Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

So Justin and Erica Sonnenberg, who are microbiome scientists at Stanford. And they did this, of course, in a mouse because you can't do this in humans. It takes us too long to procreate. But they looked at multiple generations of mice and they deprived these mice of fiber in their diet.

So Justin and Erica Sonnenberg, who are microbiome scientists at Stanford. And they did this, of course, in a mouse because you can't do this in humans. It takes us too long to procreate. But they looked at multiple generations of mice and they deprived these mice of fiber in their diet.

And what they found is that, okay, so let's imagine that grandma has a thousand different species of microbes in her gut, right? But by the time grandma has mom, she's down to 700 species. So that's what mom gets. Mom gets 700 species. And then mom is still on a low fiber diet. And by the time she has her daughter, she's down to 400 species. So her daughter gets 400 species.

And what they found is that, okay, so let's imagine that grandma has a thousand different species of microbes in her gut, right? But by the time grandma has mom, she's down to 700 species. So that's what mom gets. Mom gets 700 species. And then mom is still on a low fiber diet. And by the time she has her daughter, she's down to 400 species. So her daughter gets 400 species.

And what they found is that, okay, so let's imagine that grandma has a thousand different species of microbes in her gut, right? But by the time grandma has mom, she's down to 700 species. So that's what mom gets. Mom gets 700 species. And then mom is still on a low fiber diet. And by the time she has her daughter, she's down to 400 species. So her daughter gets 400 species.

So basically like there's this impairment that took place. And what they found in the study was that if you reintroduce the fiber, you can get back some of it, but not all of it. So the concern that exists is that there's a generational loss that's taken place because we're not the first generation to be low on fiber in our diet. Our parents' generation was.

So basically like there's this impairment that took place. And what they found in the study was that if you reintroduce the fiber, you can get back some of it, but not all of it. So the concern that exists is that there's a generational loss that's taken place because we're not the first generation to be low on fiber in our diet. Our parents' generation was.

So basically like there's this impairment that took place. And what they found in the study was that if you reintroduce the fiber, you can get back some of it, but not all of it. So the concern that exists is that there's a generational loss that's taken place because we're not the first generation to be low on fiber in our diet. Our parents' generation was.

But the problem is that if it started with them and then it transfers on to us, we're sort of receiving the baton and then carrying that forward. Part of the problem is our diet. Like you and I, we grew up in the 80s and like ultra processed food was taking over. Right. Like I routinely grew up eating junk food, chips, drinking Kool-Aid, SpaghettiOs for lunch. SpaghettiOs.

But the problem is that if it started with them and then it transfers on to us, we're sort of receiving the baton and then carrying that forward. Part of the problem is our diet. Like you and I, we grew up in the 80s and like ultra processed food was taking over. Right. Like I routinely grew up eating junk food, chips, drinking Kool-Aid, SpaghettiOs for lunch. SpaghettiOs.

But the problem is that if it started with them and then it transfers on to us, we're sort of receiving the baton and then carrying that forward. Part of the problem is our diet. Like you and I, we grew up in the 80s and like ultra processed food was taking over. Right. Like I routinely grew up eating junk food, chips, drinking Kool-Aid, SpaghettiOs for lunch. SpaghettiOs.

Forgot all about SpaghettiOs. Chef Boyardee. Chef Boyardee. Yeah. Yeah. So and this is the kind of food that we grew up with. Yet at the same time, like I specifically remember I was born in 1980. I specifically remember when Nintendo, the original Nintendo, came into the world and it changed everything because prior to that, I was playing outside constantly.

Forgot all about SpaghettiOs. Chef Boyardee. Chef Boyardee. Yeah. Yeah. So and this is the kind of food that we grew up with. Yet at the same time, like I specifically remember I was born in 1980. I specifically remember when Nintendo, the original Nintendo, came into the world and it changed everything because prior to that, I was playing outside constantly.

Forgot all about SpaghettiOs. Chef Boyardee. Chef Boyardee. Yeah. Yeah. So and this is the kind of food that we grew up with. Yet at the same time, like I specifically remember I was born in 1980. I specifically remember when Nintendo, the original Nintendo, came into the world and it changed everything because prior to that, I was playing outside constantly.

And from that point forward, everything that I did was so that I could get some time to play Nintendo. So maybe I played outside for a little bit, but then I wanted a couple hours of Nintendo time. So all of these changes that if you think about our sedentary lifestyle, the devices, like the average adult in the United States spends six hours a day on their devices.

And from that point forward, everything that I did was so that I could get some time to play Nintendo. So maybe I played outside for a little bit, but then I wanted a couple hours of Nintendo time. So all of these changes that if you think about our sedentary lifestyle, the devices, like the average adult in the United States spends six hours a day on their devices.

And from that point forward, everything that I did was so that I could get some time to play Nintendo. So maybe I played outside for a little bit, but then I wanted a couple hours of Nintendo time. So all of these changes that if you think about our sedentary lifestyle, the devices, like the average adult in the United States spends six hours a day on their devices.

So I mean, that's six hours that we could be doing something that's building our microbiome, but instead we're sitting somewhere staring at a screen.

So I mean, that's six hours that we could be doing something that's building our microbiome, but instead we're sitting somewhere staring at a screen.

So I mean, that's six hours that we could be doing something that's building our microbiome, but instead we're sitting somewhere staring at a screen.