Dr. Tim Spector

We're just about to publish a paper about what defines good gut health. And we used to think it was about diversity and just purely counting the number of different microbes. And that's what most gut tests do. But we now know that there are 100 microbes that are related both to the food you eat, so they change, and they're also related to your health outcomes.

We're just about to publish a paper about what defines good gut health. And we used to think it was about diversity and just purely counting the number of different microbes. And that's what most gut tests do. But we now know that there are 100 microbes that are related both to the food you eat, so they change, and they're also related to your health outcomes.

We're just about to publish a paper about what defines good gut health. And we used to think it was about diversity and just purely counting the number of different microbes. And that's what most gut tests do. But we now know that there are 100 microbes that are related both to the food you eat, so they change, and they're also related to your health outcomes.

And it turns out that about a third of them are new. They don't even have names. It just shows you how fast this field is moving. And what we've shown is that as you increase the number of good microbes, you squeeze out the bad ones. So I don't think we need a specific diet to get rid of the bad ones other than to crowd them out

And it turns out that about a third of them are new. They don't even have names. It just shows you how fast this field is moving. And what we've shown is that as you increase the number of good microbes, you squeeze out the bad ones. So I don't think we need a specific diet to get rid of the bad ones other than to crowd them out

And it turns out that about a third of them are new. They don't even have names. It just shows you how fast this field is moving. And what we've shown is that as you increase the number of good microbes, you squeeze out the bad ones. So I don't think we need a specific diet to get rid of the bad ones other than to crowd them out

by really feeding properly those good microbes with everything they need so that there's no spare nutrients left for the bad guys because they tend to feed off when there's spare sugars around when there aren't enough good guys, so they're not mopping it all up super efficiently.

by really feeding properly those good microbes with everything they need so that there's no spare nutrients left for the bad guys because they tend to feed off when there's spare sugars around when there aren't enough good guys, so they're not mopping it all up super efficiently.

by really feeding properly those good microbes with everything they need so that there's no spare nutrients left for the bad guys because they tend to feed off when there's spare sugars around when there aren't enough good guys, so they're not mopping it all up super efficiently.

And this allows space for the bad guys to grow, and they like sugars and spare fats and things like this the good guys can't deal with. So I think that's a really important concept. So whatever it takes to improve your good microbes, which again comes back crucially to this diversity. So

And this allows space for the bad guys to grow, and they like sugars and spare fats and things like this the good guys can't deal with. So I think that's a really important concept. So whatever it takes to improve your good microbes, which again comes back crucially to this diversity. So

And this allows space for the bad guys to grow, and they like sugars and spare fats and things like this the good guys can't deal with. So I think that's a really important concept. So whatever it takes to improve your good microbes, which again comes back crucially to this diversity. So

a lot of people changing their diet they say oh i can't eat too much fiber it makes me bloated you know i've got to just stick to my beige food or whatever it is so realizing you don't have need large quantities of anything you need small quantities of lots of different things Some people say, oh, I gave up beans because they gave me too much gas.

a lot of people changing their diet they say oh i can't eat too much fiber it makes me bloated you know i've got to just stick to my beige food or whatever it is so realizing you don't have need large quantities of anything you need small quantities of lots of different things Some people say, oh, I gave up beans because they gave me too much gas.

a lot of people changing their diet they say oh i can't eat too much fiber it makes me bloated you know i've got to just stick to my beige food or whatever it is so realizing you don't have need large quantities of anything you need small quantities of lots of different things Some people say, oh, I gave up beans because they gave me too much gas.

Well, again, it's about cutting down the quantities of that to tiny amounts and building it up so that you can build up those good microbes. So small portions of variety. And if you're really struggling, then you might want to add in things like that prebiotic mix I was talking about. If you then layer in the fermented foods as well, that's another way that you can stimulate

Well, again, it's about cutting down the quantities of that to tiny amounts and building it up so that you can build up those good microbes. So small portions of variety. And if you're really struggling, then you might want to add in things like that prebiotic mix I was talking about. If you then layer in the fermented foods as well, that's another way that you can stimulate

Well, again, it's about cutting down the quantities of that to tiny amounts and building it up so that you can build up those good microbes. So small portions of variety. And if you're really struggling, then you might want to add in things like that prebiotic mix I was talking about. If you then layer in the fermented foods as well, that's another way that you can stimulate

the good guys to improve. And we've seen those changes in our studies as well. And yeah, there's no magic bullet. Again, it's giving your gut a rest if you can, not late night snacking particularly, and avoiding antibiotics. Nothing we haven't talked about. The average American takes three or four times as many antibiotics as the average Scandinavian.

the good guys to improve. And we've seen those changes in our studies as well. And yeah, there's no magic bullet. Again, it's giving your gut a rest if you can, not late night snacking particularly, and avoiding antibiotics. Nothing we haven't talked about. The average American takes three or four times as many antibiotics as the average Scandinavian.