Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

Well, this is the point, and I don't know that you were intentionally trying to set me up there because we haven't talked about this before, but actually diversity of exercise is actually a relevant idea. Really? Yes. So much we could be talking about different types of foods have a different effect on our microbiome. Different exercises have a different effect on our microbiome.

They did this study where they looked at marathon runners. And they identified that there was this one bacteria called Villanella that was disproportionately represented within these marathon runners. So the scientists, this was, by the way, done, I believe, at Harvard in Boston. The scientists asked the question, what's the deal with this Villanella?

They did this study where they looked at marathon runners. And they identified that there was this one bacteria called Villanella that was disproportionately represented within these marathon runners. So the scientists, this was, by the way, done, I believe, at Harvard in Boston. The scientists asked the question, what's the deal with this Villanella?

Why would the runners have more of this specific thing? And the answer was quite interesting. The Villanella was breaking down lactic acid. When we run, endurance exercise, lactic acid accumulates in our muscles. That creates muscle fatigue. If you want to be a better runner and have greater endurance, you would break down lactic acid. The microbes are helping. That's interesting.

Why would the runners have more of this specific thing? And the answer was quite interesting. The Villanella was breaking down lactic acid. When we run, endurance exercise, lactic acid accumulates in our muscles. That creates muscle fatigue. If you want to be a better runner and have greater endurance, you would break down lactic acid. The microbes are helping. That's interesting.

They have another study done by rugby players in Ireland. All right. And they looked at their microbiome, these rugby players, and they discovered that there is a shift within their microbiome towards actually more anti-inflammatory bacteria that interact with fiber to produce what are called short chain fatty acids, which are the most anti-inflammatory molecules out there.

They have another study done by rugby players in Ireland. All right. And they looked at their microbiome, these rugby players, and they discovered that there is a shift within their microbiome towards actually more anti-inflammatory bacteria that interact with fiber to produce what are called short chain fatty acids, which are the most anti-inflammatory molecules out there.

And these short chain fatty acids, which people may have heard of them, butyrate, acetate, propionate. These short chain fatty acids have healing effects right there in your gut. They help to shape the microbiome. They affect the immune system. They affect our metabolism. And they enter the bloodstream and they travel all the way to the brain.

And these short chain fatty acids, which people may have heard of them, butyrate, acetate, propionate. These short chain fatty acids have healing effects right there in your gut. They help to shape the microbiome. They affect the immune system. They affect our metabolism. And they enter the bloodstream and they travel all the way to the brain.

And they affect the brain, including the blood-brain barrier.

And they affect the brain, including the blood-brain barrier.

Well, it's interesting because you think about all the great athletes, for example, in the NFL. And you see these guys do, like Adrian Peterson comes to mind. where some of the recoveries that he had during his career were crazy. And they defy the rules of recovery. And it makes you wonder if there's something- Is that genetics? Is that microbiome? Is that, yeah.

Well, it's interesting because you think about all the great athletes, for example, in the NFL. And you see these guys do, like Adrian Peterson comes to mind. where some of the recoveries that he had during his career were crazy. And they defy the rules of recovery. And it makes you wonder if there's something- Is that genetics? Is that microbiome? Is that, yeah.

Are there other factors in play here? But what's interesting is because you have this shift in the microbiome towards these anti-inflammatory molecules. Okay, well, I just mentioned that depression has an inflammatory component to it, right? So here we are and we discover that exercise is actually good for helping our mood.

Are there other factors in play here? But what's interesting is because you have this shift in the microbiome towards these anti-inflammatory molecules. Okay, well, I just mentioned that depression has an inflammatory component to it, right? So here we are and we discover that exercise is actually good for helping our mood.

And what I'm saying is what's happening under the hood, if you lift up the hood and take a look, is there's this shift in the microbiome. And now you don't even have to change your diet. I mean, I do want you to eat more plants. Right, right. Right? But exercise alone helps you improve your anxiety or stress or depression. Yes.

And what I'm saying is what's happening under the hood, if you lift up the hood and take a look, is there's this shift in the microbiome. And now you don't even have to change your diet. I mean, I do want you to eat more plants. Right, right. Right? But exercise alone helps you improve your anxiety or stress or depression. Yes.

And that shift that's happening in the microbiome is actually helping you to get more from your fiber. Right. So you don't change your diet. You eat the same fiber. Now you get more from it. But what if you also changed your diet at the same time that you were implementing this exercise? If you did one and two, food and exercise. This is why they synergize so well.

And that shift that's happening in the microbiome is actually helping you to get more from your fiber. Right. So you don't change your diet. You eat the same fiber. Now you get more from it. But what if you also changed your diet at the same time that you were implementing this exercise? If you did one and two, food and exercise. This is why they synergize so well.

I think that the answer is yes. And the reason why I say that is they have these bizarre studies that they've done where they take people and they inject into them something called lipopolysaccharide. What is that? All right. Lipopolysaccharide is produced by bacteria that live inside of us, like E. coli. So we've all heard of E. coli, okay? So this is like- They inject a disease inside of us.