever few little microbes she might have got, you know, gone. 242 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,559 Speaker 4: And this is where things start to get a little squirrely. 243 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 4: And I couldn't figure out why she was sick all 244 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 4: the time. I was a first mom. She's the only 245 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 4: kid I have, and I would ask other moms. I'm like, oh, well, 246 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 4: how many air infections has your kid had? And they're 247 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 4: like none, and I'm like, oh, my kid is on 248 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 4: her eighth air infection and she's not even one. So 249 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 4: she ended up being on twenty two courses of antibiotics 250 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 4: before she was two years old. And I realized at 251 00:13:14,240 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 4: that point I had to kind of choose a different path. 252 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 4: And really, I always want to tell people that I 253 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 4: was able to do it because I'm a physician, and 254 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 4: so I know that you know, what are the signs 255 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 4: and symptoms to look for I do not recommend that 256 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 4: people go rogue and decide to stop going to the 257 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 4: beat attrition or stop you know, giving their kid antibotics. 258 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 4: But I really do strongly advise that people start asking 259 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 4: questions like question number one, is this antibiotic absolutely necessary? 260 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 4: And that's the important question to ask, not just for 261 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 4: your kid, but for yourself. Question number two, what would 262 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 4: happen if I didn't take an antibiotic? Because a lot 263 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 4: of the time the answer is, Oh, you'll just be 264 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 4: sick for a day or two longer, And it's like, oh, really, oh, 265 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 4: I'll take that. 266 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: So how do you determine that? 267 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 2: Because like, if you have like I felt like a 268 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 2: six year old, but I got strep throat last month 269 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 2: and I needed that antibiotic, versus if you have a 270 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 2: sinus infection, sometimes you feel like you need the antibiotic, 271 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 2: but really you can wait it out. 272 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: It's just really tough. 273 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's important to also think about the flip side 274 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 4: of antibiotics. When you take an antibiotic, it doesn't just 275 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 4: kill off the bad bug causing the sinus infection or 276 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 4: the strip. It kills off droves of your healthy bacteria. 277 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 4: And in fact, the studies say, it can remove up 278 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 4: to a third of your gut bacteria. There is no 279 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 4: probiotic in the world that can fix that, and so 280 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 4: you have to balance that. It's not like, oh, there's 281 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 4: no risk, there's huge risk. And there's several great published studies. 282 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 4: There's a study looking at rotavirus and children, which is 283 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 4: a common virus that causes diarreal illness. This study showed 284 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 4: that children who received a course of antibiotics in the 285 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 4: two weeks before they got rotavirus were much sicker, They 286 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 4: had more serious infection, more likely to be hospitalized, longer 287 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 4: course of illness. We have studies now showing that antibiotics 288 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 4: and middle aged women are linked to cognitive decline aging 289 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 4: the brain three to four years. We know that antibiotics 290 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 4: in young children are linked to poor executive function cognitive issues. 291 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 4: So it's not just the theoretical risk of an autoimmune 292 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 4: disease down the road. When you take an antibiotic, it 293 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 4: is always always doing some damage to your gut. 294 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 5: Your gut is always taking a hit. 295 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 4: And I just go into all the different pros and 296 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 4: cons because I want to be clear, this is not 297 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 4: an easy decision. It's not you know, antibiotics are terribly 298 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 4: you should never use them, or antibotics or panacea you 299 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 4: should always take one. There's a lot of grey zone. 300 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 4: It's very nuanced, and it's really important that your individual 301 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 4: history is a part of that decision making. So, you know, 302 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 4: not suggesting that you confront the doctor like hey, I'm 303 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 4: not taking an antibiotic no matter what that stuff as poison, 304 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 4: but that you really, you know, you have good questions 305 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 4: to ask so that you can make a good informed 306 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 4: decision together. 307 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. 308 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 3: As I'm hearing you speak, it sounds like you yourself 309 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 3: had this awakening or enlightenment about the over prescription of 310 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 3: antibiotics that we see in traditional medicine. You have a 311 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 3: medical degree in gastroentrology, You were a physician for many years, 312 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 3: probably working in some of these same traditional conventional medicine circles, 313 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 3: and now you run a digestive wellness center that is 314 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 3: an integrative practice. Describe like what went into that pivot 315 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:41,479 Speaker 3: and that awakening. 