Dr. Steven Gundry

Termites have their own microbiome, and fun fact, termites cannot digest wood. They can eat wood, but they depend on their microbiome to digest the wood for them. And that's just one example. We are dependent in many, many ways on our microbiome to digest foods that we eat, to protect us from foods that we eat. And what's really startling

is that we're dependent on them to tell our immune system who are the good guys, who are the bad guys, to tell our brain whether to be worried about something. And chapters of the book make some pretty amazing claims, which is backed up by research, that their anxious people have a completely different microbiome than non-anxious people.

is that we're dependent on them to tell our immune system who are the good guys, who are the bad guys, to tell our brain whether to be worried about something. And chapters of the book make some pretty amazing claims, which is backed up by research, that their anxious people have a completely different microbiome than non-anxious people.

People who have altruistic motives, and we're seeing a lot of altruism in LA with the fires, have a very different microbiome that makes them altruistic. And kids with autism have a very different microbiome that make them autistic, etc., etc., And there's even a chapter that I submit that much of addictive behavior is actually driven by the microbiome to get you to get substances that they want.

People who have altruistic motives, and we're seeing a lot of altruism in LA with the fires, have a very different microbiome that makes them altruistic. And kids with autism have a very different microbiome that make them autistic, etc., etc., And there's even a chapter that I submit that much of addictive behavior is actually driven by the microbiome to get you to get substances that they want.

So it's very, it's really complex. And the book wants to kind of have you kind of dive into, number one, how complex this whole system is. and how important it is to understand this system. And the good news is to manipulate this system with some of our food and behavior choices.

So it's very, it's really complex. And the book wants to kind of have you kind of dive into, number one, how complex this whole system is. and how important it is to understand this system. And the good news is to manipulate this system with some of our food and behavior choices.

Yeah, that's what's actually so interesting. One of the reasons I decided to write this book is about 80% of my practice is in autoimmune disease patients who either aren't getting relief from the various immunosuppressive drugs they're on and want to get off of them or otherwise want lifestyle changes, maybe diabetes, et cetera. But one of the things, a lot of these patients are women.

Yeah, that's what's actually so interesting. One of the reasons I decided to write this book is about 80% of my practice is in autoimmune disease patients who either aren't getting relief from the various immunosuppressive drugs they're on and want to get off of them or otherwise want lifestyle changes, maybe diabetes, et cetera. But one of the things, a lot of these patients are women.

And one of the things that struck me through the years is that a great number of these people, among other problems, were on antidepressants. And many of them kind of list their antidepressants, but don't even list depression or anxiety as an issue. And yet there they are on them. And they go, oh, wow, I've been on these for so long, I forget that I'm on them.

And one of the things that struck me through the years is that a great number of these people, among other problems, were on antidepressants. And many of them kind of list their antidepressants, but don't even list depression or anxiety as an issue. And yet there they are on them. And they go, oh, wow, I've been on these for so long, I forget that I'm on them.

And one of the really interesting things is we know that there's a depressive microbiome. There is an anxiety microbiome. And you can prove this in animal studies. But one of the exciting things through the years, and I've been

And one of the really interesting things is we know that there's a depressive microbiome. There is an anxiety microbiome. And you can prove this in animal studies. But one of the exciting things through the years, and I've been

doing what I do now for 25 years, is that a lot of my patients, when we were working on correcting whatever reason they came to see me, was that a great number of them, in fact most of them, weaned themselves off of their antidepressants. And they go, hey, isn't that unusual? Isn't that weird? I didn't come in here to get rid of these, but I don't need them anymore. Isn't that interesting?

doing what I do now for 25 years, is that a lot of my patients, when we were working on correcting whatever reason they came to see me, was that a great number of them, in fact most of them, weaned themselves off of their antidepressants. And they go, hey, isn't that unusual? Isn't that weird? I didn't come in here to get rid of these, but I don't need them anymore. Isn't that interesting?

And I go, well, actually, it turns out that in the process of restoring the functioning of your gut microbiome and the functioning of your gut barrier function, you don't need those things anymore because the good guys are back in town, if you will. So it's exciting.

And I go, well, actually, it turns out that in the process of restoring the functioning of your gut microbiome and the functioning of your gut barrier function, you don't need those things anymore because the good guys are back in town, if you will. So it's exciting.

Well, you know, it's interesting. And I've written about this in a previous book, which was one of the reasons I wanted to write this book. Antidepressants, most of them are what are called serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs. And yes, serotonin is the feel-good hormone.

Well, you know, it's interesting. And I've written about this in a previous book, which was one of the reasons I wanted to write this book. Antidepressants, most of them are what are called serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs. And yes, serotonin is the feel-good hormone.

And we've learned through the years that much of our serotonin is actually produced by our microbiome, not by our nerve cells at all. And if serotonin reuptake inhibitors actually work by making more serotonin in your brain, then I should be able, if I'm depressed, swallow Prozac and tomorrow feel great because I've got more serotonin in our brain. Nope.