Dr. Trisha Pasricha

The problem is that we actually don't know if something that we're labeling as a bad bacteria or a good bacteria is the cause of that condition or is the cause of your health.

Because what if the bacteria we're seeing that we're calling bad are actually just the bacteria that are naturally growing in response to the fertilizer you're giving it?

And they're actually trying their best to help you, but that's just what grows in that environment.

And the problem is not that you need to sprinkle probiotics on them.

but you need to focus on prebiotics.

Prebiotics are like the fertilizer and the conditions that allow certain kinds of bacteria to grow.

And that's things like fiber.

It's the things that you don't digest that become the food for those bacteria.

So sometimes the solution is not necessarily a probiotic supplement, but to say, what have I fed my gut microbes today?

Have I given it a high fiber meal?

Have I had fruit today?

I've had vegetables.

Have I eaten something fermented?

And sometimes that's the way that you can nudge the bacteria

the bacteria populations in your gut one way or another.

I stopped pretending like I was going to get enough fiber through my diet.

And I'm a gut health researcher, like you said, and I think about my gut health like way more than most people.

And so I thought for a really long time that I should, I have to get all my fiber needs, which for women over 50 is 21 grams per day for under 50, 25 grams per day, that I should get it through my diet, that I should be like making these beautiful bento box lunches with like this colorful different, like five different vegetables and fruits.

And, um,

It would happen for me like several days a week.