316 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, this is it's good. We can do 317 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 4: some therapy on this. I'm like, yes, it was. I mean, 318 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 4: I it's exactly as you said, Simone, and I like, 319 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 4: I trained at good places Yale and Columbia and Mount Sinai, 320 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 4: and I was on the committees. I've written textbooks and 321 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 4: book chapters, and I considered myself a really good doctor. 322 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 4: And really that experience with my daughter of seeing the 323 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,680 Speaker 4: profound effect of the antibiotics, not just the circumstances of 324 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 4: the birth, the C section, but the profound effect of 325 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 4: those antibiotics and how they actually made her more susceptible 326 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:21,080 Speaker 4: to infection. And because I have the incredible privilege in 327 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 4: my practice of treating primarily autoimmune gut disorders like crohnes 328 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 4: and ulster kalitis, celiac disease, things like that, I started 329 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 4: to take note, and I started to ask my patients 330 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 4: about their medical histories, and I started seeing very similar histories. 331 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 4: So all of that led to this awakening, and it really, 332 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 4: you know, I don't want to describe it as losing 333 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 4: your faith because that sounds. 334 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:45,880 Speaker 5: Overly dramatic, right. 335 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 4: I Mean, I am a proud physician, I wear that 336 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,959 Speaker 4: white coat, I have a prescription pad. I'm very proud 337 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 4: of being a doctor. But it really made me realize 338 00:17:56,760 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 4: that a lot of the things we're doing in medicine 339 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 4: are creating illness. It's not that we're not doing good. 340 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 4: We're doing a lot of good. And antibiotics are life 341 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 4: changing antibotics. Over the one hundred years since we've had them, 342 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 4: almost have saved millions of lives. 343 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 5: So that's true. 344 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:17,400 Speaker 4: And what's also true is they are widely overprescribed and overused. 345 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 4: And what's also true is they are linked to chronic 346 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 4: conditions that we are only now learning about conditions not 347 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 4: just in our gut, but on our skin, in our brains, 348 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 4: et cetera, because of that connection between the gut and 349 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 4: these other organs. So these three things are all true. 350 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 4: At the same time, it's not all good or all bad. 351 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:40,199 Speaker 4: And so for me realizing that, like I'm focusing on 352 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 4: prescribing drugs and I'm not looking at what people are 353 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 4: eating and how they're living and their habits, and so 354 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 4: that really forced me to embrace an additional type of medicine, 355 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 4: which is the idea of diet and lifestyle. And I'm 356 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,919 Speaker 4: really proud that in our practice with our autoimmune patients 357 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 4: who have crones and ulster colitis, we have data showing 358 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 4: a seventy nine percent remission rate using a food as 359 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 4: medicine approach. Now it's not one hundred percent, right, seventy nine, 360 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,320 Speaker 4: so about four out of every five patients. But the 361 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:15,959 Speaker 4: most potent immune suppressing drug isn't even fifty percent. And 362 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 4: by the way, it can cause cancer and serious infection. 363 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 4: And if you can achieve those same results for similar 364 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 4: results using diet and lifestyle, then why wouldn't you, Right, 365 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 4: So it's not either or it's both, but trying to 366 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 4: build on that platform. 367 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 3: We've got to take another short break. 368 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 2: We'll be right back, and we're back with doctor Robin Chuckin. 369 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,320 Speaker 2: So I'm curious about some of those lifestyle changes that 370 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 2: we can make. What are the best things we can 371 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:52,400 Speaker 2: do for our microbiome. 372 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 4: Well, I like to sum it up with sort of 373 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 4: an oversimplified three words dirt. 374 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 5: Sweat, veg. 375 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 4: So we'll start with a vedge, actually, because that's the 376 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 4: most important one. So our healthy gut microbes ferment fiber. 377 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 4: They take fiber and process it in the colon, and 378 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 4: they produce metabolites what we call post biotics, things like 379 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 4: shirt chain fatty acids and those substances. Those post metabolites 380 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 4: are essential not just for maintaining a healthy gut lining, 381 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 4: but high levels of short chain fatty acids equal a 382 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 4: healthy immune system, so they're important for protecting us from infection, cancer, 383 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 4: et cetera, as well as maintaining the health of the gut. 384 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:35,959 Speaker 4: So in order to have high levels of short chain 385 00:20:36,000 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 4: fatty acid, you got to eat your vegetables. 386 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 3: So what are the specific vegetables that are great for 387 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 3: our gut. 388 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 4: So really there are no bad vegetables, but the ones 389 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 4: to really focus on are the really fiber stringy one 390 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 4: so think of like broccoli and asparagus, and salary leafy 391 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 4: greens are good too, and those are really important. And 392 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 4: one thing when you cook broccoli, you don't want to 393 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,200 Speaker 4: throw away the stem. The stem is where most of 394 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 4: the fiber is, so you want to chop up that stem, 395 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 4: shave it, do whatever you need to do so that 396 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 4: you can cook it and make it more palatable. Same 397 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 4: thing with the asparagus. Don't snap off the bottom half 398 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:15,239 Speaker 4: of the asparagus because that's where most of the fiber is. 399 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,360 Speaker 4: And what we call resistant starches are really important too, 400 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 4: Resistant meaning they're not broken down in the upper part 401 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 4: of our small intestine. So those would be things like 402 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,960 Speaker 4: in oats and beans and so on, because they float 403 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 4: down to the colon where they get fermented by the bacteria. 404 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 4: So all the kind of fiber things that we don't 405 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 4: digest well because they're really not there for us. They're 406 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 4: there to feed our bacteria. Those are really important. And 407 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 4: then the dirt and sweat are just you know, getting 408 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 4: outside of nature because other than food and that initial 409 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 4: passage through the birth canal, where do we get our 410 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 4: microbes from. We get them from soil. They're out there 411 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 4: in nature in dirt. So we want to have exposure 412 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 4: to nature. There's a study that shows that kids who 413 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 4: live in a very urban environment, places like New York 414 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 4: City where there's a lot of glass and concrete, have 415 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 4: higher rates of asthma, they have higher rates of exzema 416 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 4: and colonization on the skin with some staff and other 417 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 4: bacteria that are not so helpful, and a lot of 418 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 4: that is because of the lack of exposure to nature. 419 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:17,440 Speaker 4: There's studies that show that rurality, meaning exposure to farm 420 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:21,880 Speaker 4: animals and being out in farmland areas, is protective against 421 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 4: autoimmune diseases. And so even if you do live in 422 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,200 Speaker 4: New York City, take your kid to the park, sit 423 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,760 Speaker 4: in some grass, so that's a dirt, and then the 424 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 4: sweat part, because we know that exercise has a really 425 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 4: beneficial effect not just on the gut microbiome, keeping it balanced, 426 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 4: because it keeps things moving through so you don't get 427 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 4: stasis of the contents, but also on gut motility and 428 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,119 Speaker 4: enzyme secretion, which you want for good gut function. 429 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:49,400 Speaker 5: So some of the people we see. 430 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 4: With the worst GI problems are sedentary people, for example, 431 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,240 Speaker 4: in nursing homes or people who aren't moving. They get constipated, 432 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 4: they have what we call dyspiosis and sort of imbalanced microbiome, 433 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 4: have all kinds. 434 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 5: Of motility issues. So there's lots to do. 435 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:06,959 Speaker 4: I mean, hydration is important, There's so many things, But 436 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,159 Speaker 4: I believe in focusing on three things at a time, 437 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 4: and so if you have to focus on three things, 438 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 4: focus on dirt, sweat, and ven. 439 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 3: I'm really curious to ask you about all these different 440 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 3: probiotics prebiotics that are out there. I'm curious to hear 441 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,439 Speaker 3: what you think about that and just if there are 442 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 3: any that you would recommend that are highly effective. 443 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,440 Speaker 4: Sure, So let's start with a quick definition for people 444 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 4: who might be a little less familiar. A prebiotic refers 445 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 4: to the food that the bacteria eat, So that's all 446 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 4: the fibers stuff I was talking about. Right, Biota means organism, 447 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 4: let's say micro bacteria for the purposes of this conversation. 448 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 4: So prebiotic is something that is feeding the bacteria. And 449 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 4: so prebiotics, I like to remind people, are not things 450 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 4: that come at a canister with a label from the factory. 451 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 4: Probiotics are actually foods out there in nature, like oats 452 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 4: and celery and beans and all those high fiber foods. 453 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 4: That's a pre biotic. A probiotic refers to the actual bacteria, 454 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 4: not just a store bought wandes in the canister, but 455 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 4: the ones in our body. And probiotics, the definition from 456 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 4: the World Health Organization is a living organism that, when ingested, 457 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 4: confers a benefit to the host. And it's the second 458 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 4: part of that definition that's tricky because the vast majority 459 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 4: of those products out there don't have any efficacy. They 460 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:35,120 Speaker 4: can't show any actual data that this is making you healthier. 461 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 4: So that's a probiotic. And then a post biotic is 462 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 4: what I was talking about. The short chain fatty acids. 463 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 4: Those are metabolites that the bacteria make that are ostensibly 464 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 4: good for us. And so the first point I want 465 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 4: to make, and I relate to this because I was 466 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 4: not a good vegetable eater growing up, and even now, 467 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 4: my preferred way to get in a lot of vegetables 468 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 4: is a green smoothie. But people will do anything to 469 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 4: avoid actually eating a vegetable. I feel like when people 470 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 4: ask me about a probiotic, I feel like if I say, 471 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,120 Speaker 4: you know, there's legitimacy for this is and that I'm 472 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,880 Speaker 4: getting them off the hook for going out and eating 473 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 4: some vegetables. So the first thing I want to say 474 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:18,439 Speaker 4: to you, my best advice is to feed the bacteria 475 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 4: that are already in your gut, because they are alive. 476 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 5: When you buy something off. 477 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 4: The shelf, remember this is an on regulated market. The 478 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 4: product says at the bottom, this product is not intended 479 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 4: to treat or cure any disease. And in the words 480 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 4: of Maya Angelou, when someone tells you who they are, 481 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 4: believe them. So you're taking a product that on the 482 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 4: label tells you right up front, this isn't going to 483 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 4: do anything. But we're taking it anyway because you know, 484 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 4: we want to believe the best thing to do is 485 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 4: to not kill off your microbes. 486 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:56,919 Speaker 5: With the antibiotics, acid blockers, et cetera. 487 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 4: And to eat the food, the prebiotic food, the beans 488 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 4: and greens and broccoli, et cetera, and berries that we 489 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 4: know are going to feed the bacteria in our gut. 490 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 4: But if you were to ask me, the probiotic that 491 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 4: I recommend for certain conditions, because there are over one 492 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 4: hundred scientific articles actually showing that it does what it 493 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 4: says it's going to do, is something called viz bio, 494 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 4: and it's a combination of seven different bacteria, and it 495 00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 4: is considered by the FDA a medical food for the 496 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 4: treatment of conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, for something called pouchitis, 497 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 4: which is something that can happen with ulster of klitis 498 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 4: after the colon is removed. There's several veterinary studies, but 499 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,160 Speaker 4: I don't recommend that the average healthy person who wants 500 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 4: to be healthier necessarily take a probiotic. I recommend dirt, sweat, 501 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:48,880 Speaker 4: veg for that person. You're going to get a lot 502 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 4: more bang out of going to the farmer's market, buying 503 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:56,159 Speaker 4: some food that was grown in dirt and eating some vegetables. 504 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 2: Doctor Chekin, thank you so much for joining us on 505 00:26:59,400 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 2: the right side. 506 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,400 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. That was so informative. 507 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 4: Oh, it's such a pleasure to be with you. Thanks 508 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 4: for all the great work and conversations you're having. 509 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 2: Doctor Robin Checkkin is a gastro entrologist, author of several 510 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 2: digestive health books, and host of the Gut Bliss podcast. 511 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,280 Speaker 3: That's It. For today's show, tomorrow, we're joined by chef, 512 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 3: restaurateur and cokebook author Ozma Kahn. She's igniting a revolution 513 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 3: in the culinary world, and tomorrow she's sharing her recipe 514 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 3: for change with us. Thank you to our partners at Coligard, 515 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 3: the one of a kind way to screen for colon 516 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 3: cancer in the privacy and comfort of your own home. 517 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 3: Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider, or go to 518 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,360 Speaker 3: coliguard dot com slash podcast to see if you're eligible 519 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 3: to order online. If you're forty five or older and 520 00:27:45,640 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 3: an average risk, ask your healthcare provider about screening for 521 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 3: colon cancer with Coliguard. You can also request a Coliguard 522 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 3: prescription today at coligard dot com slash podcast. 523 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 2: Listen and follow the bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, 524 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you at your podcast. 525 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 1: I'm simone Voice. 526 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:05,560 Speaker 3: You can find me at simone Voice, on Instagram and TikTok. 527 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:08,680 Speaker 2: I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok. 528 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:11,800 Speaker 1: That's r O B A. Y See you tomorrow, folks. 529 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 3: Keep looking on the bright side.